Jimmy Kimmel joked that he would “beat the sh*t” out of anyone who will dare slap him at the Oscars 2023 event. He will be leading the 95th Academy Awards on March 12, and this year will be his third time hosting the occasion, which is no surprise for fans as he has done it successfully in 2017 and 2019.
Having Kimmel back at the Oscars made everyone feel confident and assured that it would be a peaceful and positive night. Academy CEO Bill Kramer said it is important to have a host who knows how to handle the event and the audience. He also called Kimmel “funny” and “respectful.”
Jimmy Kimmel Talks About Hosting The 95th Academy Awards And The Infamous Oscars Slap
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, long-time host of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! took a break from his work and spoke about the controversial Oscars slap involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, and the daily trials and tribulations of being a host.
When asked why he decided to host the Oscars for the third time, Kimmel responded:
“I didn’t necessarily think I’d ever do it again or be asked to do it again. And it wasn’t one of those situations where they couldn’t get anybody and they asked me at the last minute — I definitely would have said no if that was the case.”
The host admitted that the event organizers got him perfectly at the right moment, so he said yes.
In the sphere of being labeled his “edges aren’t too sharp”, Kimmel admitted that his job as a host is to make people laugh, and at the same time, make them feel safe.
“I’m in a unique position in that my job is to make fun of people in Hollywood and then to have them sit next to me on the stage. And I’ve had 20 years of practice as far as balancing that stuff out goes.”
He noted that he is aware of how big of a deal the Oscars is for people in the movie industry, and the last thing he would want to do is ruin it. And, when asked the question of what he would do if someone slapped him live on television, Kimmel answered:
“If somebody comes up on the stage and slaps me? Well, I size them up, and, if I’m bigger than they are, I beat the sh*t out of them on television. And if it’s the Rock, I run.”
Jimmy Kimmel is no stranger to controversies and mishaps during the Oscars. Having hosted in 2017, the same year that La La Land was proclaimed Best Picture when, in fact, it should have been Moonlight, the host said it got “knocked down the list” and if someone is going to be a part of a disastrous circumstance, they might as well make sure it is the biggest one. “Being part of the second-biggest f*ckup doesn’t carry as much cachet,” he added.
Chris Rock Attacks Will Smith On His Live Comedy Special Selective Outrage
Even after almost a year had passed since the infamous Oscars slap, the controversy is not dying anytime soon. A source from People said that Will Smith is still “remorseful” over smacking Chris Rock live on television last year. The Emancipation actor tried to make amends but to no avail.
In his recent live-streaming event Selective Outrage via Netflix, Chris Rock addressed the assault through a series of jokes. He tore into Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship, which may have worsened the rift even further.
Rock said that Smith practices selective outrage and that everybody knows he had nothing to do with their private issues. “I didn’t have any entanglements,” he added.
Stream the 95th Academy Awards on March 12 via ABC, Hulu, or YouTube TV.
