Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Fox News Claim ‘Melania’ Deserves an Oscar Nod: ‘I Will Host That Show – Whether They Ask Me or Not’
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel joked during his Feb. 2 monologue that he will demand to host the Oscars in 2027 if the documentary Melania ends up nominated for Best Documentary.
Kimmel was reacting to comments from Kayleigh McEnany, who praised the film’s stronger-than-expected box office debut on Fox News and said the movie “should be nominated for Oscars,” adding that Melania Trump “would be the best dressed by a long shot” if she attended.
“Mark my words right now, if ‘Melania’ gets nominated for an Oscar, I will host that show,” Kimmel told his audience. “Whether they ask me to or not. I will insist on it.”
He also mocked the film’s reception, quipping: “‘Melania’ has a score of 7% on Rotten Tomatoes, but on Fox News it’s got a strong 100%.”
The documentary, distributed by Amazon MGM Studios, reportedly cost $75 million between acquisition and marketing. It follows Melania Trump during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
Kimmel previously slammed the project before its release, calling it a “$75 million bribe Amazon made for her.” In his latest monologue, he joked that the film’s $7 million opening weekend set a record for “the biggest opening for a non-musical vanity project/brazen corporate bribe in the last 10 years.”
Kimmel has hosted the Oscars four times, most recently in 2024. Conan O’Brien hosted the 2025 ceremony and is set to return for the 2026 show.
During his 2024 hosting stint, Kimmel famously paused the Oscars broadcast to read aloud a social media post from Trump criticizing his performance as host.
After reading Trump’s message on air, Kimmel fired back from the stage, thanking the former president for watching and joking about his schedule, turning their long-running feud into a live Oscars moment.
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