Jimmy Kimmel Disobeyed Producers By Calling Out Donald Trump And His Jail Time During The Oscars

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One of the most viral moments of the Academy Awards ceremony came courtesy of indicted former President Trump, who had his review of Jimmy Kimmel’s performance as host read and mocked on-air.

During the latter half of the broadcast, Kimmel took to the stage and revealed that because the telecast was ahead of schedule, he had an extra minute of airtime, which he then used to read Trump’s scathing review of his hosting abilities.

“I was told we have like an extra minute, and I’m really proud of something and I was wondering if I could share it with you. I just got a review,” Kimmel said as he pulled out his phone to read Trump’s Truth Social tweet.

Truth Social had less than 1 million active users as of October 2023 and will reportedly fold unless it can secure a merger, according to CNN.

“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. He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous,” Kimmel read aloud.

Kimmel then came in with the punchline by mocking Trump’s 91 pending criminal charges and the potential jail time that they could carry.

“Blah, blah, blah, make America great again,” Kimmel continued. “Ok now, see if you can guess which former president just posted that on Truth Social. Anyone? No? Well, thank you President Trump. Thank you for watching, I’m surprised you’re still – isn’t it past your jail time?”

Kimmel, however, went rogue by reading Trump’s tweet, as Oscars producers apparently told him not to do what he ultimately did. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host confirmed as much himself during an interview after the show.

“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 said during a backstage interview with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. “[I was like] ‘Yes I am.’”

Kimmel had quite a controversial night as Oscars host, as some of his jokes prompted less-than-thrilled reactions from the likes of Emma Stone and Robert Downey Jr.