“Oppenheimer” is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project. And “Barbie” is on a plastic doll with big boobies,” said comedian Jo Koy.
This is not a quote from a movie, it is not from a fictional novel, it was a very real quote stated by comedian Jo Koy at the 2024 Golden Globes presented on national television. Ever since these words traveled from the teleprompter to his mouth, he has been receiving a lot of backlash.
In the recent summer of 2023, “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” were neck-and-neck against each other for “most popular upcoming films,” even though they cover completely different topics and genres. After both movies were released, the competition began to fade and the fan groups identified as their “own” films. “Oppenheimer” is viewed as a historical drama, while “Barbie” is viewed as a movie advocating for women’s rights.
Koy decided to resurface this debate when presenting his joke at the Golden Globes. He not only brought up the rivalry again, but he also decided to debunk the entire meaning of the “Barbie” movie. He expressed through his unfunny joke that the themes in “Oppenheimer” were of greater importance than the themes in the movie about “a plastic doll with big boobies.”
While not everybody had to enjoy the “Barbie” movie, people should understand how to be respectful of it as it covered a topic that women struggle with everyday. I, personally, was not a fan of the movie in its entirety, however, I was able to differentiate the plot and the themes. Many people are just characterizing the movie as “girly” and “trivial,” which has somehow countered the whole message Greta Gerwig, the creator of the “Barbie” movie, was trying to convey.
Gerwig wanted to create a fun movie that targeted a larger audience varying from kids to adults that also held a special message. Most people categorized it as a “chick-flick.” I am unsure if this came from PR, lack of explanation in the trailer, or people just assuming based on the cover, but once again, a movie dedicated to women was seen as a joke.
While maybe not many people feel the same way, as a young adult who watches television, Jo Koy deeply offended me. He may not have believed what he was saying, but he created a joke that millions of people may have agreed with, reaffirming society’s underlying sexism. The Golden Globes committee should also be at fault for this as they approve of what is said on the stage beforehand. They together did not advance the movement for women’s rights, but regressed it instead. As a young adult in 2024, this disappoints me and millions of others in the US.
