Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel lamented the current status of the world and the U.S.’s leadership at the Oscars on Sunday.
Kimmel, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, said he is “exhausted” by current events.
“It’s ridiculous, we live in a ridiculous country,” Kimmel said to Variety. “We always lived in a ridiculous country, but it was always ridiculous in a fun, Mr. T kind of way. Now, we’ve got a different Mr. T.”
Kimmel also said he’s “not scared,” and concluded he’s “always hopeful.”
“No, I’m not scared, no, I’m not scared. Am I hopeful? I’m always hopeful,” Kimmel said.
The comedian spoke at the 98th Academy Awards, and said there are “some countries” where its leaders don’t support free speech. He said he wasn’t “at liberty” to give specifics, but namedropped “North Korea and CBS.”
Jimmy Kimmel takes a dig at CBS at the #Oscars: “As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”
(via ABC/AMPAS) pic.twitter.com/uagEF93Swn
— Variety (@Variety) March 16, 2026
Kimmel also joked that Trump would be mad his wife, first lady Melania Trump, wasn’t nominated for any Academy Awards, likely referring to the Melania documentary released earlier this year. White House Director of Communications Assistant Steven Cheung rebuffed Kimmel’s swipe, saying on X that Kimmel is “a classless hack who is self-projecting his depression and sadness onto others.
Jimmy Kimmel (Mr. Blackface) is a classless hack who is self-projecting his depression and sadness onto others. He lives a pathetic existence where nobody— not even his family— enjoys his miserable company. The only people giving him any attention are Hollywood Elites. BUH-BYE! https://t.co/cynWTtdidH
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) March 16, 2026
BILL MAHER ACCUSES TRUMP OF BEING ‘CAUGHT OFF GUARD’ BY HORMUZ CLOSURE
Kimmel received national attention last year when his show was briefly suspended in September over comments he made on Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk’s assassin, claiming the “MAGA gang” attempted to portray the shooter as “anything other than one of them.” Kimmel’s show returned to the airwaves about a week later, and he said, “It was never my intention to make light” of Kirk’s murder.
Comedian Conan O’Brien hosted the 98th Academy Awards, where he joked about the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, over his alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein.