Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t resist slamming former President Donald Trump after the ex-Commander in Chief asked if there’d ever been a ‘WORSE’ host in Academy Awards history in a blistering social media post during the ceremony.
Kimmel, 56 has long been a critic of Trump, 77, to the point where he once whined that he’d lost ‘half’ his audience over criticism of the former president.
Trump, likewise, has often hit back at Kimmel and the Oscars as a show, but took to Truth Social Sunday night to slam the ceremony as ‘a really bad politically correct show.’
Kimmel, despite claiming that the show was ‘not about me’ and having not mentioned Trump in his opening monologue, proceeded to read the post live on stage about himself before snidely asking the president: ‘Isn’t it past your jailtime?’
The largely left-wing, limousine liberal audience roared its approval at the reference to the multiple indictments Trump faces that could see him serve time in prison, with the likes of Jodie Foster, Annette Bening and Margot Robbie cut to for applause.
Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t resist slamming former President Donald Trump after the ex-Commander in Chief wondered if there’d ever been a ‘WORSE’ host in Academy Awards history
Kimmel has long been a critic of Trump, whining that he’d once lost ‘half’ his audience over criticism of the former president
Kimmel said in an interview earlier this week with Deadline that when it came to joking about Trump, ‘it definitely has to be a joke that I can’t resist for me to use it on the Oscars,’ noting that he already did that on his ABC talkshow every night.
‘You know, doing this show is not about me and I appreciate you having me, it’s really about you… all these great actors and actresses and filmmakers,’ he said.
However, Kimmel had clearly taken the bait when he saw the post, as he put it up on the big screen at the Dolby Theater after saying he’d just gotten a ‘review’ he was ‘proud of.’
He then proceeded to read Trump’s complete post on Truth Social without revealing at first who’d written it.
‘Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars,’ he wrote on Truth Social.
‘His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be. Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos,’ Trump continued.
‘Slopanopoulos’ is ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, who made headlines for his contentious interview with South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace earlier Sunday.
‘He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous,’ Trump cracked. Stephanopoulos is reported to be 5-feet 6-inches.
Kimmel, despite claiming that the show was ‘not about me’ and having not mentioned Trump in his opening monologue, proceeded to read the post live on stage about himself before snidely asking the president: ‘Isn’t it past your jailtime?’
Actress Jodie Foster – nominated for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – was among the Hollywood elites who delighted in Kimmel’s joke at the expense of Trump
Trump then trashed the entire show: ‘Also a really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years – Disjointed, boring, and very unfair. Why don’t they just give the Oscars to those that deserve them. Maybe that way their audience and TV ratings will come back from the depths. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’
Following a break for applause, Kimmel quipped: ‘See if you can guess which former president posted that on Truth Social. Anyone? No?’
He then hit the audience with the last line: ‘Thank you for watching, I’m surprised… isn’t it past your jailtime?’
Kimmel, who has become yet another in a long line of liberal late night hosts consistently allowing anti-Trump material to take over his show, once complained of the jabs taking away from his audience.
He considers his jokes about Trump to be a ‘sacrifice’ because he may keep more fans if he keeps the comedy unbiased.
‘There’s a sacrifice you make when it comes to your audience and you could do pretty well if you just stayed down the middle,’ he said.
‘Ten years ago, among Republicans, I was the most popular talk show host. At least according to the research they did,’ he added.
He added that his show, which has been on the air since 2003, has seen a significant drop in ratings in the last few years, part of a trend that has sent late-night shows scrambling.
Emma Stone earned a shock win in the Actress in a Leading Role category for her work in Poor Things
It was shaping up to be a decent end to the 96th annual Academy Awards telecast at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday until the Hollywood legend rushed through his presenting of the last award of the night
‘No one is watching network television anymore,’ Kimmel said in the interview, and said he understands that most people watch his show online.
Apparently thrilled with the revelation, Trump – who had been a guest on Kimmel’s show as recently as during his 2016 presidential campaign – took a cheerful shot at the TV talker days later.
‘I saw Jimmy Kimmel said that his show’s practically dead because nobody that likes Trump will watch,’ Trump can be heard telling the crowd in footage of the late-night assembly.
‘And guess what? That turned out to be a majority of the people,’ Trump then blasts, with a triumphant tone in his voice. ‘The show is dead, and so are the other ones.’
The former president has been critical of the Oscars since before he was president, venting about the show publicly since at least 2012, the year after he made his last public appearance at the ceremony.
