Jimmy Kimmel’s wife Molly McNearney says that she advised her husband against acknowledging a social media post from former President Donald Trump at Sunday’s Academy Awards, which turned out to be a high point in an outing that drew mixed reviews.
McNearney, 46, spoke with Variety Monday after serving as a co-executive producer on the telecast, which garnered the highest Nielsen ratings since the pandemic struck.
‘I will tell you, I’m really not proud of this, but I tried to talk Jimmy out of reading that,’ McNearney said. ‘I feel like my instincts are usually right, but I was totally off on that. I said, “Please don’t read this.”
‘And he asked why. I said, “I don’t want to give Trump airtime in the Oscars. This is the one time we don’t have to talk about him. We talk about him every night … this night is not about him and it’s not about politics.”‘
McNearney said she also considered ‘the risk’ of introducing Trump’s name into the broadcast, as she felt ‘the show was going well.’
![Kimmel, referencing Trump's numerous legal entanglements, said, 'I'm surprised you're still [up] - isn't it past your jail time?'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/12/05/82347645-13185949-image-a-151_1710220658579.jpg "Molly McNearney, wife of Jimmy Kimmel, shares how she attempted to dissuade Oscars host from reading Donald Trump social media post criticizing his performance at Oscars 2024 3")
Jimmy Kimmel’s wife Molly McNearney, 46, says that she advised her husband, 56, against acknowledging a social media post from former President Donald Trump, 77, at Sunday’s Academy Awards, which turned out to be a high point in an outing that drew mixed reviews
She added, ‘I just wanted to make sure it ended well, and I didn’t want it to end on a sour note.’
McNearney said her spouse addressed her concerns with enough confidence to reassure him the remark would resonate with the audience.
‘He had a glimmer in his eye, and he said, “I got this,”‘ McNearney said. ‘He really did. This is where he shines.’
On Monday, Kimmel told Kelly Ripa, 53,and Mark Consuelos, 52, that efforts were made to cease him from bringing the 45th president into the discussion, but did not specify that it was McNearney.
Late in the broadcast Sunday, Kimmel, 56, read a Truth Social post from the former president and current Republican frontrunner candidate, 77, that was critical of his performance, summing the show up as ‘boring.’
Kimmel, responding to Trump’s numerous legal entanglements, responded in saying, ‘I’m surprised you’re still [up] – isn’t it past your jail time?’ which the audience cheered on.
McNearney told the outlet, ‘I will tell you, I’m never going to win an argument in my household again!’
While the Trump joke was a hit, Kimmel appeared to take a step back performance-wise in his fourth stint as host, as his opening monologue jokes about Downey and actress Emma Stone did not land as intended.
Oscars 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE
Best Picture: Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Emma Stone – Poor Things
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Best Director: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Original Song: Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – What Was I Made For? from Barbie
Seen left to right: Actor In A Supporting Role – Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Actress In A Supporting Role – Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers ), Actress In A Leading Role – Emma Stone (Poor Things), and Actor In A Leading Role – Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)
Original Score – Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer
Achievement in Film Editing: Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihale – Poor Things
Make-up and Hairstyling: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston – Poor Things
Achievement in Costume Design: Holly Waddington – Poor Things
Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – Anatomy Of A Fall
Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
International Feature Film – The Zone of Interest from United Kingdom
McNearney spoke with Variety Monday after serving as a co-executive producer on the telecast. Pictured on the red carpet at the Oscars in LA on Sunday
McNearney said of the joke, ‘I will tell you, I’m really not proud of this, but I tried to talk Jimmy out of reading that’
McNearney said her spouse exuded a confidence about the joke that relaxed her concerns. Kimmel was pictured backstage at Sunday’s show
The ABC late night host made substance abuse jokes in reference to Downey, 58, who collected his first career Oscar Sunday, referring to his well-documented past battle with addiction.
Kimmel said, ‘Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career; but Robert has been …’ at which point Downey pointed to his face.
Kimmel added, ‘Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made? But look at him, he’s so handsome, so talented, he’s won every award there is to win.
‘Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?’
Kimmel also appeared to irritate Poor Things actress Emma Stone, 35, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the sex-driven motion picture.
He said of a sequence of film that was seen in a compilation of clips on the show: ‘Those were all the parts of Poor Things that we’re allowed to show on TV,’ with speculation online ensuing that Stone had called the comedian a a ‘p***k.’
In another sequence that received mixed reviews, Kimmel had WWE star-action film staple John Cena, 46, emerge on the stage naked in a nostalgic nod to the David Niven streaker incident of 1974.
