Sa likod ng tagumpay ni Jo Koy ay ang kanyang ina na si Josie Harrison, na laging tampok sa kanyang comedy skits.
Joseph Glenn Herbert Sr. sa tunay na buhay, si Jo Koy ay nakilala sa U.S. at sa iba pang bahagi ng mundo dahil sa kanyang shows, kasama ang Jo Koy Specials na mapapanood sa Netflix.
Ang Filipino-American stand-up comedian ay bida rin sa pelikulang Easter Sunday, na may all-Asian cast at pinrodyus ng Hollywood director and producer na si Steven Spielberg.
Iniangat ni Jo Koy ang bandila ng Pilipinas.
Pero sino ang mag-aakala na noong una ay hindi sang-ayon si Josie sa napiling propesyon ng kanyang anak.
Inamin ni Josie na pinagdudahan niya kung magtatagumpay ang kanyang anak, at sinusuway pa niya ito sa pangarap na maging komedyante.
“I just want my kids to have a degree, I want them to have a job with permanent pay,” ani Josie sa panayam ng One Down, isang Filipino-American media agency sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pagbabahagi niya, “I thought he was enrolled at UNLV [University of Nevada, Las Vegas], but I didn’t know he was pursuing comedy.
“I explained to him being a comedian is not for sure, because you have to have a show. That is only the time you will make money… which is, I think it turned out okay.”
ADVICE TO PARENTS
Pero higit pa sa personal success ang tinatamasa ngayon ni Jo Koy.
Sabi ni Josie, “Having Jo Koy, having his show is showing how Filipinos are and that’s really how we are.”
Payo pa ni Josie, kapag umaasenso ang isang Pilipino o kahit na sinong tao, huwag hilahin pababa.
“When you see a Filipino up there, put a foundation underneath them, so they can still reach pedestal in life.
“Not just they are Filipinos, but they are human being[s]. They are people. You should be helping because they need your help at that time.”
Mabuti na lang at sa huli ay sinuportahan niya ang pangarap ng anak.
Kaya ang payo niya sa mga magulang:
“Be there for your children. Support them whatever they want, which I didn’t support Jo Koy at first.
“Because I didn’t trust the job, being a comedian, I think, for me, is very unpredictable.
“If you have the degree, anything on your disposal is something that will do good in the future.”
Namulat daw si Josie na walang pangarap na mahirap abutin basta't ang tao ay determinado.
"...the tenacity in him [Jo Koy], to do what he wants to do, because right now Jo Koy is in place now, where he can say, ‘I did it on my own.’”
PROUD MOM
Walang pagsidlan ng tuwa si Josie dahil nagtagumpay si Jo Koy na magbida sa big screen at ang pelikula ay dominado ng mga Asians.
“I’m so excited. It’s beyond explanation. Hindi ko malaman kung paano feeling ko ngayon, kung iiyak ako o matutuwa. Pero I am so proud of him,” ani Josie sa panayam ng The Filipino Channel noong August 10, 2022.
“Hindi ko akalaing he will go up his way talaga.”
Abot-abot ang pasasalamat niya sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, lalo’t ang pelikula ay tungkol sa kulturang Pinoy.
Ani Josie, “It exemplifies how parents are, how families are, and I like this movie, it’s bringing out the culture of our [being] Filipinos.
“Sana tandaan ninyo kung merong Pilipinong nandoon na, kailangan itulak natin [pataas], huwag natin pababain. Magtulungan tayo."