When it comes to the trend of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce jokes at award shows, expect Oscars 2024 host Jimmy Kimmel to shake it off.
Jibes about the pop star and football player couple are “not off limits, but probably played out,” Kimmel, who will emcee the Academy Awards for the fourth time on Sunday, told CNN.
The “Bad Blood” singer has, for better or worse, been a fixture of host monologues all award season long.
Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel says jokes about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce during the broadcast are “not off limits.” Getty Images Comedian Jo Koy flopped at the Golden Globes in January when he remarked, “The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.”
The CBS broadcast then cut to Swift, who did not laugh at the bit.
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A month later, Grammys host Trevor Noah kept things friendlier with his Swift shtick.
“Are you seeing what’s happening right now as Taylor Swift moves through the room?” he said of the eventual Album of the Year winner. “Local economy around those tables improves.”
Kimmel, 56, defended Koy to the Hollywood Reporter and said he should have a second shot at hosting the Globes.
“It would be very smart,” he said. “I think he learned all the lessons, and he’s a funny guy.”
But Kimmel said he’d rather mock his Hollywood pals like actor Matt Damon.
“He is not nominated for an Oscar,” the host said of the “Martian” actor. “He was in ‘Oppenheimer.’ Everyone else was nominated except for him.”
He also said Damon isn’t attending, despite “Oppenheimer” being nominated for 13 awards — including best picture.
“What really happened? He couldn’t get a ticket,” Kimmel joked. “It’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard. He asked if he could come and they told him, ‘Sorry — nominees only.’”
Taylor Swift did not laugh when comedian Jo Koy made a crack about her during the Golden Globes Awards. REUTERS The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” star added that “it’s not that easy” sending up celebs onstage. “It depends on the person because some people are more sensitive than others.”
Definitely not making it into his opening routine is Long Island’s disgraced former congressman George Santos.
“I think it would make him so happy if he was mentioned at the Oscars,” the host said. “And I’m not interested in making him happy.”
The 2024 Oscars air Sunday March 10 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
