Jimmy Kimmel Jokes He’d “Insist” on Hosting the Oscars if Melania Trump’s Documentary Gets Nominated

Jimmy Kimmel has found a new punchline — and it involves the Oscars, Melania Trump, and a documentary that critics really don’t like.

During Monday night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the late-night host joked that he would have to host the Academy Awards if Melania Trump’s new documentary somehow landed an Oscar nomination.

“Mark my words right now,” Kimmel said during his monologue. “If Melania gets nominated for an Oscar, I will host that show. Whether they ask me to or not. I will insist on it.”

A Documentary Facing Heavy Criticism

The documentary, Melania, takes a 104-minute look at the life of the current First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. It follows her return to the White House and her efforts to balance family life with official duties.

Since its release over the weekend, however, the film has been met with widespread criticism. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie initially held a 7% critics’ score — which has since dropped to 6%.

Kimmel wasted no time mocking the numbers.

“Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 7%,” he joked, adding that the film somehow earned a “strong 100%” on Fox News.

Fox News Praise Becomes the Punchline

Kimmel then played a clip from Fox News’ Outnumbered, featuring former White House press secretary and current Fox News contributor Kayleigh McEnany.

In the clip, McEnany suggested Melania should be “honored with an Oscar,” adding that if she attended the ceremony, she would be the “best dressed” and “classiest dressed” person there.

That’s when Kimmel delivered his big promise about hosting the Oscars — officially known as the Academy Awards — should that nomination ever happen.

Critics Are Not Impressed

Professional reviewers have been far less enthusiastic than Fox News commentators.

One critic wrote that Melania is “a singularly bad movie,” saying it offers no ideas, no real point of view, and little reason to exist. Another described it as having “no tension” beyond whether Melania’s inauguration outfit would fit properly.

Others noted that by the end of the film, viewers learn almost nothing new about its subject. One review compared the experience to watching a camera pointed at a waterfall or wheat field for nearly two hours — distant, glossy, and emotionally flat.

Oscars Buzz? Not Quite

While Kimmel’s comments were clearly meant as a joke, they highlight just how sharply divided the reaction to Melania has been. With harsh reviews piling up and little praise outside partisan media, an Oscar nomination seems extremely unlikely.

Still, if lightning strikes and it does happen, Jimmy Kimmel says he’ll be ready — invitation or not.