Kudos to Kimmel for additionally poking enjoyable on the Academy’s snubs within the phase. When Gosling (nominated for greatest supporting actor) declares, “Greta’s bought director within the bag!” an alarmed-looking Ferrera informs him that Greta Gerwig was not, in truth, nominated in that class.

The second referred to as to thoughts Kimmel’s deft opening monologue finally yr’s ceremony, when he dutifully however lightheartedly reminded everybody what went down between Will Smith and Chris Rock in 2022. “We wish you to have enjoyable, we wish you to really feel protected, and most significantly, we wish me to really feel protected,” he mentioned. “If any of you get mad at a joke and resolve you need to come up right here and get jiggy with it, it’s not going to be straightforward.”

Not that he actually wanted to be frightened. Amid the twister of egos, manufacturing timetables, monologues, and business breaks that makes up the Academy Awards, Kimmel is a stabilizing presence, completely acquainted. We have now a fairly good sense of what we’re going to get from him. On Sunday evening, he’ll seemingly command the stage with an “Oh, this previous internet hosting gig?” perspective, and the identical don’t-shoot-the-messenger joke supply that he’s perfected on his personal present. He’s humorous—nobody has denied him that—however his jokes are likely to level on the line from afar moderately than cross it. Take this crack, from final yr’s opener: “Wanting across the room, I can’t assist considering: Is Ozempic proper for me?”

However I feel what actually powers Kimmel’s humor is the truth that he’s bought nothing to show. He isn’t heading to the Dolby Theatre for the celebrity or glory, and he’s most definitely not in it for the paycheck. Interviewing Wanda Sykes on his present earlier than her personal Oscars co-hosting gig, with Amy Schumer Regina Corridor, in 2022, Kimmel boldly broadcast his compensation for the job. “I bought paid $15,000 to host the Oscars,” he informed Sykes. “It feels like quite a bit for one evening, however it’s months of labor main as much as it.” 

By Monday morning, some Hollywood goals can have come true, whereas others shattered—however as Kimmel informed CNN, he already is aware of how issues are going to finish for him. “I don’t have skills, actually,” he says. “It’s not like I’ve a secret love for dance. I’ll exit and inform some jokes. They’ll both snigger or they gained’t, and afterward they’ll say, ‘You had been horrible.’”