Comedian Jo Koy found himself at the center of attention after a joke about Taylor Swift during the Golden Globes sparked varied reactions, especially from the pop superstar herself.

Koy’s opening monologue drew a mix of reviews, and it was the response—or lack thereof—from Swift that caught considerable attention, as it involved not just her but her boyfriend, football player Travis Kelce.

During his routine, Koy quipped:

“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift…”

Swift’s reaction, captured in a clip from the event, showed her offering a blank expression as she took a sip of her drink. The moment prompted Koy to apologize later.

In an interview on GMA3, Koy acknowledged the joke fell flat, describing it as “a little flat” and acknowledging its odd nature:

“I was trying to make fun of the NFL using cutaways and how the Globes didn’t have to do that. So it was more of a jab toward the NFL. But it just didn’t come out that way.”

In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Koy commented on Swift’s reaction as “cute,” emphasizing that his reference aimed to highlight fewer cutaways during the awards show rather than targeting Swift personally:

“Aww, man, it was cute. I was just saying it was cute. I was just saying it’s less cutaways, that’s all.”

Like it or not, people weren’t fans of Koy’s joke—or his hosting duties that night.

Swift and Kelce’s relationship gained further attention in September when Swift showed her support for Kelce during the Kansas City Chiefs’ 41-10 victory over the Chicago Bears. Swift was seen cheering from Kelce’s suite at Arrowhead Stadium, alongside Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce.

Their relationship has captivated social media and attracted considerable news coverage, including from detractors like far-right commentator Candace Owens, who suggested Swift does not have a genuine interest in football and implied that her recent involvement in the sport is insincere.

The highly publicized relationship has had a considerable impact on NFL viewership.

The Chiefs–Bears game, which Swift attended, drew the most television viewers of the weekend, while sales of Kelce’s jersey and Chiefs home game tickets surged.

Both the NFL and NBC used the relationship for social media content and to promote subsequent games, sometimes with mixed reactions from fans who felt Swift’s presence and the regular cutaways to her were drawing attention from the game.