Jimmy Kimmel turned his big win at the Critics Choice Awards into a moment everyone is still talking about. The late-night host won Best Talk Show for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and, as expected, he used his time on stage to crack a joke that landed hard.
After stepping up to accept the award, Kimmel first did the usual thank-yous. He mentioned his wife, Molly McNearney, and praised his writers, producers, and the entire team behind the show. Then came the line that stole the night.
Kimmel thanked “our President, Donald Jennifer Trump,” saying that without him, the show would probably be going home empty-handed. The crowd burst into laughter and applause. Kimmel kept going, sarcastically thanking Trump for doing so many ridiculous things every single day. According to him, the past few weeks alone had given the show plenty to talk about.
He also gave a shout-out to other late-night hosts, joking that they were not there because they did not care enough. The joke quickly turned sincere. Kimmel thanked fellow writers, actors, producers, and union members for standing up for free speech and supporting one another during a tough time for television.
The moment mattered even more because Jimmy Kimmel Live! was briefly taken off the air earlier after controversy. Although the show returned, the tension between Kimmel and Trump has been around for years. Their public back-and-forth goes all the way back to Trump’s first run for president and has never really cooled down.
Kimmel’s speech was funny, sharp, and very him. It reminded everyone why his show continues to connect with viewers. Love him or hate him, Jimmy Kimmel knows how to turn a joke into a headline.
