Jimmy Kimmel knew ahead of his fourth time hosting the Oscars that he wouldn’t please everyone with his jokes on Sunday (March 10), but there is some criticism he wasn’t willing to take sitting down. In fact, he decided during the show to clap back at one critic in particular: Donald Trump.
The twice-impeached president had slammed the comedian on his Truth Social during Hollywood’s Biggest Night, writing, “Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars. 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 [sic].”
Trump also criticized the ceremony as a “really bad politically correct show,” and called it “disjointed, boring, and very unfair.”
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host took a few moments to address the former president — who is facing dozens of charges and four criminal indictments — toward the end of the live Oscars telecast.
“Doing this show is not about me, and I appreciate you having me — it’s really about you. But I was told we have an extra minute and I’m really proud of something, and I was wondering if I could share it with you.” Kimmel said to the audience and viewers at home as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. “I just got a review.”
After reading Trump’s social media post, the comedian asked the laughing attendees at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles if they could guess who wrote the review of the Oscars telecast. “Anyone? No? Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching!” he said before deadpanning, “Isn’t it past your jail time?”
Kimmel also shared a clip of the moment on his Instagram account after the ceremony wrapped, captioning the video: “This is my Oscar. Thank you Donald Trump.”
This isn’t the first time Kimmel has mocked the former president during the Academy Awards. During his first time hosting in 2017, the late-night host poked fun at Trump not only during the monologue, but throughout the telecast, including live-tweeting at the real-estate mogul, who had been unusually quiet on his then favorite outlet — Twitter — during the ceremony.
Watch Kimmel clap back at Trump during the 2024 Oscars below:
