Jimmy Kimmel hit back at former President Trump live from the Oscars stage Sunday after the former president panned his hosting skills, cracking, “Isn’t it past your jail time?”
The ABC late-night TV host took to the stage at the 96th annual Academy Awards, quipping to the audience that he wanted to share a “review” about his job as the show’s host.
“Has there ever been a worse host than Jimmy Kimmel at the Oscars?” he read to the audience.
“His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be,” Kimmel deadpanned.
“Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos,” Kimmel continued, in an apparent reference to “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos.
“Blah, blah, blah… Make America Great Again,” Kimmel said, as he revealed the author of the review as Trump, to wild applause.
The real message was posted by the ex-commander in chief on his Truth Social site less than an hour before Kimmel read it at the Oscars.
“Well, thank you, President Trump,” Kimmel said.
“Thank you for watching. I’m surprised you’re still up — isn’t it past your jail time?” Kimmel retorted to Trump, who’s facing multiple legal cases.
Kimmel and Trump have been fiercely critical of each other over the years.
Rolling Stone reported last year that while president in 2018, Trump directed his staff to complain to ABC parent company Disney about the comedian’s jokes about him on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
In an interview with CNN ahead of his fourth turn as Oscars host, Kimmel called poking fun at Trump “one of the most fun parts” of his job.
“Knowing that he hates being made fun of and making fun of him,” Kimmel said of Trump.