Would you even believe it, even sitting silently in the front row, Meryl Streep still managed to steal the show during the Academy Awards opening monologue.
In an otherwise standard Kimmel-level monologue that was serviceably funny without pushing any boundaries, it was Kimmel’s, frankly, inspired “underrated” bit aimed squarely at the iconic Meryl that took the cake.
Tongue planted firmly-in-cheek, Kimmel noted that the awards ceremony was a chance for the industry to recognise “unrecognised and undeserving” actors, before turning everyone’s attention to Streep who he cheekily suggested had been “phoning it in for over 50 movies.”
The Dolby Theatre reacted with what’ll probably end up being the loudest reception of the night. Because somehow we’re all lucky enough to be alive at the same time as Meryl By-God Streep, who tonight is up for her record-setting 20th Oscar nomination.
Elsewhere, Kimmel managed to hang playful shit on good mate Justin Timberlake (who opened the show with a bouncy, joyful rendition of the Oscar-nominated tune ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling!‘) and mortal enemy Matt Damon.
Line of the night, however, came (almost predictably) at the expense of President Donald Trump, when Kimmel remarked “remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist?”
You can check out the full opening monologue below.
Jimmy Kimmel: “I want to say thank you to President Trump … last year it seemed like the #Oscars were racist.” pic.twitter.com/YeLsScJZv0
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 27, 2017
Actually you know what, the more I think about it, the more layered that very blatant dig at Mel Gibson gets.
It’s not gonna shatter anyone’s minds, but in terms of award show monologues it more than held its own.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter/Twitter.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty.
