Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel reveals there’s one joke he couldn’t make

THERE were a lot of well-executed gags from first-time Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel last night — but there’s one joke we’ll never get to hear.

THERE were plenty of well-executed gags from first-time Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel last night — but there’s one we’ll never get to hear.

The comedian and talk show host revealed to the LA Times backstage that he’d been planning to deliver another joke about faux nemesis Matt Damon when he realised what was happening onstage with the Best Picture blunder.

“I saw something online ... it was a screen grab that showed the Best Actress envelope. It’s funny, I was about to go on stage and do a bit with Matt Damon and a doughnut, but I said, ‘I think I have to go on stage,’ because otherwise our stage manager Gary [Natoli] was going to have to finesse it,” Kimmel told the publication.

While we’ll never know what this doughnut gag entailed — it probably wouldn’t have been able to beat the priceless moment everyone realised there had been a massive mistake.

“There was a lot of nuttiness. It was kind of like a dispute over a boxing match. You didn’t know who won. You didn’t know who the winner was. But I have to say the producers of La La Land were very gracious,” Kimmel remarked.

One person who wouldn’t be sorry about the last-minute joke change is Matt Damon — who had already copped a fair serve from Kimmel throughout the ceremony.

During his opening monologue, the comedian pointed out the massive failure of Damon’s latest movie, The Great Wall.

“Tonight in the spirit of healing and bringing people together I would like to bury the hatchet with somebody I have had issues with. Matt Damon,” Kimmel said.

“Now Matt, I have known Matt for a long time now. I have known Matt so long when I first met Matt I was the fat one. We have had problems. He’s a selfish person, those who work with him know this. But Matt did something very unselfish and I want to commend it for him.

“Matt, as you probably know, could have starred in Manchester by the Sea — he was the producer and it is nominated for six Oscars including lead actor and 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 over an Oscar-calibre role to his friend and made a Chinese ponytail movie instead.

“That movie, The Great Wall, went on went on to lose $80 million. Smooth move, dumb ass. It is so easy to reach out and heal.”

Timeline: The 2017 Oscars TV gaffe in pictures

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