Jimmy Kimmel's Oscars monologue won't feature Taylor Swift or Aaron Rodgers jokes (original) (raw)
Jimmy Kimmel isn’t looking to create any bad blood with Taylor Swift because of his Oscars monologue.
The late-night star, who is set to host the Academy Awards for the fourth time on Sunday, told CNN that any jokes about the "Cruel Summer" singer and Travis Kelce’s relationship, as well as his ongoing feud with NFL star Aaron Rodgers, are likely all off the table at this point.
When it comes to Swift and Kelce, Kimmel told the outlet that he doesn’t consider jokes about the couple to be “off limits” per se, but that they’re “probably played out” at this point. The pair have not only been caught in a media whirlwind since they began dating last September, but Swift also received her own notable shoutout during Trevor Noah’s opening monologue at the 2024 Grammys last month after seeming unamused by Golden Globes host Jo Koy's dig in January.
Taylor Swift, Jimmy Kimmel, and Aaron Rodgers.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; Matt Sayles/ABC via Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The comedian also isn’t interested in bringing up Rodgers after he threatened legal action against the quarterback for falsely implying that Kimmel’s name would be featured in Epstein-related court documents that were unsealed earlier this year. When asked by CNN if Rodgers, who Kimmel previously described as “hamster-brained,” would make an appearance in his monologue, the host simply replied, “Uh, I don’t know who that is.”
He added that Rodgers likely won't be invited on Jimmy Kimmel Live anytime soon, either. “The way I look at it,” Kimmel said. “The next step is for Aaron Rodgers to reach out to me – not the other way around. So, I don’t see that happening. Listen, we have some major differences in the way we think.”
Instead, Kimmel is much more interested in poking fun at the celebrities who will actually be in attendance on the evening — and hopefully not offending them in the process. “It’s not that easy. It depends on the person because some people are more sensitive than others,” he explained. “God help you, if I know you. Like, if you’ve been to my house, you’re in trouble on Oscar night.”
Which is basically Kimmel’s way of saying get ready to his faux rival, Matt Damon. “He is not nominated for an Oscar,” the host cheered. “He was in Oppenheimer. Everyone else was nominated except for him.”
He also confirmed that Damon, unfortunately, won't be at the event — and Kimmel claims he knows why. “What really happened? He couldn’t get a ticket,” he teased. “It’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard. He asked if he could come and they told him, ‘Sorry – nominees only.’”
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