Jo Koy’s return to the Mall of Asia Arena on June 21 felt like a homecoming. Back for his third major show at the venue since 2020, the Filipino-American comedian filled the arena with laughter, music, and familiar stories that hit close to home.
The evening began with pre-show performances from hip-hop group Philippine Allstars and Filipino-American comedian Joey Guila. As expected in any Filipino gathering, the audience broke into song—this time with a full-arena sing-along to Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You,” followed by a video introduction narrated by Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris himself, who introduced Jo Koy as the main act.
Jo Koy opened with stories about returning to Manila and how this stop stood out among his many global shows. He quickly jumped into a familiar bit, his Filipino mom’s obsession with Vicks Vaporub. From curing the flu to fixing bad grades, the all-purpose ointment got its share of laughs from a crowd who clearly shared the same “healing” experience growing up.
Things took a serious turn—but not for long—as Jo Koy shared a story about surviving a flight with an electrical fire. He recounted how he, his crew, and family members had to make an emergency landing shortly after donating computers and generators to remote schools.
“That’s how God says thank you?” he joked. He praised the calmness of the flight crew, especially his sister-turned-manager Gemma Simmons, a former flight attendant.
In the middle of his set, Jo Koy spotted 17-year-old Carl from the second row and spent the rest of the show giving him life advice. He encouraged the teen to chase his dreams even if it means ignoring the doubts of others—something Jo Koy said he experienced early in his career. He even FaceTimed his niece Jamie, a magna cum laude nursing graduate whose tuition he now pays for.
Later, the comedian turned to a more personal topic—aging. He talked about dealing with gout, a condition he said he shares with Joey Guila and DJ Turbulence, and shared stories about painful flare-ups from eating rich food on tour. He also spoke about his grandmother Lola Tinay, who he said knew how to use her cancer diagnosis to her advantage, treating it like a “credit card” to get whatever she wanted.
The last part of the show shifted to music. Jo Koy performed bits of Boyz II Men and Notorious B.I.G. tracks, surprising some with his karaoke skills. When he jokingly wished Arnel Pineda were there, the crowd pointed out he was seated in the Lower Box. Pineda stood up and sang a few lines, followed by Freestyle’s Top Suzara.
Jo Koy ended the night emotional as the crowd waved their cellphone lights and sang with him. What started as a comedy show turned into a shared experience filled with laughter, stories, and a few unexpected musical moments.
The show was presented by Live Nation Philippines. Tickets for upcoming events at SM Mall of Asia Arena are available at www.smtickets.com and authorized outlets.
