Greta Gerwig thinks that sexist Golden Globes joke might have missed the point of Barbie

Barbie director Greta Gerwig has weighed in on Jo Koy’s controversial joke at the Golden Globes about her record-breaking film and called it “not wrong” factually. 

This comes after Jo – who was met with less than rave reviews about his hosting the ceremony on Sunday night – was met with particular ire for dubbing the 2023 summer blockbuster about the beloved children’s toy as merely to be about “a plastic doll with big boobs”. 

Jo Koy telling those barbie jokes at the golden globes pic.twitter.com/nvOEExAi0o

— alicia (@lissbxx) January 8, 2024

In one of his on-stage monologues, the comedian quipped that it was interesting that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was“based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”

the audience at the golden globes when jo koy made that “joke” about barbie pic.twitter.com/0SPsXrTqIv

— fiz ᶻ⁴ 💐 (@cardiganfml) January 8, 2024

Fans of the film – which starred Margot Robbie in the title role with support from an extra charming Ryan Gosling, America Ferreria, Kate McKinnon and what felt like everyone else – lambasted the presenter, calling his conclusion “sexist”, “disgusting” and entirely missing its central message about girlhood, growing up and being human.

barbie (2023) dir. greta gerwig pic.twitter.com/FCV3r97jLX

— One Perfect Scene (@oneperfectscene) January 8, 2024

However, Greta, who both co-wrote and produced the billion-dollar box office smash, finds the summation to be quite accurate because the Mattel doll’s unique selling point was to allow little girls to imagine life as adults.

“Well, you know, he’s not wrong,” Greta said with a laugh while appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today. “She’s the first doll that was mass-produced with breasts so he was right on.

“And you know, I think that so much of the project of the movie was unlikely because it is about a plastic doll… Barbie, by her very construction, has no character, no story; she’s there to be projected upon,” she added.

Greta Gerwig responds to Golden Globes host Jo Koy’s line about ‘Barbie’ being based on “a plastic doll with big boobies”:

“Well, he’s not wrong. She’s the first doll that was mass produced with breasts, so he was right on. And you know, I think that so much of the project of… pic.twitter.com/im7VwFc0gN

— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 10, 2024

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Debuting in 1959 at the American International Toy Fair, Barbie, now a pop culture reference point for the ages, actually has some risque origins. Her creator, Ruth Handler, who Rhea Perlman brought to life in the movie, was inspired by a high-end call-girl cartoon character, Lili. After being a regular feature in the German newspaper Bild Zeitung, Ruth knew she needed to adapt her into a more family-friendly plaything.

Barbie is launching a ‘Women in Film’ doll collection:

• Film Director Barbie
• Cinematographer Barbie
• Movie Star Barbie
• Studio Executive Barbie pic.twitter.com/V2F5Kh4kEi

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) January 10, 2024

At first, there was trepidation. The conservative morals of the time made it a hard sell. However, Ruth remained steadfast, sure it captured something in little girls’ imaginations, even in 50s America.

men will never understand what the Barbie movie meant to us women. pic.twitter.com/hBwZ3UeWIS

— sav (@cherrydiemon) January 11, 2024

“Little girls dream of being curvaceous, dreamy, exciting,” Ruth once reflected. “They want – someday – to have gorgeous clothes, be chic, and look like movie stars.”

Ruth Handler's 1959 Barbie transformed the American toy market #BusinessWomen https://t.co/Jjsfz6Wiph pic.twitter.com/D0Bt12z1na

— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) March 10, 2016

Greta also remarked it was “very wonderful and emotional” to “take the stage with the group that made it” at the event kickstarting the Hollywood awards season. Despite being one of the most nominated, it only took home Best Original Song for Billie Eilish’ What Was I Made For and the first-ever Golden Globe for cinematic and box office achievement (it made the most money, basically).

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Photo credit via DFRee/Shutterstock and Barbie