Jimmy Kimmel had a question for Donald Trump at the 2024 Oscars: “Aren’t you done with jail time?”
Before the 96th Academy Awards ended on Sunday, the comedian paused the show to respond to the shade thrown at him by the former president earlier in the evening.
“Doing this show is not about me and I appreciate you having me on. It’s really about you and Oscar and all these great actors and actresses and directors,” Kimmel said. “But I was told I had a minute to spare and I was very proud of something, so I was wondering if I could share it with you?”
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star then read a post Trump had written on Truth Social.
“I’m just going to check…” he said, before pulling out the post and quoting Trump. “Was there EVER a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at the Oscars. His opening was like a less than average person trying too hard to be something he’s not and can never be.”
“Get rid of Kimmel and maybe replace him with another washed-up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos,” Trump continued, speaking of Good morning America host George Stephanopoulos — who interviewed Republican Rep. Nancy Mace on Sunday. “He would make everyone on stage look bigger, stronger and more glamorous.”
Jimmy Kimmel at the 96th Annual Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theater on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Rich Polk/Variety via Getty
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Kimmel added “blah blah blah” before reading Trump’s campaign slogan: “Make America Great Again.”
“Can you guess which former president just posted that on Truth Social? Anyone?” Kimmel asked.
His punchline drew laughs from a star-studded audience at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, including Jodie Foster and Annette Bening, two of the night’s acting nominees.
“Well, thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching,” Kimmel said. “I’m surprised, isn’t your prison time over?”
“He’s focused on the important things, for sure,” Kimmel added.
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Finneas and Billie Eilish at the 96th Academy Awards.
Gregg DeGuire/WWD via Getty
The dig was one of the few political comments during the three-and-a-half-hour ceremony, despite Trump’s claims to the contrary.
However, the focus was on global conflicts such as the war between Israel and Hamas, with many actors — including Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Ava DuVernay, Eugene Lee Yang, Riz Ahmed and two-time Oscar winners Billie Eilish and Finneas — wearing a red pin that presents Artists4Ceasefire, a collective of more than 400 artists supporting the Gaza ceasefire.
“We call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We call for peace and lasting justice for the people of Palestine,” Youssef said. Diversity on the red carpet before the fashion show. “It’s a universal message: ‘Let’s stop killing children. Let’s not be part of the war anymore.’ ”
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The 96th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, aired live Sunday from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California.
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