Inside Chelsea Handler's Life Lately—Including Status With Ex Jo Koy

Not that she's looking to have another romance as public as her nearly year-long relationship with fellow comic Jo Koy. 

Revealing to Alex Cooper on a February episode of Call Her Daddy that she had a significant other, Chelsea declined to kiss and tell.

"I’ve been down that road before with having a public relationship, my last relationship,” she explained. Not that she’s opposed to having people know about her love life. "No, it’s not that," she noted. "It’s more out of respect for their privacy, you know what I mean? I don’t want him to have to be exposed to my world."

Still, Chelsea was willing to spill some tea—sharing she met her mystery man "a long time ago," but that they "didn’t really become lovers until about six or seven months ago." (And, no, it wasn't Ralph Fiennes, her Oscars night party pal.) 

"I’ve known him for years," she said of her paramour. "I’ve always been attracted to him, but he was not available. And I always have wanted someone like him in my life. He’s hot, he’s awesome, he’s sweet and so caring and completely sees me and understands that I am not available a lot."

Because Chelsea is proudly living life on her terms and isn’t going to waste time with someone who isn’t down for the ride.

"My life is pretty crazy, and he appreciates that," the comedy star added. "And he’s around when I want him to be, and he’s great."

However, Chelsea insisted she isn’t looking to settle down with someone anytime soon.

"Listen, I go through periods where I have multiple lovers, and that’s kind of what I wanted to do when I was a little girl," she shared. "I wanted to grow up and be a woman that did have multiple lovers. I’ve never been interested in marriage. I’m not interested in long-term commitments—to work, to people, to anything. I am a free spirit, and I want to remain and soar like an eagle. I want to soar like an eagle with my heart and legs wide open."

So when Chelsea enters a new relationship, she’s honest about what she wants.

"Listen, I love men. You know what I mean?" the Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea author said on the podcast. "I want to have adventures with lots of them, and I try to make sure everybody knows that’s where I’m coming from when I’m in a relationship or any sort of—you know what I mean? I’m very upfront. I’m not a liar. I’m just like, 'Listen, this is the deal. Do you want in?'"

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"It's not nice to him to give away the details,” she told Parade in a January 2025 interview. “I loved him at one point in my life, and I don't want to hurt him. And also, I'm at a different place in my life where I don't have to give away the dish. My breakup with Jo Koy was the first mature ending to a relationship that I was in. My behavior was mature and graceful. I honored the relationship by never actually divulging what happened, and I liked that version of myself.”

In fact, Chelsea added, “I don’t think I’ve spoken to Jo Koy since we broke up.”

And that's far from the only shift she's made lately.

With an act that's slightly less biting, but no less funny, "I want people to be happy and prosperous and nice to each other," she explained on pal Scott Evan's House Guest YouTube series in December.

"I had to change my whole personality to become that person," she cracked, telling fans, "and I've done it, so you can f--king do it, too." 

Growing nicer with age, "I wouldn't say say softer," she explained, "just a nice, more refined." 

It helps that there's not all that much for her to be upset about these days.

"My life is exactly what I hoped it would be—it's more than I hoped it would be," she told Parade. "I had no idea what the possibilities were or that I could live a life like this and feel so free.”

As she preps for Critics Choice hosting duties, look back at show's best red carpet looks of all time. 

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(This story was originally published Feb. 7, 2025. at 6:50 a.m. PST.)