Jimmy Kimmel is an entertainer. He knows how to tell a good joke. For over two decades, he’s been splitting sides on his talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Now, the Academy of Motion Pictures has invited him back once again to steer the ever-wobbly ship at the 2023 Oscars.
Hosting the “Biggest Night in Hollywood” is not a simple task. In fact, it’s a largely thankless job. If it were only about jokes, comedians like Seth McFarlane and David Letterman would have succeeded. As we know, it’s more than just delivering a string of punchy one-liners. A host has to read the room, exhibit impeccable timing, and know when to stop before things get uncomfortable.
More than six dozen hosts have tried to steer the Oscars ship over the course of the show’s 95-year history. Some have succeeded, others – not so much. Bob Hope, Billy Crystal, and Johnny Carson are three names who typically come to mind not just for their quality, but also their quantity; Hope hosted the show 19 times, Crystal 9 times, and Carson 5 times.
Ellen DeGeneres is another entertainer who is remembered as a host that “did it right.” But what about Jimmy Kimmel? This year’s ceremony isn’t his first, nor his second, which means he’s clearly doing something right. Exactly how many times has he done this before?
This isn’t Jimmy Kimmel’s first rodeo — or even his second
Come March 12, Jimmy Kimmel will become one of nine people in history to have hosted the Oscars more than twice. His first ceremony — in 2017 — involved the infamous envelopegate, wherein La La Land was prematurely awarded Best Picture over the rightful winner Moonlight. His second foray was in 2018, the year after Harvey Weinstein was expelled from the Academy and all eyes were on the award show for another fumble like the year before. This year will be his third.
In fact, if you look closely at Kimmel’s track record, it seems the Academy has a one-track mind when it comes to choosing its host. Something controversial happened the year before? Bring in Jimmy Kimmel.
This year, Kimmel will once again shoulder the burden of last year’s slap-heard-around-the-world between Will Smith and Chris Rock. Kimmel’s ability to tactfully address sticky situations without making them even messier is arguably the number one reason the Academy chose to go with him again. Make no mistake, though — he intends to address the slap.
Unless we’re thrown a curveball, we are in for an enjoyable night of cringe-less jokes from Kimmel, a slap-less night from a Smith-less audience, and an upset or two from a jam-packed lineup of stellar nominations.
The 95th Academy Awards premiere on ABC on Sunday March 12 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET.