It started before proceedings even got underway, with a snide little Insta post.
Damon retaliated on the Red Carpet, essentially saying Kimmel is merely a puppet for a team of actually-competent humans.
Matt Damon: Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel is ‘talentless,’ but ‘he’s got an incredible group of writers who work for him.’ https://t.co/Ij4Al8Rb9r pic.twitter.com/uQojEZPQT0
— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2017
Dead man walking the red carpet. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/j2KaUkdHTX
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) February 27, 2017
“But Matt did something very unselfish, and I want to commend him for it. For real. Matt, as you probably know, could have starred in Manchester By The Sea… he could have taken that lead actor part for himself.“But he didn’t. He gave that role to Casey Affleck, his childhood friend. He handed what turned out to be an Oscar-calibre role over to his childhood friend, and he made a Chinese ponytail movie instead.“And that movie, The Great Wall, went on to lose eighty million dollars. Smooth move, dumbass.”
.@jimmykimmel honors a film that inspired him, ‘We Bought A Zoo’ with Matt Damon. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/FcVVTDUOdO
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 27, 2017
Then, when old mate Ben Affleck was tasked with reading out a list of nominees, the man introduced as “Guest” – yup, Damon – was played out instantaneously by the orchestra, led by Kimmel:
“WRAP IT UP!” – @jimmykimmel playing Matt Damon off the stage… while he reads nominations. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/0grELfJ1zx
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 27, 2017
This battle isn’t over. It’ll probably last until the heat death of the universe – or, until the general public loses its interest. When that happens, and the most tedious historians of the future examine this weird pop-cult beef, they’ll note the 2017 Academy Awards as its absolute zenith.
Photo: Jimmy Kimmel / Instagram.