Looking late night ready in a pin-striped white jacket, black pants and crisp white shirt, Justin Timberlake pinch-hit for 2024 Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel on Monday night (March 11), subbing in for the late night host’s monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The multi-hyphenate singer who returned later to perform he debut of his upbeat new single “No Angels,” alerted the crowd that he would be in charge for the evening.
“I’m going to be your host tonight, Justin Timberlake,” he said. “Now you all might know me from being… Justin Timberlake.” The singer then went into some light Oscars bits, including a joke about the last time he saw that many stars, when “[*NSYNC bandmate] Joey Fatone elbowed me in the face!”
Things got a little weird when Kimmel came out and confronted JT about stealing his monologue. “I’m confused, why are you here?” Jimmy asked Justin. “I’m the guest host,” Timberlake insisted. “No, you’re the musical guest, why would I need a guest host?” Kimmel explained.
“Because you were out all night at the Oscar after party,” JT said, making a drink tipping gesture. “No, not really. I went to one party then I went to bed,” Kimmel said. “That’s so sad,” Timberlake winced, since he had a whole presidential debate bit planned, before showing off his decent Trump and Biden impersonations and thanking his “second favorite Jimmy.”
JT was back later in the show to perform the world premiere of the Everything I Thought It Was track “No Angels.” The upbeat dance jam is classic JT, riding a propulsive bass throb, sweet falsetto soul vocals and lyrics about sexy attitudes and sweaty dancing. “Like full throttle, pilot on auto/ There ain’t no angels here on the dance floor/ Forget tomorrow, more like you wanna play/ There ain’t no angels here on the dance floor,” Timberlake sang on the song’s chorus. EITIW comes out on Friday (March 15).
Watch Timberlake on Jimmy Kimmel Live! below.
