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Reuters

First-time Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel turned US President Donald Trump into a comic foil in absentia at the Academy Awards, poking fun at the political tumult roiling the United States and the world since the former reality TV star took office.
Aside from a string of running gags throughout the live telecast about Kimmel’s faux feud with his long-time pal, actor Matt Damon, the 45th US president proved to be Kimmel’s favourite leitmotif.
In keeping with his signature deadpan, sardonic delivery, Kimmel’s social commentary was pointed while restrained, and he wasted little time addressing the political furor that has loomed so large over the Hollywood awards season.
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel’s Oscar monologue


“This broadcast is being watched live by millions of Americans, and around the world in more than 225 countries that now hate us, and I think that is amazing,” the late-night television star exclaimed shortly after stepping onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Insisting he was at a loss for words to help unite a divided country, Kimmel exhorted viewers to make their own efforts at reconciliation by reaching out to political adversaries they knew personally to “have a positive, considerate conversation, not as liberals or conservatives, as Americans.”
“If we could all do that, we could make America great again,” he said, an allusion to Trump’s own campaign slogan.

Kimmel also showed a willingness to tweak the motion picture academy for its own shortcomings, drawing a sly parallel between the criticism both the president and the Oscars have taken for a perceived lack of racial sensitivity.
“I want to say, ‘Thank you, President Trump,’” he said.
“I mean, remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist?” he asked rhetorically in a reference to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that clouded the Academy Awards in 2016.
The joke drew hearty laughter and applause from the star-studded audience in the hall, recognising a renewed measure of racial balance in the awards after two straight years in which all the major acting categories shut out nominees of colour.

Kimmel capped his monologue with a deliberately back-handed tribute to perennial Oscar nominee Meryl Streep, whose fiery denunciation of Trump at the Golden Globe Awards in January drew an angry Twitter retort from Trump calling her “one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood”.
“From her mediocre early work in The Deer Hunter and Out of Africa to her underwhelming performances in Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie’s Choice, Meryl Streep has phoned it in for more than 50 films over the course of her lacklustre career,” Kimmel declared.
He then noted she was celebrating her 20th Oscar nomination - as best actress for “Florence Foster Jenkins” - before asking the audience to give an “undeserved round of applause” to the “highly overrated Meryl Streep.” She got a standing ovation.

Later in the evening, Kimmel stoked the Streep-Trump theme further, sending a tweet back to the commander-in-chief with the message, projected on a large screen behind him: “Hey @realDonaldTrump. u up? ... #Merylsayshi.”
Alluding to Trump’s confrontations with the White House press corps, Kimmel also jokingly demanded that journalists from several news outlets leave the building, declaring, “We have no tolerance for fake news. Fake tans we love.”

Hey @realDonaldTrump u up?
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) February 27, 2017

<![CDATA[// ><!]]>

The political barbs began flying after a breezy opening dance number led by Justin Timberlake, performing the Oscar-nominated song Can’t Stop the Feeling from the animated film Trolls.
The performance brought the attendees to their feet dancing. As they took their seats again, Timberlake welcomed Kimmel out to the stage.
“Oh good, I got a sitting ovation,” he remarked dryly. Then, in a self-deprecating nod to the revolving door of one-time Oscar emcees in recent years, He added: “This is my first time here, and the way you people go through hosts, it’s probably my last.”

Through no apparent fault of his own, Kimmel’s appearance will likely be remembered for the pandemonium surrounding the upset victory of Moonlight as best picture at the end of the night, in a stunning, unprecedented Oscar mix-up in which La La Land was first announced erroneously as the winner.
“I blame myself for this,” Kimmel interjected. “I knew I would screw this show up.”
Kimmel, 49, was tapped for the Oscar gig after two stints hosting television’s Primetime Emmy Awards, most recently in 2016.
A 14-year veteran of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he is the third star of late-night broadcast TV to preside over Hollywood’s highest honours, following in the footsteps of Johnny Carson of NBC’s The Tonight Show and Kimmel’s personal hero, David Letterman, then host of the CBS Late Show.
Letterman, whose Oscar performance was widely panned, was never asked back.