Before taking office, his complaints had been more about the entertainment value of the Oscars and his opinion of the hosts, from Neil Patrick Harris to Seth MacFarlane.
In recent years, his gripes have been about the political nature of the ceremony, and how he feels – as he said after the 2021 show – it’s only for ‘promoting the Democrats.’
‘What used to be called The Academy Awards, and now is called the “Oscars” – a far less important and elegant name – had the lowest Television Ratings in recorded history, even much lower than last year, which set another record low,’ Trump wrote three years ago.
Cillian Murphy finally won the Oscar in the coveted Best Actor category as he, Robert Downey Jr., and Christopher Nolan led Oppenheimer to a massive night
Robert Downey Jr. finally won the elusive Oscar in the Actor in a Supporting Role category for Oppenheimer
‘If they keep with the current ridiculous formula, it will only get worse – if that’s possible,’ the ex-president continued.
His criticism of Kimmel and tonight’s ceremony was his first public statement about the Academy Awards since then.
As far as the actual awards went, Oppenheimer stood above all as biggest winner of the night with seven including top honor Best Picture and major wins for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Christopher Nolan.
Al Pacino announced Oppenheimer as the Best Picture winner without bothering to name all the other nominees.
The 83-year-old Scarface star hit the stage and made an awkward joke about performing Shakespeare before jumping straight to announcing the Best Picture winner.
He said: ‘Wow. What — thank you. Oh, my friends. Thank you, thank you. I don’t know. Should I do some Shakespeare now? That’s in order, right? To be — no, I’m not going to do Sorry. Well, this is the time for the last award of the evening. And it’s my honor to present it.
‘Ten wonderful films are nominated, but only one will take the award for best picture. And I have to go to the envelope for that. And I will. Here it comes. And my eyes see Oppenheimer, yes!’
Emma Stone powered through a wardrobe malfunction as she beat out an impressive field including favorite Lily Gladstone from Killers Of The Flower Moon in addition to Annette Bening, Nyad, Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall, and Carey Mulligan, Maestro for Actress in a Leading Role.
Oppenheimer stood above all as biggest winner of the night with seven including top honor Best Picture (pictured) and major wins for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Christopher Nolan
Da’Vine Joy Randolph emotionally kicked off the Oscars as she broke into tears as she earned the coveted Actress in a Supporting Role for The Holdovers
The 35-year-old signaled that there was something wrong with her dress as she walked to the stage and quickly acknowledged it during her emotional acceptance speech.
She said: ‘Oh, boy. My dress is broken. I think it happened during I’m Just Ken. I’m pretty sure. Oh, boy, this is really — this is really overwhelming. Sorry, I’m — okay, my voice is also a little gone. Whatever.’
Cillian Murphy won the Oscar for Actor in a Leading Role after being nominated for an Academy Award for the first time in his career as he triumphed over Bradley Cooper, Maestro, Colman Domingo, Rustin, Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers, and Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction.
He kept his acceptance speech short and sweet as he said: ‘ Oh. I’m a little overwhelmed. Thank you to the academy. Um — Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, it’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you’ve taken me on over the last 20 years, I owe you more than I can say. Thank you so much.
Robert Downey Jr. finally won the elusive Oscar in the Actor in a Supporting Role category for Oppenheimer after sitting stony-faced as host Kimmel made a very awkward quip about his drug use.
Kimmel roasted Robert’s manhood and past drug use in his bombshell opening monologue, saying: ‘And Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career. But Robert has been’ – as RDJ pointed at his face, leading Kimmel to add: ‘Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made?
‘But look at him, he’s so handsome, so talented, he’s won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?’
The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera while fans slammed Kimmel for his ‘bottom of the barrel’ jokes about substance abuse.
Billie Eilish and brother Finneas O’Connell took home Barbie’s lone award in the Outstanding Original Song category for What Was I Made For?
John Cena, 46, appeared nude on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel, 56
Kimmel later dragged a naked John Cena on stage in a skit marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic Oscars streaker.
Ryan Gosling brought the ‘Kenergy’ as he performed nominated track I’m Just Ken at Sunday’s Oscars.
The Best Supporting Actor nominee, 43, donned a sparkling pink suit as he exuded confidence onstage – accompanied by his Barbie co-stars and Guns N Roses guitarist Slash, 58.
Gosling also enjoyed a reunion with his La La Land co-star Emma Stone as he serenaded her while walking into the audience.
Billie Eilish and brother Finneas O’Connell took home Barbie’s lone award in the Outstanding Original Song category for What Was I Made For?