Jimmy Kimmel Roasts CBS And Trump At Oscars 2026

Jimmy Kimmel may not have been the official host of the 98th Academy Awards, but he stole the spotlight on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with a razor-sharp presentation that took aim at the heart of recent media censorship controversies.

Stepping onto the stage at the Dolby Theatre to present the Documentary categories, the 58-year-old comedian used the platform to settle scores with both a rival network and his long-time political foil, Donald Trump.

1. The “North Korea and CBS” Dig

Kimmel opened his segment with a biting joke about free speech, which many saw as a direct response to his own recent professional turmoil.

• The Quote: “As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”
• The Context: The joke alluded to a double-standard in the industry. While Kimmel’s own network, ABC, briefly suspended him in late 2025 following comments about the death of Charlie Kirk, CBS has recently faced backlash for allegedly blocking political guests and pausing segments due to pressure from the FCC.
• The Reaction: The Dolby Theatre erupted in applause, signaling strong support for the host following his “resurrection” on Disney-owned ABC.

2. Roasting ‘Melania’ and the First Lady

Kimmel didn’t stop at media corporations. He also targeted the much-hyped Amazon documentary about Melania Trump.

• The Joke: “Fortunately for all of us, there’s an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth… and there are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes.”
• Trump’s “Anger”: Before announcing the Feature winner, Kimmel quipped that Donald Trump would be “really mad that his wife wasn’t nominated for this.”

3. The Winners: Stories of Resilience

Amidst the humor, Kimmel highlighted that “real courage is telling a story that could get you killed.” He presented awards to two films that embodied that sentiment:

• Best Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms (Directed by Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones). A moving film about children killed in school shootings; the filmmakers brought the mother of a Uvalde victim on stage for a powerful acceptance speech.
• Best Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Directed by Pavel Talankin and David Borenstein). A daring expose on Russian primary school propaganda smuggled out of the country.

Oscars 2026: Documentary Category Snapshot