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Fame and celebrity

How Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel turned Trump into recurrent punch line

Host Jimmy Kimmel on stage at the 89th Oscars. Photo: AFP

epa05818129 A handout photo made available by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (AMPAS) on 26 February 2017 shows host Jimmy Kimmel (C) onstage explaining the mix-up after the cast of La La Land was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture by presenter Warren Beatty during the 89th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, 26 February 2017. The Oscars were presented for outstanding individual or collective efforts in 24 categories in filmmaking. EPA/AARON POOLE / AMPAS THE IMAGE MAY NOT BE ALTERED AND IS FREE FOR EDITORIAL USE ONY IN REPORTING ABOUT THE EVENT. ONE TIME USE ONLY. MANDATORY CREDIT. HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

epa05817982 A handout photo made available by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (AMPAS) on 26 February 2017 shows Jimmy Kimmel tweeting to Donald Trump during the 89th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, 26 February 2017. The Oscars were presented for outstanding individual or collective efforts in 24 categories in filmmaking. EPA/MARK SUBAN / AMPAS THE IMAGE MAY NOT BE ALTERED AND IS FREE FOR EDITORIAL USE ONY IN REPORTING ABOUT THE EVENT. ONE TIME USE ONLY. MANDATORY CREDIT. HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Spanish actor Javier Bardem (L) and US actress Meryl Streep arrive on stage to present the Best Cinematography award at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

In this Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 photo, President Donald Trump pauses while speaking during a news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Debacle at Oscars: Moonlight wins best picture after La La Land is mistakenly announced

In stunning error at Academy Awards, best-picture presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read from incorrect envelope

Host Jimmy Kimmel delivers a speech on stage at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

epa05817485 Ruth Negga arrives for the 89th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, USA, 26 February 2017. The Oscars are presented for outstanding individual or collective efforts in 24 categories in filmmaking. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Damien Chazelle accepts the award for winning Best Director presented by Halle Barry. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

TOPSHOT - US actor Warren Beatty (C) shows the card reading Best Film 'Moonlight" after mistakingly reading "La La Land" initially at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Michelle Williams, Best Original Screenplay winner Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester by the Sea and Casey Affleck pose for a photo by Lucas Hedges. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Best Documentary Short Subject The White Helmets Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

US actress Viola Davis delivers a spech on stage after she won the award for Best Supporting Actress in "Fences" at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Red Carpet Arrivals - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Emma Stone. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

FILE- In this Monday, Oct. 10, 2016 file photo, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi poses for his film "the Salesman" during the premier in Paris, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016. London's mayor says the British capital will hold a free outdoor screening of an Academy Award-nominated Iranian film whose director scrapped plans to attend the Oscars because of President Donald Trump's travel ban. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actors Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Best Actress winner Emma Stone walks on stage to accept her award for La La Land. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Singer/actor Justin Timberlake attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Christopher Polk/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Casey Affleck (R) hugs his brother Ben after winning the Best Actor Oscar. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Nominee for Best Actor in "La La Land" Ryan Gosling (L) and nominee for Best Actress in "La La Land" Emma Stone introduce US singer John Legend (unseen) at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Casey Affleck accepts Best Actor for 'Manchester by the Sea' onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

John Legend performs songs from best original song nominees "City of Stars" and "Audition" from "La La Land" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Red Carpet Arrivals - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Jackie Chan. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

'La La Land' producer Jordan Horowitz (C) speaks while holing an oscar and the winner card before reading the actual Best Picture winner 'Moonlight' onstage during the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

US writer Tarell Alvin McCraney (R) delivers a speech on stage next to US director Barry Jenkins after they won the Best Adapted Screenplay for "Moonlight" at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

Barry Jenkins, foreground center, and the cast accept the award for best picture for "Moonlight" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Ryan Gosling, right, stands with his arms folded as Emma Stone, center, congratulates Mahershala Ali, for winning the award for best picture for "Moonlight" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It was originally announced mistakenly that "La La Land" was the winner. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

NASA physicist Katherine Johnson (C) is surrounded by US singer and actress Janelle Monae (L), US actress Taraji P. Henson (2ndR) and US actress Octavia Spencer (R) as they present on stage the Best Documentary Feature award at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

Jimmy Kimmel and Warren Beatty laugh at the Oscars while the makers of La La Land and Moonlight mingle onstage. La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner of best picture, instead of the true winner, Moonlight. Photo: Reuters

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