Jimmy Kimmel calls out Will Smith? The television host’s opening monologue at the 2023 Academy Awards comically touched on the Oscars scandal from the previous year.

On Sunday night (March 12), Kimmel, who was the emcee of this year’s program, made fun of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for how it handled the incident from the previous year, when Will Smith stormed onstage and cold-clocked presenter Chris Rock.

Kimmel quipped in his intro, “We know this is a special night for you. We want you to have fun. We want you to feel safe… and, most importantly, we want me to feel safe.”

The late-night star went on, “We have strict policies in place: If anyone in this theatre commits an act of violence at any point in this show, you will be awarded the Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.”

Jimmy Kimmel oscars — *Jimmy Kimmel, Oscars 2023 host, scorched Will Smith for his assault on Chris Rock at last year’s award ceremony*

Jimmy Kimmel Calls Out Will Smith While Hosting 2023 Oscars

During the live broadcast of the 2022 Oscars, Smith slapped the Rock in response to a joke he made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. For his riveting role in King Richard, The Fresh Prince later took home the ‘Best Actor’ award.

“If anything unpredictable or violent happens during this ceremony, just do what you did last year – nothing,” Kimmel teased. “Sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”

The Academy Awards leader furthered, “And if any of you get upset over a joke and decide you want to come up here and get jiggy with it, it’s not going to be easy. There are a couple of my friends you’ll need to go past first.”

Kimmel threw in that Michael B. Jordan, Pedro Pascal, and Andrew Garfield were his backup bodyguards.

Were Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes at the Oscars about Will Smith tasteless or classy? Comment below!

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