#Chelsea Handler & Jo Koy Reveal How They Fell In Love After A Years-Long Friendship!

Chelsea Handler has fallen head over heels in love with Jo Koy — at least that’s how it sounds on her podcast, Dear Chelsea!

On Thursday, the comedienne released the first episode of Season 2 of her podcast, in which she was joined by her new boyfriend! Together, the love birds detailed how they got out of the friend zone and what makes them such a great match.

As Chelsea Lately fans remember, Jo was a regular on the show (which ran from 2007 to 2014). So they’ve had plenty of time to get to know each other before sparks flew. Even though they’ve always been friends, they did fall out of touch a bit… but a request during the pandemic sent their relationship in a whole new direction!

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Koy revealed that he asked Chelsea to write a blurb for his book Mixed Plate during the COVID-19 shutdown. The request happily turned into lots of texting, FaceTimes, and even COVID-safe in-person hangouts! Cute!

But, of course, they were still just friends. Then they got separated again when Jo headed to Vancouver to shoot a movie and Chelsea went to Whistler, Canada for the ski season. After just reconnecting, they had to go another FOUR months without seeing each other. We guess absence made the heart grow fonder, because when they did get back together…

They went on a dinner date! Koy recalled:

“The minute we were both back in L.A., we were like, ‘Let’s go to dinner.’”

From that moment on, love blossomed “organically,” according to the podcast host. The 46-year-old didn’t even realize she’d fallen for her old pal until she got back on stage in Las Vegas for her first major show since quarantine. Jo had tagged along to support her and she caught herself realizing something had shifted in her feelings! Once back in El Lay, she made the first move on the 50-year-old, and they’ve been together ever since — aww!!

While it wasn’t love at first sight, they both agreed they had “amazing” chemistry from the start. Chelsea explained:

“You thought that chemistry was sexual and I thought it was comedic.”

LOLz!! Jo interjected, adding:

“Never ever did I ever say that!”

The Chelsea Does alum admitted she probably had feelings for the comedian from day one but was likely “suppressing” those feelings. Something she now thinks was a good thing, she mused:

“I was just not in touch with myself to understand. I knew I liked talking with you and having you in my life because you’re positive and upbeat. It’s infectious and I loved all of that. But I wasn’t like, ‘Oh my God!’ This desire to have something happen, not at all. By the way, who gives a s**t? Look where we are now. I would’ve ruined it if I had those feelings earlier, probably.”

A great point! It clearly wasn’t meant to be romantic when they first met, and they could have ruined chances at a happily ever after by rushing the process! Also, she wouldn’t have had the incredibly strong connection she has with the Metal Shop Masters host today if she didn’t take all that time just getting to know him on a friendship basis.

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The actress revealed she considers Jo “family” which helps her feel “so completely safe” with him. But there are also some other meaningful qualities that Jo brings to her life that she is grateful for. Reflecting on the loss of her brother Chet, who died when she was a kid, Chelsea said:

“You have a lot of similar qualities that my brother had. So, in many ways, I just feel so completely safe. And I feel like, ‘Oh, this is family.’ Like I’ve always felt that way about you, that you’re family.”

Awww!

And she couldn’t help tease:

“I just didn’t want to f**k you before.”

The pair made their relationship IG official late last month after rumors began to swirl in August (when the pair was spotted at a Dodgers game together). At the time, the former talk show host posted a photo kissing her beau and wrote:

“He’s on tour, I’m on tour, sometimes we tour together. #VaccinatedAndHorny #FunnyIsFunny. All coming to a city near you!”

Since then, they’ve each uploaded numerous selfies and snapshots from their time together. They both seem so smitten — just check out their connection in a clip from the podcast (below, last slide)!!

 

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We couldn’t be happier for Chelsea! Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below)!

[Image via Chelsea Handler/Jo Koy/Instagram]