Jimmy Kimmel's subtle Oscar dig at CBS, Trump amid Charlie Kirk row; ‘North Korea and…’

At the Academy Awards 2026, Jimmy Kimmel joked about CBS and Donald Trump while presenting, referencing his brief show suspension.

Updated on: Mar 16, 2026 7:51 AM IST

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Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday for the Oscars 2026. Not only did he present the Academy Award for the best documentary but also took a dig at broadcaster CBS and Donald Trump as he did so.

Jimmy Kimmel presents the award for best documentary short film during the Oscars on Sunday. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Kimmel referred to the time when ABC, the broadcaster that runs his show, took it off the air briefly over Kimmel's comments on the death of Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk. The 58-year-old host was eventually resurrected on the network following massive backlash against Disney, the parent company of ABC.

Kimmel recalled the incident and took an indirect dig at ABC by ABC by calling out CBS and Donald Trump in his short speech before announcing the winner of the 2026 Academy Award for the best documentary.

"As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don't support free speech. I'm not at liberty to say which. Let's just leave it at North Korea and CBS," Kimmel said, as the Dolby Theatre burst out in applause.

Kimmel also did not spare the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, who was the subject of a much-hyped documentary on her life. Kimmel joked that Trump would be really angry that 'Melania' did not win the Oscar for the best documentary.

“Oh man, is he going to be mad that his wife wasn’t nominated for this,” Kimmel joked.

Jimmy Kimmel-CBS Row: What Did He Say About Charlie Kirk

Kimmel criticized Charlie Kirk's death on his September 15 Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue - five days after Kirk's was fatally shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Also read: Oscars 2026 sees rare moment that has happened only 7 times in 100 years, Kumail Nanjiani tells audience: 'Calm down'

Kimmel said that the MAGA gang" was "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them." He also accused them of "scoring political points" from it.

Conservatives accused Kimmel of misleadingly implying that Robinson, the shooter, was a supporter of Donald Trump. FCC Chair Brendan Carr called it misleading, prompting ABC to suspend the show indefinitely on September 17.

The show remained suspended for six days before returning to air on September 23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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