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Oscar Host Jimmy Kimmel Urges a Standing Ovation for the 'Overrated' Meryl Streep
In his first-ever monologue as an Oscars host, