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Oscars Host Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Tom Cruise’s Scientology Ties, Will Smith Slap

By Marlow Stern

Marlow Stern

Speaking to Rolling Stone ahead of his third Oscar-hosting stint, Jimmy Kimmel relayed that him and his late-night writing team had been putting in hours and hours of prep work for cinema’s biggest night.

Well, it finally came. And Kimmel didn’t disappoint.  

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! funnyman kicked off his Oscars monologue with a Top Gun: Maverick bit that saw Tom Cruise ’s Maverick eject him from his fighter plane and onto the Dolby Theatre stage. After crew members removed his parachute, the comic got down to business.

“I am happy to see that Nicole Kidman has finally been released from that abandoned AMC, where she has been held captive for almost two years now,” Kimmel cracked. “It’s good to have you back, Nicole. And thank you for encouraging people that were already at the movie theater to go to the movie theater.”

"If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech." #Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel addresses "the slap" in his opening monologue. https://t.co/J1mqrghZrf pic.twitter.com/E5dHUKLAPA — ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2023

There were knocks at Babylon losing $100 million, classy shout-outs to snubbed films Till and The Woman King , and a slight jab at the Academy for not nominating any women — as is their wont — in the Best Director category.

“How does the Academy not nominate the guy who directed Avatar ?” Kimmel said of James Cameron’s Oscar-night absence. “What do they think he is… a woman?”

Then came Kimmel’s ballsiest joke: a Scientology jab at Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise.

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Sadly, Matt Damon did not rush the stage to mock-slap Kimmel. Instead, the host offered the following PSA, addressing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock : “If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during this show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.” An extended bit shouting-out people in the audience as Kimmel’s was amusing, thanks in no small part to the wonderful Andrew Garfield.

With that, performers from RRR danced Kimmel off the stage and the show was on its way.

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Tom Cruise Says He Would’ve Held ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for 10 Years to Secure a Theatrical Release

“The film is made for the screen. I made it for theatrical. We all did,” the Oscar-nominated actor/producer told Jimmy Kimmel

“Top Gun: Maverick” star Tom Cruise made a rare late-night TV appearance and sat down with Jimmy Kimmel on Friday, as the two talked about why Cruise pushed to make sure “Top Gun: Maverick” was given a lengthy, exclusive theatrical release before it hit streaming (it’s currently on Paramount+) — and how long he would’ve held out.

On “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Cruise was asked about pressure from various people in Hollywood to put the sequel on streaming during the pandemic, as the film was originally scheduled to be released in June 2020.

Cruise explained that if he had to wait a decade for “Top Gun: Maverick” to be released in theaters, he would’ve.

“I assumed you got pressure, from whomever – the movie studios, investors, or whoever it was to put the movie out on streaming you said ‘no,’ and you held it for two years, you were I guess a billion and a half dollars right,” Kimmel said to Cruise, referring to the film’s global box office gross.

Cruise laughed as the audience applauded and said, “People have been asking for the movie for 34 years, and I figured a couple more years would’ve been alright.”

“I would’ve held out for 10 years,” Cruise said as he answered Kimmel’s question. “The film is made for the screen. I made it for theatrical. We all did. We all made it for theatrical. It wasn’t just me.”

Cruise explained to Kimmel that everything he does is motivated by giving the audience the best experience.

“When I make a film, I want to go see it with an audience,” Cruise said. “When they really enjoy it, that’s what I want. I make my movie for audiences and you all, so it’s a pleasure. I just want to entertain you.”

Kimmel asked Cruise when he’s seeing these movies if people in the audience recognize him. Cruise said oftentimes he’s spotted by fans and he gladly takes pictures with them.

Kimmel responded, “You always do. You’re really very patient. It’s almost annoying how patient you are with everybody.”

Kimmel and Cruise also talked about the daring stunts the 60-year-old actor does in his various films, notably in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. Kimmel said he thinks it is important for people to know that Cruise is the only person doing these stunts and played a clip of Cruise jumping out of a helicopter in a remote area.

“How many times did you shoot that?” Kimmel asked. “That was dangerous.”

“I jumped off that eight times,” Cruise responded. “That was wild.”

Cruise added, “I just try to do everything I can, use every tool that I have to entertain the audience. So, even as a little kid, I used to steal lumber from a junkyard, and I’d ride down the hill as fast as I could – hit the ramp and go over garbage cans. It didn’t work.”

Cruise explained he didn’t successfully clear the trash cans, in fact, he smashed right into them. However, he said to Kimmel that from his childhood days to the present, his goal is to do whatever it takes to please his audience.

Given the six Oscar nominations and nearly $1.5 billion box office of “Top Gun: Maverick,” we’d say Mission accomplished.

Tom Cruise Told Jimmy Kimmel About The Stunts He Won’t Do (And The Outlandish Ones He Totally Would)

Tom Cruise turns 61 years young this year, but he’s in no hurry to calm down. Indeed, he’s more of a thrill-seeker now than when he was young. During a rare late night chat show appearance, the movie star who had the biggest hit of his career last year and who may have very well saved movies spent a good chunk of his appearance being grilled about the death-defying stunts he would still do — and the ones where he draws the line.

On Friday, the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! welcomed Cruise, who had come from the set of one of the next Mission: Impossible films by asking him the obvious question: “Did you risk your life today?”

“Well, I did get in a car in this weather,” Cruise joked, referring to the rare rainfall in Los Angeles, “so I think we all did.”

Eventually Kimmel grilled Cruise about his yen for risking his life just to entertain. He asked him something few have: What stunts does his team forbid him from doing?

“I can jump off a cliff, but don’t go snowboarding,” he said. “Or they prefer I don’t get on a skateboard.” He added, “And look both ways before I cross the street. That’s dangerous.”

When asked if he’d still be risking life and limb when he’s old — even 100 — he confidently said, “I’m planning on it.”

Kimmel then ran down a list of over-the-top stunts, gauging which he would and wouldn’t do. That included parasailing over an erupting volcano, flying a jetpack through a tornado, jumping off one plane onto another, and going back in time to kill John Wilkes Booth before he assassinated Abraham Lincoln. All of those he would do (some with caveats).

The only ones he drew a line one were riding a shark like a cowboy (they wouldn’t like that, he safely assumed) and flying a plane blindfolded. He’d also ride in a plane piloted by noted plane-crasher Harrison Ford, saying, “I trust Harrison.”

You can watch Cruise’s Kimmel appearance in the video above.

(Via The Daily Beast )

David Letterman Shades 'Mr. Big Shot' Tom Cruise On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'

General Assignment Reporter, HuffPost

Talk show legend David Letterman rode “Mr. Big Shot” Tom Cruise for skipping Sunday’s Oscars , despite “ Top Gun: Maverick ” being a contender. (Watch the video below.)

“Now here’s something that may be a little sensitive,” Letterman told Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the awards ceremony, on Wednesday. “Where was Tom Cruise?”

Kimmel said he heard vague “production issues” involving “Mission: Impossible ― Dead Reckoning Part II” as the reason, but “we have no idea what happened.”

“But Tom Cruise should have been there celebrating his big jet pack maverick show,” Letterman insisted.

Kimmel suggested that Letterman was right in guessing that Cruise didn’t feel like he would win, so he didn’t show up.

“Between you and me, he should have been there, right?” Letterman repeated.

“He is the prince of Hollywood,” Kimmel replied.

Letterman complimented Kimmel on making the Oscars a success, even without “Mr. Big Shot” being there. “Nice going, Jimmy,” he said.

It was later revealed that Kimmel had to scrap a tribute to Cruise when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed he wouldn’t attend. But Kimmel still worked in a joke poking fun at a scene from the movie and Scientology.

“Tom Cruise with his shirt off in that beach football scene? L. Ron Hubba Hubba, you know what I’m saying?” Kimmel cracked.

“Maverick” star Cruise was up for a Best Picture Oscar as a producer on the blockbuster, and the film was nominated in five other categories. It won for Best Sound.

Cruise was later seen in London celebrating actor Michael Caine’s 90th birthday, which was on Tuesday.

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Tom Cruise says he watches his own movies on opening weekend

The top gun: maverick star said he has been recognised by people in the cinema.

Gregory Robinson

The next time you're at the cinema to watch a Tom Cruise film during it's opening weekend, make sure to be on the lookout because you may see him there too.

Cruise, 60, was a guest on Friday's (24 February) episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! , where he spoke about his blockbuster 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick .

The professional daredevil joked about fans having to wait 34 years for the film to arrive in cinemas and the decision to hold back its release until cinemas opened again following the Covid-19 lockdowns.

"The film is made for the screen... we made it for theatrical, me, my friends, the whole crew," he said about the cinema release.

Kimmel asked whether Cruise went to see the film with a ‘paying audience’ and believe or not, he did! And it’s not uncommon for him to do so.

“I love that,” he gushed. “Look, I grew up I always wanted to travel the world so when I started making movies, I was able to go watch movies in other countries so I always go watch films with other audiences and watch their movies with them.

"So, I do. When I make a film I wanna go see it with an audience.”

The Mission Impossible star then said he wants to make films that please audiences.

"When they really enjoy it, that's what I want. I make my movies for audiences, for you all. So it's a pleasure. I just want to entertain you," he told the applauding audience.

Naturally, the talk show host quizzed the Hollywood A-lister about whether he goes to cinemas in disguise and if he’s been spotted.

“Yes, sometimes they spot me - when I’m sitting next to them and they’ll kinda look over and I’ll do some photos and sign some autographs.”

What an absolute legend.

The Golden Globe Award winner is also known for his incredible stunts and during the interview he shared that his mother, Mary Lee Pfeiffer, who died in 2017, always encouraged him to step out of his comfort zone.

"You know, she never stopped me from doing anything. It was very encouraging," he recalled.

The biggest bombshell came when the Academy Award-nominated star revealed his most dangerous stunt - running with scissors.

"We all done that," he quipped.

Top Gun: Maverick became Cruise's highest-grossing movie worldwide after just 21 days. It surpassed $800 million (£654m) at the global box office, consequently beating his previous record of $791.1m (£647m) for Mission: Impossible - Fallout , and succeeded in becoming the highest-grossing Cruise movie in 23 different worldwide markets.

It has now grossed $1.489 billion worldwide.

Topics:  Tom Cruise , Film and TV

Gregory is a journalist for UNILAD. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.

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Oscars: 3-Minute Riff on Tom Cruise Was Cut From Kimmel’s Monologue When Top Gun Star Was a No-Show

Matt webb mitovich, chief content officer.

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Jimmy Kimmel ‘s Oscars monologue would have zeroed in on Tom Cruise , yet steered clear of any danger zone, had the Top Gun: Maverick star actually attended Sunday night’s ceremony. Oscars 2023: The 12 Best, Worst and Weirdest Moments View List

Yet despite the blockbuster Top Gun sequel being up for a half-dozen Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Cruise opted to not even do a fly-by at the Dolby Theatre, and instead was a no-show.

As a result, Kimmel fired off only a few quips about Cruise, whereas an alternate draft of his monologue had a “three-minute chunk” dedicated to the man who, it has been said, saved the movies after years of pandemic-depressed box office numbers.

Had Cruise been in attendance, “We had about a three-minute chunk of the monologue dedicated to Tom Cruise, honoring him and his role in reviving the movie industry,” Oscars executive producer Molly McNearney (who is also Kimmel’s wife and a JKL EP) told our sister site Variety . “We were so disappointed when we learned a few days before the Oscars that he wouldn’t be there. Jimmy loves him and really wanted to celebrate him.”

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Kimmel’s final monologue did take a jab at both Cruise and James Cameron for not being in the Dolby Theatre after lobbying moviegoers to return to theaters. There was also an “L. Ron Hubba Hubba” joke that alluded to Cruise’s advocacy for Scientology.

McNearney, though, said the “L. Ron Hubba Hubba” quip would not have been made if Cruise was present.

“Jimmy loves Tom. Tom had just been on [ Jimmy Kimmel Live ] the week before,” McNearney said.

The EP also dismissed the speculation that Cruise skipped the Oscars upon hearing that comedian and Scientology critic Judd Apatow was involved in shaping Kimmel’s monologue.

“Jimmy tends to send his monologue to a group of people he trusts, comedy writers and comedians” for feedback only, McNearney allowed. But, “No, Judd was not writing or doing anything for the monologue.”

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His monologue was spot on!

unfunny? i agree

Shouldn’t academy award Tom for “saving” hollywood instead of monologue to honour him? I mean, its an awards show afterall.

Also, RRR should have won the best movie….it was not even nominated

RRR was the greatest.

The best movie I saw this year was RRR! By far!!

Then India should have submitted it, but they didn’t…

??? “RRR” was an Indian film that was eligible for Best International Film, but India did not submit it as its official pick for the category…they chose “Last Film Show” instead.

Kimmel is schmuck anyway. Glad Cruise didn’t show up, no need for him to be subjected to that nonsense.

A little sequel called Avatar did even more for post pandemic movie box office.

Yes but Top Gun was notable bc 1) Tom Cruise held out for 3 years during the pandemic, refusing to release this to streaming and only wanting a theatrical release. 2) it came out before Avatar so it’s credited with getting people back in theaters to watch big summer movies.

+75 TVLine Power User points (no cash value)

Of course Tom Cruise didn’t have time to attend the Oscars ceremony – he was out diligently searching for Shelly Miscavige!

I can’t believe you’re still talking about Shelly Miscavage. The FBI investigated the “disappearance “ and found that no crime occurred. It’s people like you that likely made her go into hiding.

If only I had the power to make Cruise and all other Scientology cultists disappear – along with Mrs. Miscavige (not seen since the summer of 2007). How to explain the fact the agents who closed her case abruptly resigned/retired and then bought lavish homes, boats, cars, etc? The overlords are always lurking – perhaps even leaving rebuttal comments on this fun website.

I’d say Cruise needs to talk to a shrink about his insecurity issues but…….

Disappointed that awardees were shut down and time was given to the “host” for reliving last year’s slap, or a ridiculous set that was supposedly entertaining. The awards show should focus on honorees, their craft, their artistic products. The host should HONOR, not embarass. His audience questions were a disgrace.

I would like to express my gratitude to you for sharing this excellent post. I have to say that I am very impressed with your post because the information provided is both comprehensive and simple to grasp. Your subsequent post will receive a lot of attention from me.

Can’t say I really blame Cruise for no showing. Who wants to sit there as you’re targeted with all the tired Scientology jokes? At this moment in his career, Cruise doesn’t need the Oscars or Hollywood, they need him.

Kimmel’s a waste of of H2O and carbon.

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Jimmy Kimmel Grills Tom Cruise on His Insane Death Wish

In a rare late-night appearance, the 60-year-old actor vowed to keep risking his life on screen until he’s 100.

Matt Wilstein

Senior Editor

When Tom Cruise made a rare late-night TV appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live Friday night, there were no questions about his close ties to the Church of Scientology . But Jimmy Kimmel did spend much of the interview trying to get to the bottom of whether Cruise will eventually kill himself on screen in an attempt to pull off his latest death-defying stunt .

“Did you risk your life today?” Kimmel asked his guest, who came to the studio straight from shooting the upcoming Mission: Impossible film.

“Well, I did get in a car in this weather,” Cruise quipped, referring to the L.A. rain, “so I think we all did.”

Cruise was ostensibly on the show to promote Top Gun: Maverick , which is up for Best Picture at next month’s Oscars. He didn’t hesitate to take credit for essentially saving movie theaters by waiting two years to release the film instead of dumping it on streaming as many in the business were urging him to do. He told Kimmel he would have held out for 10 years if he had to, and as the host pointed out, he was proven “a billion and a half dollars right.”

As for the stunts that Cruise has become known for, he humbly told the host, “I just try to do everything I can, use every tool that I have, to entertain the audience,” explaining that since he was a little kid he has been nearly killing himself just for the thrill of it.

“Does your stunt double think you’re his stunt double?” Kimmel asked, to which Cruise smiled and replied, “I don’t have a stunt double.”

And yet while Cruise is allowed to jump off a cliff on a motorcycle on screen, he lamented the fact that for insurance purposes, he’s not allowed to snowboard, skateboard, or do anything remotely risky in his personal life.

When Kimmel asked the 60-year-old actor if he thinks he’ll still be doing his own stunts at 80, Cruise one-upped him to say he plans on doing them at 100. “I’ve been doing it my whole life,” he reiterated, adding, “To me, it was just normal.”

Ultimately, Kimmel ended his sit-down with Cruise by essentially asking him if there’s anything he wouldn’t do, from parasailing over an active volcano (been there, done that) to getting in a plane piloted by Harrison Ford (“Yeah, I would, I trust Harrison”) to running with scissors.

He didn’t get one no.

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Jimmy Kimmel jokes about Will Smith slap, roasts celebs at 95th Oscars

Kimmel kicked off the ceremony by parachuting onto the state, 'Top Gun' style.

LOS ANGELES -- Jimmy Kimmel parachuted onto the stage to kick off the 95th Oscars Sunday night and soon began firing off one-liners at the celebrities in attendance -- and some who were conspicuously absent.

Among those missing from the Dolby Theatre but still a key element in Kimmel's monologue: Will Smith, who earned himself a 10-year ban from the Oscars after storming the stage and slapping Chris Rock last year .

"We want you to have fun," Kimmel told the audience. "We want you to feel safe. Most importantly we want me to feel safe."

"So we have strict policies in place: If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor, and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech," he added.

WATCH: Biggest moments from the 2023 Oscars

Kimmel noted after last year's incident, the Oscars has a crisis team in place for this year.

He joked: "If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year: Nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug."

Kimmel opened the ceremony with a nod to Tom Cruise's "Top Gun: Maverick," digitally inserting himself into a flight scene and reluctantly ejecting himself from the cockpit -- landing on the Dolby stage.

That happened even as real-life fighter jets performed their own tribute to the film with a flyover above Los Angeles. The U.S. Navy pilots in F/A-18 Super Hornets flew above Hollywood Boulevard after taking off from Naval Air Station Lemoore near Fresno.

Kimmel, hosting for the third time, also had a little fun with some of the distinguished Hollywood luminaries at the ceremony.

Steven Spielberg, for example, who is now the only director to be nominated in six different decades, with his nomination for the semiautobiographical "The Fabelmans."

Noting Spielberg was seated near Seth Rogen, he urged the notorious stoner to share some substances with the director.

"Steven claims he's never even smoked weed. Which I find hard to believe. You mean to tell me you were sober when you made a movie about an alien who eats Reese's Pieces all day and can't remember how to phone home? You were high as a bike when you made that movie."

He also had some fun with the traditional length of the Oscars show, which this year had more categories added back in.

He noted both director James Cameron and Tom Cruise were absent from the show.

"You know a show is too long when even James Cameron can't sit through it."

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David Letterman Calls Tom Cruise Oscar No-Show Excuse “Nonsense” On ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

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Where was Tom Cruise ?

That was David Letterman ‘s burning question for Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel when he made an appearance on last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!

And the former Late Night host wasn’t buying the official excuse.

“We don’t know where Tom Cruise was,” Kimmel said in response to Letterman’s query. “We heard production issues.”

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Kimmel sided with Letterman on the Risky Business actor’s excuse. “It’s very non-specific,” he said. “But we have no idea what happened,” adding, “It seems like he should’ve been there, but he was not there. Maybe he feels like he wasn’t going to win so he didn’t want to come.”

When Kimmel called the Cruise “the prince of Hollywood,” Letterman shot back, “More to the power of your success. If Mr. Big Shot was not there the show was still never more successful. Nice going, Jimmy.”

Letterman also had some questions about the Oscar appearance of Cocaine Bear, specifically regarding who was inside the hilariously bad costume. Kimmel has claimed that Will Smith’s former music partner DJ Jazzy Jeff was inside the fur suit.

“I know for a fact that that’s a lie,” Letterman said. “I know it wasn’t Jazzy Jeff.”

“It was,” said an unconvincing Kimmel. “It was DJ Jazzy Jeff. Did you see him?”

“It could have been me,” Letterman responded. “Why wasn’t it me?”

Watch the interview above.

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Jimmy Kimmel Jokes He’ll “Beat the Sh-t Out of” Anyone Who Slaps Him at Oscars 2023

By Savannah Walsh

Jimmy Kimmel  is  hosting the Oscars for a third time when the 95th Academy Awards air on March 12—and no one is more surprised about that than him. 

“I didn’t necessarily think I’d ever do it again or be asked to do it again,” Kimmel told  The Hollywood Reporter in an interview just days before the event. “And it wasn’t one of those situations where they couldn’t get anybody and they asked me at the last minute,” the comedian continued. “I definitely would have said no if that was the case.” He later joked, “If you catch me at the right moment, you can get me to sign almost anything.”

Going into this year’s ceremony,  last year’s infamous Will Smith – Chris Rock slap is top of mind. Kimmel has already confirmed  he will speak about the slap during his monologue, but that not all of his remarks will be devoted to it. “Well, whatever I say about it, it’s going to have to be great, right?” he told THR. “Because so much has been said and there’s so much focus on it. I obviously don’t want to make the whole monologue about that, but it would be ridiculous not to mention it.”

When asked how Kimmel would react if he were on the receiving end of an onstage smack, he replied, “Well, I size them up, and if I’m bigger than they are, I beat the shit out of them on television. And if it’s  The Rock, I run.” 

Kimmel is no stranger to controversy on Hollywood’s biggest night. He also hosted in 2017, the year  Faye Dunaway and  Warren Beatty wrongly presented best picture to  La La Land, instead of the true winner,  Moonlight. That scandal “got knocked down the list” in the wake of the slap, Kimmel quipped to the outlet. “It’s disappointing in a lot of ways,” he added. “If you’re gonna be part of a fuckup, it might as well be the biggest fuckup ever. Being part of the second-biggest fuckup doesn’t carry as much cachet.”

The Academy recently announced that it has  enlisted a “crisis team” to combat any slap-like threats during the telecast. Kimmel told  The Hollywood Reporter  that he’s “not been involved” with the committee, jokingly adding, “Yeah, I feel like I should at least know what was discussed so I know what I should fear when I walk onstage. But, really, I suspect it mostly has to do with UFOs.”

While  slapping will be referenced during Kimmel’s hosting stint, whether he’ll joke about Scientology as nominee  Tom Cruise  sits in the audience is still up for debate. “No, I mean, listen, the reason that Tom Cruise is being embraced by the movie industry is that, I don’t know if he saved [movies], but he definitely gave them the Heimlich maneuver,” Kimmel said, referencing  reports that  Steven Spielberg  told Cruise during the  Oscar nominees luncheon that  Top Gun: Maverick  “saved Hollywood’s ass” and “might have saved theatrical distribution.”

One thing that is for certain: “This show’s going to be a lot longer than three hours, I’ll tell you that right now,” Kimmel said. “Alert the affiliates, we’re going long!”

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Jon Hamm recalls meeting Tom Cruise at a keg party at Jimmy Kimmel's house

Jon Hamm calls meeting Tom Cruise for the first time an "out-of-body experience."

While he had a role in the megahit Top Gun: Maverick, Hamm said on Monday's Howard Stern Show that he actually met the superstar a decade earlier at a kegger at Jimmy Kimmel 's house.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

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Jimmy kimmel unleashed at disney upfronts: “we’re building one big ad-supported pile of sh**”.

Here are the late-night host's best — and most brutal — jokes from Disney's annual upfront presentation to advertisers.

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

Writer-at-Large

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Jimmy Kimmel rarely holds back during his annual monologue to Disney advertisers, but this year he was particularly brutal about the state of the business.

The ABC late-night host laid into CEO Bob Iger, the Golden Bachelor , streaming bundles, Star Wars , Elon Musk and many other topics.

Here were some of his best — and most cutting — jokes to the Madison Avenue audience:

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— “I’m glad you’re inside. I heard Amazon left you guys out on the porch. You’re lucky you didn’t get stolen. It’s so great to be back in the abandoned shopping cart district.”

— “Bob Iger should be retired by now, he should be off on a yacht somewhere. Instead he’s here pretending to be excited about a new season of Will -Fucking- Trent . Bob tried to sell us last year, he put us up for sale, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, no one wanted to buy us. When no one was interested, Bob explained that he didn’t mean he literally wanted to sell us, he was just testing the waters for Wall Street. You know, Bob, when people test the waters, they usually dip in a toe, they don’t drown their children.”

— “We are bundling and while from the outside this may look like an act of desperation, from the inside, it also looks like that. We didn’t want to bundle, we had to — like when you’re freezing to death and it’s so cold you have to get into a sleeping bag with your uncle so you don’t die. That’s us. You’ve seen our churn rates. This is not just churn. It’s Chernobyl. Now finally our users can turn on their TV and get all the channels in one package for one price all supported by ads. We call it ‘basic cable’ and it’s gonna blow your mind. We’re consolidating. We are building one enormous ad-supported streaming pile of shit.”

— “All our content is available in one place — and also in multiple other places too.”

— “We have a sports bundle. ESPN is teaming up with Fox and Warner Brothers Discovery to give subscribers … live games, fantasy sports and betting. It’s a package we’re calling it Weekend at Divorced Dad’s House.”

— “What we’ve come to understand about our audience is they would rather be watching Netflix. Remember when Netflix thought they were above all this? They came in to destroy commercial television and now guess what? They want to sell you commercials on television. Now those smug b-holes have to lick your nuts like the rest of us!”

— “And of course [Netflix is] acting like they’re excited about it. Like, ‘Oh my god, we love ads in our shows, it just never occurred to use to put them there.’ Scumbags. We’ve been whoring ourselves out for years and know how to do it. We don’t need all this foreplay. We leave a key at the front desk, you come up to the room and have at it. Grab a bottle of Hulu, I’ll be facedown on the bed.”

— “This new season shows you the Kardashians like you’ve never seen them before, assuming you’ve never seen them before. Otherwise, it’s exactly the same shit as the last 17 years.”

— “Things are changing at CBS and not for the better. Young Sheldon is coming to an end after seven seasons. I know, I haven’t seen it either. But what I do know is that there’s a 100 percent chance that somewhere at CBS headquarters right now there is a whiteboard with the words Old Sheldon ? written on it.”

— “CBS also announced this will be the 14th and final season of Blue Bloods . Those assholes. Your grandpa has one thing left to live for.”

— “There are more FBI agents on CBS than there were at Diddy’s house.”

— “We are one unified Disney and we’re joining forces with Warner Brothers Discovery. I have to say, I haven’t seen this much corporate camaraderie in this business since last summer when they all worked together to starve the writers.”

— “[Disney+’s new show] The Acolyte is about a Jedi investigating crimes and the show is set during the High Republic-era of the Star Wars timeline — which means it takes place before The Phantom Menace and after I stopped giving a shit.”

— “You’re probably wondering why I am so giddy. It’s because Disney is ‘using proprietary meta tagging data that leverages video intelligence to tap into the moods and emotions within the content we create.’ That’s why I’m so proud of what we’ve done here. Until this afternoon, I thought Disney’s magic words were ‘bibbity-boppity, we own everything, fuck you.'”

— “Just think about how you want to live your life. The only thing that matters, the only that truly matters is our relationships. It matters that our families are healthy, and that the interoperability of our various digital tools and sales platforms provide efficient data tracking and unparalleled identity management. That’s it.”

Kimmel made the remarks during Disney’s annual upfront presentation to advertising executives at the North Javits Center in New York City.

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Damon lindelof working on green lanterns tv series, how ‘shōgun’ is shaking up the emmy race, ‘doctor who’ mid-season theory roundup — and what happened in “73 yards”, patricia richardson says abc chose to end ‘home improvement’ after equal pay proposal, ‘the acolyte’ star amandla stenberg says playing john williams’ ‘star wars’ score on violin “was such a special moment in my life”, ‘the girls on the bus’ canceled at max.

Both Bill Maher And Jimmy Kimmel Tensed Up When Jay Leno's Late-Night Scandal Was Brought Up

Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel seemed uncomfortable while talking about Jay Leno's Tonight Show exit.

• Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel discussed Leno's firing following his late-night scandal.
• Maher was defensive of Leno while Kimmel was critical.
• Leno believed he and Kimmel were friends despite past misunderstandings, with apologies exchanged for past actions.

Throughout television history, many of the best talk show hosts have become very famous, including Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel . Thanks to Leno's years hosting The Tonight Show, fans want to know everything about himm including if he is one of the richest talk show hosts and if he lives beneath his means . Similarly, fans want to know about how rich Kimmel is and about his family .

Thanks to Leno's many years of success and his controversial behavior, many of his peers have talked about him a lot. One example of that is when Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel began talking about Leno during a podcast and they both notably seemed very uncomfortable.

This article will reveal what Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel said about Jay Leno's firing from The Tonight Show. Then, the article will look at what Leno said about his relationship with Kimmel after being called out on Bill Maher's podcast.

Jimmy Kimmel And Bill Maher Both Seemed Tense While Talking About Jay Leno's Scandal

In June 2022, Jimmy Kimmel was a guest on the "Club Random with Bill Maher" podcast. During the resulting conversation, the two talk show hosts discussed one of their most successful and controversial peers, Jay Leno.

Amazingly enough, both Kimmel and Maher seemed uncomfortable as they discussed Leno . However, Kimmel seemed uncomfortable at first and Maher didn't seem to be enjoying the conversation later on.

As the conversation began, Maher spoke about the controversy surrounding Leno and Conan O'Brien fighting over who got to host The Tonight Show. Maher also brought up Leno's second exit from The Tonight Show when Jimmy Fallon replaced him. Based on the way that Maher spoke about both subjects, it seemed clear that he felt bad for Leno .

"For this one coveted spot, the host of The Tonight Show, it was the holy grial of comedians that it would be passed on. So, obviously, it's the super bowl trophy. They both want it, and, I don't know. I find something wrong about the hatred of the people who, 'Oh, you went for it and got it and won.' And then, by the way, he was like number one, they fired him twice for the sin of being number one in his time slot."

Being A Talk Show Host Changed Jimmy Kimmel's Personality According To His Close Friend Adam Carolla

Throughout the controversy surrounding Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien, several talk show hosts weighed in on the scandal. Two examples of that include Howard Stern and David Letterman, who hilariously called Leno out.

Which celebrities can't stand Jay Leno, according to Nicki Swift?

• Arsenio Hall
• Dennis Miller
• Jimmy Kimmel
• George Lopez
• Patton Oswalt
• Howard Stern
• Rosie O'Donnell
• Johnny Carson
• John Oliver
• Joan Rivers
• Andy Richter

In Jimmy Kimmel's case, he went a step further by agreeing to appear on Leno's talk show via satellite only to confront the host. Since Kimmel has always sided with O'Brien , it makes sense he didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with Maher's description of the situation.

What was surprising about the situation, however, was how uncomfortable Kimmel seemed with what Maher was saying . After all, Kimmel can be very confrontational but in response to Maher's claim that Leno was fired for being number one, Kimmel initially seemed reluctant as he disagreed.

"Yeah, well, I don't know it that's why they fired him. But, yeah."

Jay Leno's Long-Term Partner Vowed Never To Have Kids Or Get Married, Here's Why She Changed Her Mind

From there, Maher claimed that agents representing O'Brien and Fallon convinced NBC to fire Leno two times. In response, Kimmel told Maher he thought the situation was more complicated than that.

First off, Kimmel explained to Maher that NBC didn't promise The Tonight Show to O'Brien out of the kindness of their heart. Instead, NBC told O'Brien that he would take over The Tonight Show five years before Leno's first exit to keep him from going to another network.

Who has hosted The Tonight Show, according to Britannica?

Kimmel then stated that O'Brien waited five years for NBC to follow through with their promise, only for them to break the deal very quickly. Kimmel also stated his opinion that Leno knowingly undermined O'Brien during his brief Tonight Show tenure. Kimmel stated that he believed that what Leno did to O'Brien was part of a "diabolical" plan to get The Tonight Show back.

After Maher defended Leno again, Kimmel then revealed something that was mostly secret up until that point. While talking to Maher, Kimmel explained that there was a possibility that Leno was going to move to ABC after his Tonight Show exit. Since Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired on ABC, Kimmel revealed to Maher that he was asked if he would be willing to move his show's time slot back.

As Kimmel explained, ABC contractually needed his permission to move the show back and Leno called him to discuss it. According to Kimmel, Leno called him "a lot" and he eventually agreed to move his time slot. That made Kimmel feel like Leno and him were becoming friends. However, Leno stopped calling once NBC made him a deal to stay there which made Kimmel upset.

As Kimmel was explaining that he felt misled by Leno, Maher seemed very uncomfortable . After he'd previously spent several minutes defending Leno, Maher quietly responded to Kimmel's revelation while seeming taken aback. "I, yeah, either I forgot that or... Right, okay. Well, I, I, I understand."

Kimmel then finished up the conversation about Leno by stating he has lots of friends so he doesn't need to worry about having Leno in his life. That said, earlier during his conversation with Maher, Kimmel stated that he no longer had any ill feelings for Leno. Kimmel explained that was the case since he and Leno had spoken since everything went down.

Jay Leno Thinks That He And Jimmy Kimmel Are Friends

Roughly a month after Jimmy Kimmel's appearance on the "Club Random with Bill Maher" podcast, Jay Leno was a guest on the show. Unsurprisingly, Leno and Maher discussed Kimmel. When that subject came up, Maher told Leno that he wanted him and Kimmel to be friends. In response, Leno remarked, "I think we are.", meaning Leno believed he and Kimmel were friends .

Jimmy Kimmel Humiliated James Corden On His Own Show For Being Elitist With His Staff

Leno also went on to lavish praise on how good Kimmel had been when he hosted The Academy Awards.

After praising Kimmel, Leno began to discuss what led to the ill feelings that once existed between them. From Leno's point of view, Kimmel's frustrations with him began because he was a huge David Letterman fan. Leno explained to Maher that he believed Kimmel sided with Letterman during their public feud.

From there, Maher asked Leno about what Kimmel said about the discussions they had about potentially working together for ABC. In response, Leno admitted that he and Kimmel spoke a lot when he was potentially moving to ABC and then he stopped calling when he went back to NBC.

While speaking to Maher, Leno apologized to Kimmel for how he handled the situation . "I heard Kimmel talk to you about that. That I had called him and I did. And I didn't realize that I was supposed to do a follow-up call with him and I certainly apologize for that." Moments later, Leno apologized to Kimmel a second time while reflecting on how he treated him .

"We became friends and then that didn't happen, and it became public, and I suppose I should have called Jimmy and explain to him again, but I didn't. I don't know why I didn't. I just didn't. I thought he probably figured out. But I think maybe he was hurt by that, and I apologize to him for that."