Oscars 2017: Jimmy Kimmel Got Political In His Opening Monologue

Politics have been at the forefront of 2017 awards show season, from Meryl Streep’s speech at the Golden Globes to a similarly spirited display from the cast of Stranger Things at the SAG Awards, and this year’s Oscars were no different. Host Jimmy Kimmel seized on his platform to address the United States—as well as those in other countries watching the 2017 Academy Awards—as he poked fun at the POTUS and, simultaneously, called for unity.

“This broadcast is being watched live by millions of Americans and around the world in more than 225 countries that now hate us,” Jimmy Kimmel said. “And I think that is an amazing thing. As you know, I don’t have to tell anybody, the country is divided right now. I’ve been getting a lot of advice, people telling me, you need to say something to unite us, and — let’s just get something straight off the top. I can’t do that. There’s only one brave heart in this room, and he’s not going to unite us, either, okay? Mel, you look great. I think the Scientology is working. I really do. I’m not the man to unite this country, but it can be done. You know… there are millions of people watching right now and if every one of you took a minute to reach out to one person you disagree with, someone you like and have a positive, considerate conversation, not as liberals or conservatives, but as Americans, if we would all do that, we would make America great again. We really could. It starts with us…”

“Maybe this is not a popular thing to say, but I want to say thank you to president Trump. Remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist? That’s gone. Thanks to him. It has been an amazing year for movies. Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz. That’s what you call progress.”

Kimmel also shined the light on Meryl Streep, the 20-time Academy Award nominee who President Donald Trump called “overrated” after her speech at the Golden Globes. “We are here tonight to honor great actors but we’re also here to honor the actors who seem great but actually really aren’t,” Kimmel said. “And of all the great actors here in Hollywood, one in familiar has stood the test of time for her many uninspiring and overrated performances. See? That’s what he means. May I say, from her mediocre early work in The Deer Hunter and Out of Africa to her underwhelming performance in Sophie’s Choice, Meryl Streep has phoned it in for more than 50 films over the course of her lackluster career…”

“This is Meryl’s 20th Oscar nomination. Even made even more amazing considering the fact that she wasn’t even in a movie this year. We just wrote her name down out of habit. Meryl, stand up, if you would. Everybody, please join me in giving her a totally undeserved round of applause, will you? The highly overrated Meryl Streep, everyone. We’re going to have fun tonight. I hope we’re going to have fun tonight. Nice dress, by the way. Is that an Ivanka? This is exciting.” Indeed.

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