Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
Jimmy Kimmel reignited his long-running feud with President Donald Trump at Sunday night’s Critics Choice Awards, taking aim at the President while accepting the award for Best Talk Show.
The late-night host mockingly referred to Trump as “Donald Jennifer Trump” during his acceptance speech – a jab that comes just months after Kimmel’s controversial suspension from Disney.
“And most of all, I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom, we would be going home empty handed tonight. So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day. It’s been a banner couple of weeks, and we can’t wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them,” Kimmel said to audience laughter.
The feud between the two has simmered for years but reached a boiling point last September.
Suspension Controversy
Disney suspended Kimmel from his show following comments he made regarding the murder of podcaster Charlie Kirk. The suspension came after Kimmel criticized what he called the “MAGA gang” for their response to Kirk’s death.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel had stated on his show.
The suspension proved costly for Disney. The company reportedly saw a 436% increase in Disney+ subscription cancellations in the weeks following their decision.
Trump had publicly called for Kimmel’s permanent cancellation.
Despite the President’s wishes, Kimmel was back on air after just five days, returning on September 22.
The Critics Choice Award marks something of a vindication for Kimmel following the suspension drama.
Jimmy Kimmel roasts Donald Trump after winning the #CriticsChoiceAward for Best Talk Show:
While the “Jennifer” joke isn’t exactly groundbreaking comedy, it’s clearly part of Kimmel’s ongoing strategy to needle the 79-year-old President through his platform.
The late-night host seems eager to continue the feud as he returns to air this week, promising to address Trump’s recent activities in upcoming episodes.