Oppenheimer dominated the proceedings with seven total awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy and Best Supporting Actor for Downey.
Late in the broadcast Sunday, Kimmel read a Truth Social post from the former president and current Republican frontrunner candidate that was critical of his performance, summing the show up as ‘boring’
The 96th Academy Awards was a commercial success with a four-year ratings high of 19.5 million viewers, despite Kimmel’s performance coming under fire after a number of poorly-received jokes and bits
Sunday’s Oscars, stemming from the Dolby Theater in LA, drew four percent more than last year, Nielsen numbers indicated
Amid the strong numbers, Kimmel appeared to take a step back, performance-wise, in his fourth stint as host, as jokes about Downey and actress Emma Stone did not land as intended.
The ABC late night host made substance abuse jokes in reference to Downey, 58, referring to his well-documented past battle with addiction. Pictured with wife Susan, 50
In another sequence that received mixed reviews, Kimmel had John Cena, 46, emerge on the stage naked in a nostalgic nod to the David Niven streaker incident of 1974
The 96th Academy Awards was a commercial success with a four-year ratings high of 19.5 million viewers, despite host Kimmel’s performance coming under fire after a number of poorly-received jokes and bits.
Sunday’s Oscars, stemming from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, drew four percent more viewers than last year, Nielsen numbers indicated, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
They marked the highest total since 2020’s show had 23.64 million viewers, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began.
The 2023 Oscars – which Kimmel was lauded for commandeering as host, a year after the show was thrown into chaos with Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock in 2022 – garnered 18.76 million viewers.
Amid film industry delays, production shutdowns and adherence to social distancing guidelines, the 2021 Oscars, which aired in April of that year, garnered 10.4 million viewers.
Sunday’s show, which was driven by the dominance of the summer blockbuster Oppenheimer – sagged in the coveted viewer demographic of 18-49, according to Nielsen totals. They dropped to a 3.81 rating in 2024 from 4.03 rating in 2023.
An earlier start time Sunday, as the televised broadcast commenced at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, was cited by THR as a potential factor in the higher ratings, in addition to the focus on two high-profile projects, Oppenheimer and Barbie.
Sunday’s telecast had its highest numbers in its last half-hour, according to Nielsen, with 21.9 million viewers.
Oscar winners 2024 full list – see who received trophies for this year’s Academy Awards
Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Oppenheimer was the biggest winner of the night with seven including top honor Best Picture; Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and Charles Roven are seen
Best Director
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening, Nyad
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Emma Stone, Poor Things – WINNER
Emma Stone earned a shock win in the Actress in a Leading Role category for Poor Things
Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – WINER
Da’Vine Joy Randolph triumphed in the Actress in a Supporting Role category for The Holdovers
Actor in a Supporting Role
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer – WINNER
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Animated Feature Film
The Boy and the Heron – WINNER
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Cinematography
El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema – WINNER
Poor Things
Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – WINNER
The Holdovers, David Hemingson
Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer
May December, Samy Burch (Story b Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik)
Past Lives, Celine Song
Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction, Cord Jefferson – WINNER
Barbie, Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan
Poor Things, Tony McNamara
The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer
Cord Jefferson won Adapted Screenplay for American Fiction
Achievement in Production Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek – WINNER
Achievement in Sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest, Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn – WINNER
Original Song
‘The Fire Inside’ from Flamin’ Hot
‘I’m Just Ken’ from Barbie
‘It Never Went Away’ from American Symphony
‘Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)’ from Killers of the Flower Moon
‘What Was I Made For?’ from Barbie, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – WINNERS
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell earned Original Song for Barbie’s What Was I Made For?
Original Score
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson – WINNER
Poor Things
Live Action Short Film
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson and Steven Rales – WINNER
Animated Short Film
Letter to a Pig
95 Senses
Our Uniform
Pachyderme
WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko – WINNER
WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko won Animated Short Film; Dave Mullins and Brad Booker pictured
Documentary Feature Film
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol – WINNER
Documentary Short Film
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between
The Last Repair Shop – WINNER
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó
International Feature Film
Io Capitano, Italy
Perfect Days, Japan
Society of the Snow, Spain
The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany
The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom – WINNER
The Zone Of Interest took home two Oscars including International Feature Film; Jonathan Glazer and James Wilson are pictured
Makeup and Hairstyling
Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston – WINNER
Society of the Snow
Achievement in Costume Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Holly Waddington – WINNER
Achievement in Film Editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame – WINNER
Poor Things
Visual Effects
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima – WINNER
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Godzilla Minus One won the Visual Effects award as Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya and Tatsuji Nojima are pictured
