NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 16: Former president Donald Trump speaks to the media as he visits a ... [+]
Former President Donald Trump took time before court Wednesday to launch a social media attack on ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel, ridiculing the Jimmy Kimmel Live host for his turn as host of the Academy Awards. “He was made to look like a FOOL, which he is,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “And at the same time go down in Television History as the WORST HOST EVER OF THE ONCE VAUNTED ACADEMY AWARDS!”
“Stupid Jimmy Kimmel,” Trump wrote, “who still hasn’t recovered from his horrendous performance and big ratings drop as host of the Academy Awards.”
Kimmel hosted the 2024 Oscars on ABC earlier this month, and during the live telecast read one of Trump’s Truth Social posts disparaging Kimmel’s performance. “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. Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos. He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous.”
"Thank you for watching,” Kimmel said in response. “I'm surprised you're still up. Isn't it past jail time?"
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy ... [+]
What made Trump decide to bring up the Oscars before returning to court Wednesday? It may have been Kimmel’s late night monologue Tuesday night, where he described the hush money case against Trump as a case where the former president allegedly paid porn star Stormy Daniels “so his supporters wouldn’t find out he’s a lying, cheating scumbag.”
“But the joke is on Trump,” Kimmel said. “Because, turns out, his supporters don’t care that he’s a lying, cheating scumbag. He could have saved himself a whole trial and 130 grand.”
Kimmel aired a clip from an interview with a Trump supporter outside the New York City courthouse where the former president is on trial. “If he had an affair,” the woman told a reporter, “okay, services were paid for, services were rendered, services paid for, right? So what are we talking about, lots of men use prostitutes.”
The case against Trump, however, has nothing to do with prostitution, but rather an alleged affair and a payment to Daniels to keep that affair private during Trump’s 2016 run for the White House, a payment prosecutors say Trump concealed as a business expense.
