Joseph Herbert Jr.
On Father’s Day 2023, the stand-up comedian and actor Jo Koy declared via social media: ‘I love being a dad.’ However, not much is known of his only child, Joseph Herbert Jr., as the funnyman and his ex-wife Angie King have done a great job at protecting him from media intrusion.
Joseph Herbert Jr. was born on 21st April 2003, in Los Angeles, California, USA, during the honeymoon phase of Jo and Angie’s ten-year marriage. Over the years, Jo has shared snippets of information about his son, and even described him as a ‘walking joke’ during a “Larry King Live” interview a few years ago, referring to the fact that he discusses his son’s antics during many of his stand-up specials.
Nevertheless, apart from the odd joke at Joseph’s expense, even Jo’s long-time fans would be hard-pressed to tell you much about the comedian’s son. That’s where online sleuths and major media publications come in – according to People magazine, Joseph was born in Cedars-Sinai Hospital, and attended a private school in Los Angeles.
Childhood
These days, Joseph enjoys a privileged lifestyle as a nepo baby, but things weren’t always so easy. Jo was still a struggling comedian working multiple jobs when his son was born, from cleaning yachts to putting in the hours at a bookstore and shoe store. Luckily for him, he landed his big break in 2005, after appearing on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno”, and was able to focus full-time on his showbiz career.
‘It wasn’t even that much money,’ Jo shared in a 2017 interview. ‘But it was enough to survive. It was enough to feed my kid.’
When Jo and Angie divorced in 2013 for unspecified reasons, they eventually decided to continue living near each other so as to co-parent to the best of their abilities. To this day, the former couple are believed to be on great terms – so much so that during the COVID pandemic, Angie moved into Jo’s guest house to ensure that Joseph would have quality time with both parents.
According to the comedian, his divorce from Angie wasn’t easy at first. However, he and his ex-wife put their differences aside as time passed. Both parties have also embarked on other relationships since the divorce was made official: Jo previously dated close friend and comedienne Chelsea Handler, whereas Angie is rumored to have dated various men. As far as we’re aware, this hasn’t affected their co-parenting.
The sweet bond between Jo and Joseph is evident, as in 2021, the actor commemorated his son’s milestone 18th birthday by writing on Instagram: ‘I’ve always said that my life didn’t start until you were born… The world is yours my son, and I’ll be right next to you the whole way.’
Joseph has been a constant presence throughout the highs and lows of his father’s career, such as the time Netflix refused to fund Jo’s 2017 comedy special, “Jo Koy: Live from Seattle”. The stand-up artist paid for the special out of his own pocket, and eventually reaped the benefits of his hard work when the streaming giant agreed to buy and release it following lengthy negotiations.
Work
Although Hollywood has come a long way in terms of Filipino representation, Jo recognizes that there’s still much to be done – and Joseph, who is currently part of the comedian’s work crew and travels the world with his famous dad, is also aware of this, which is perhaps why he prefers to work behind-the-scenes.
Joseph’s academic struggles first came to light in 2019, when Jo revealed that his son had to attend summer school after failing history, which ruined the family’s planned trip to Hawaii. However, Jo was unconcerned by Joseph’s grades, saying: ‘I know he’s got a creative mind, and has a sense for fashion and comedy… I know that’s the avenue and lane he’s going to take after school.’
Jo was right, as Joseph joined his crew almost as soon as he matriculated from high school – and so far, working together has been an enlightening experience for both father and son. Joseph’s first taste of showbiz came when he joined forces with Jo for a Netflix promo; in 2022; he also appeared twice on “Celebrity Family Feud”, competing against the likes of Boyz II Men and comedienne Amber Ruffin. Speaking to host Steve Harvey during one episode, Jo described his son as ‘talented’ and ‘funny’, adding that it was an ‘honor’ to be on the road with Joseph, making memories with him.
Naturally, Joseph has also graced several red carpets and high-profile events with his dad, such as Tiffany Haddish’s first annual adult prom, the opening night of “Here Lies Love” on Broadway, and the world premiere of Jo’s 2022 movie “Easter Sunday”.
The visibility and the connections are there for Joseph if he ever decides to pursue a stand-up career,, but for the time being, he appears content to continue working behind the cameras. The Californian posts sparingly on Instagram, with his last post dating back to his mother’s birthday in May 2021, and so he has just 53,000 followers on the social media platform.
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Personal Life
Apart from traveling for work purposes, Joseph frequently goes on exotic vacations with his parents. In early 2023, the Koy family traveled to the Philippines, where they visited friends and family, ate traditional meals, and went hiking together. Dubai, New York City, and Tokyo are just some of the other hotspots which Joseph has already ticked off his list at his young age.
Regarding Joseph’s mother, Angie King is a singer who goes by the stage name Nura Luca, and mainly performs at small venues and indie concerts. Angie was born on 28th May 1979, in the Philippines, and is often praised for her youthful appearance and trim physique, which she chalks down to a mix of good genes and a healthy lifestyle.
Apart from music, some of Angie’s interests are nature, fashion, and photography. She is currently believed to be single, and hasn’t remarried or had any children since divorcing Jo in 2013. Similarly, Joseph is single until confirmed otherwise, and hasn’t been romantically linked to anyone.
According to various sources, he’s 5ft 7ins (170cm) tall.
