Tuesday morning started with the Oscar nominations bright and early and this year’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, is concerned he’s being set up for a repeat of the fiasco that made the 2022 Oscars so, uh, memorable. Yes, we’re talking about how Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.
As Kimmel noted, Oscars betting sites are allowing people to bet on whether a repeat of the infamous incident will occur. Which naturally made him worried that it’s basically setting things up so he’ll end up getting slapped.
But before he got there, Kimmel spent plenty of time in his monologue on Tuesday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” talking about the Oscars nominations announced earlier in the day.
“It’s a big day here in Hollywood – the nominations for the 95th Oscars – were announced – bright and early from Academy headquarters in Beverly Hills. 5:30 a.m.,” Kimmel said. “Why they announce these so early, I don’t know.”
Kimmel joked, “The only thing worse than having to get up at 5:30 to find out you got an Oscar nomination – is having to get up at 5:30 to find out you didn’t get one.”
And as Kimmel noted, one of the biggest names who woke up to learn that sad fact was Tom Cruise, even though his big film, “Top Gun: Maverick,” was nominated for Best Picture.
“Tom Cruise – didn’t get a best actor nomination,” Kimmel said. “Even though he saved the whole Navy from being destroyed and nothing for it.”
“They said Tom was so upset today, he didn’t jump out a window,” Kimmel added — obviously the joke is a reference to the many, many death-defying stunts Cruise has personally pulled off in his films.
Kimmel brought up one of the other big snubs, James Cameron, whose “Avatar 2” was nominated for Best Picture; he didn’t get Best Director. “Which is what you get for making us put on those dumb glasses for four hours,” Kimmel declared.
But of course he also got into the gambling thing. “You know you can bet on the Oscars,” Kimmel said. “And this is real. This is not a joke. This is a bet you can make. ‘Will any host or award presenter be slapped during the show?’”
“If you bet $100 on yes – you win $1200. Which I have to say – seems like they’re encouraging someone with a gambling problem to slap me. Right?” Kimmel said.
Kimmel called on his sidekick Guillermo — who ostensibly is also still supposed to be a security guard — and said he is going to need extra protection when the ceremony airs on March 12.
After talking about the Oscars for a bit long, Kimmel used the occasion to get in a dig at the embattled, serially lying congressman from New York, George Santos.
“And by the way – I would like to say congratulations to Congressman George Santos who received 15 Oscar nominations this morning. Or so he says,” Kimmel said.
To watch Kimmel unload on Santos and his entire monologue, click on the video above.