The feud between Jimmy Kimmel and former President Donald Trump ignited on stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday. After the ceremony, the 2024 Oscars host discussed the incident being promptly integrated into the broadcast during a backstage interview.
As the 2024 telecast neared its conclusion, Kimmel, a four-time Oscars host, addressed a critical social media post from the former president. In response to being informed of extra time before the top awards were presented, Kimmel took the opportunity to engage the audience, stating,
“I’m really proud of something and I was wondering if I could share it with you. I just got a review.”
The late-night host proceeded to read a post from Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social. Trump’s message criticized Kimmel’s performance at the Oscars, questioning,
“Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars?”
He further commented,
“His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be.”
Trump suggested replacing Jimmy Kimmel with ABC talent George Slopanopoulos, whom he described as “washed up, but cheap,” adding,
“He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous.”
Trump’s critique extended beyond Kimmel’s hosting to the overall tone of the broadcast. He labeled it as:
“A really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years – Disjointed, boring, and very unfair.” Trump expressed frustration, suggesting that the Oscars should be awarded based on merit to revive audience and TV ratings, concluding with his slogan, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
At the Oscars, laughter erupted from the audience as Kimmel read Trump’s post aloud to them.
“See if you can guess which former president just posted that?” the host asked. “Anyone? No? Well, thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching, I’m surprised you’re still — isn’t it past your jail time?”
After the show, Kimmel joined his fellow ABC talk show hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for their post-show Live special.
He revealed to the duo that he had gone against advice from some backstage, who had cautioned him against reading Trump’s rant aloud during the ceremony.
“They’re like, ‘You’ve got a little bit of time’ and I was like, ‘I’m reading the Trump tweet,’ and they’re like, ‘No, no, don’t read that,’” Kimmel revealed. “[I was like] ‘Yes I am.’”
Sunday marked the TV personality’s fourth time hosting the Academy Awards. He told Ripa and Consuelos that he was feeling “pretty good” about how it went at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday; critics seem to agree that he was pretty good as host this time, noting in his review that Kimmel is:
“A guy you can trust to do a monologue and then he’ll hold together the disparate components and fill dead air and generally keep the mood light. He’s a juggler, and no matter what Razzie winner Trump might say, a good awards show host.”
Kimmel and Trump have a history of needling each other. (During Kimmel’s second Oscars hosting in 2018, they sparred over who was “lowest rated.”)
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host frequently targets Trump in his monologues, while the former president, known for live-tweeting about Hollywood events, has aimed his sharpest tweets at the Academy Awards since 2014.
When speaking to THR before the Oscars about facing another election year dominated by Trump, the late-night host admitted he relishes provoking the former POTUS.
“I kind of love it, because I know it bothers him and that really tickles me. And then occasionally, we get confirmation of that and it inspires me. He is my muse,” said Kimmel of talking about him on-air.