What's Inside?
- Jimmy Kimmel used his Critics Choice Award speech to roast Donald Trump while spotlighting comedy’s growing role in political discourse.
- The late night host addressed his show’s temporary suspension and thanked writers, unions, and supporters for standing firm on free speech.
- Kimmel framed the award as more than humor, turning it into a statement about resilience, ratings, and creative independence.
Jimmy Kimmel did not walk onto the Critics’ Choice Awards stage looking for reconciliation. He arrived with a punchline, a point to prove, and a message that stretched beyond late-night laughs. Winning Best Talk Show Host for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the 58-year-old comedian used his acceptance speech to draw a direct line between political chaos, comedy, and the cost of speaking freely in public.
The moment was sharp, loud, and deliberate. Kimmel framed the win as both satire and statement, turning a personal award into a broader commentary on power, pressure, and persistence. The room laughed, but the undertone was serious. For Kimmel, this trophy was not just about ratings or relevance. It was about surviving a storm and coming back louder.
Jimmy Kimmel Credits Donald Trump For Critics Choice Win In Savage Acceptance Speech Roast
Jimmy Kimmel wasted no time naming the unlikely figure he credited for his success. Holding the award, he told the audience, “I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we’d be going home empty-handed tonight.” He followed it with, “So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day.”
Jimmy Kimmel roasts Donald Trump after winning the #CriticsChoiceAward for Best Talk Show:
“And most of all, I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom, we would be going home empty handed tonight. So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous… pic.twitter.com/kpEc8JZTa9
— Variety (@Variety) January 5, 2026
The line landed because it reflected years of friction between the two men. Trump has long been a recurring target on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and that tension has shaped much of the show’s recent identity. Kimmel leaned into the moment again by glancing at his trophy and joking that it was not the “FIFA World Peace Prize” Trump had recently received through soccer’s global leadership.
The laughter masked a deeper truth. Political satire has become riskier, not safer. Kimmel knows that better than most. His show was briefly suspended by Disney in September after comments he made about the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. When the show returned six days later, ratings surged as viewers tuned in to see what would happen next.
Kimmel acknowledged that momentum during his speech, saying, “It’s been a banner couple of weeks, and we can’t wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them.”
Jimmy Kimmel and Donald Trump’s Feud Highlights Free Speech Fight
Behind the jokes sat a clear defense of creative freedom. Kimmel shifted tone to thank the people who stood with him during the controversy. “Thanks to all the writers and actors and producers and union members, many of you who are in this room, who supported us, who really stepped forward with us and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or in this country,” he said. “Your actions were important, and we appreciate them.”
He also widened the lens, sharing credit with other late night hosts who have faced similar pressure. “We share this award with our colleagues in late night, our fellow nominees who did not care enough to be here with you tonight,” Kimmel joked, before returning to his larger point.
The conflict between Kimmel and Donald Trump dates back to the early days of Trump’s presidency. It has intensified as corporate decisions, political power, and media mergers increasingly intersect. The recent cancellation of The Late Show after more than three decades has only fueled concerns about whether sharp political comedy still has a safe place on network television.
Kimmel’s speech offered no easy answers. Instead, it delivered a reminder. Comedy can entertain, provoke, and irritate all at once. And sometimes, the loudest laugh is also a line in the sand.
