Steve Martin defends Jo Koy for surviving the 'toughest gig in show business' after Golden Globes backlash

The hosts are banding together: Steve Martin has come to Jo Koy’s defense following criticism of his Golden Globes hosting stint. After days of mixed reviews pouring in, Martin is drawing on personal experience to add his own two-cents into the mix.

“I tip my hat to anyone who steps out on stage to host a live awards show,” Martin, a three-time Academy Awards host who helmed the broadcast twice, and shared the stage with co-host Alec Baldwin a third time, wrote on Threads. “It’s a very difficult job and not for the squeamish. I know because I’m still throwing up from the last time I did it in 2010."

The Only Murders in the Building star, continued, “So, Congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet, and now has twenty minutes of new material for his stand up!”

Throughout the night, Koy — a longtime comedian with six stand-up specials under his belt — got many less-than-enthusiastic responses from the stars attending the ceremony. His opening monologue was particularly tough, including a now-viral moment of Taylor Swift looking unamused during a jab at her NFL coverage.

On the bright side, Martin isn’t the only one voicing his support for the comedian. Fellow Oscar hosting alum Whoopi Goldberg also came to Koy’s defense during The View’s discussion of the broadcast.

"These hosting gigs are brutal,” she told her fellow co-hosts after viewing the clip of Swift’s frosty reaction. “They're just brutal. If you don't know the room, if you've not been in these rooms before and you're thrust out there, it's hit or miss.”

Speaking to Koy’s comedic skills, she added, “I don't know whether it was the room or the jokes, I didn't get to see it, but I do know that he's as good as it gets when it comes to stand-ups. It's not an easy gig. If you read any of the reviews of some of the gigs that I've had, where they just wished me into the cornfields, die on the vine, it's not an easy gig."

Despite the mixed reception, Koy later told PEOPLE that he would “love” to host the show again, but “with five months, not nine days" to prepare.

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