Academy Awards host Jimmy Kimmel said he was told not to read former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post during Sunday’s live ABC telecast.
Speaking to Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for their post-Oscars coverage, Kimmel said some people advised him against reading Trump’s post in which the former president dissed both Kimmel and the Oscars.
“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, adding that he didn’t heed their orders. “‘Yes I am.’”
Kimmel didn’t elaborate on who gave him the orders, though it appears to have been either people affiliated with the Academy or ABC.
Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social during Sunday’s show to slam Kimmel.
“Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars,” Trump posted.
“His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be…Also a really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years – Disjointed, boring, and very unfair. Why don’t they just give the Oscars to those that deserve them. Maybe that way their audience and TV ratings will come back from the depths. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Kimmel waited until just before the final award was handed out to read most of Trump’s post aloud on live TV.
When he got to “Make America Great Again,” the live celebrity audience at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles burst out laughing, with the camera cutting to Jodie Foster, who clearly thought it was hilarious.
“Thank you President Trump. Thank you for watching — isn’t it past your jail time?” Kimmel added, causing the audience to erupt in even louder cheers and applause.
Among the stars seen applauding Kimmel on camera were Annette Bening and Barbie star Margot Robbie.
Jimmy Kimmel has regularly used his late-night show on ABC to attack Trump and his supporters.
The corporate comedian once publicly admitted that his decision to consistently attack Trump has cost him “half of my fans — maybe more than that.”
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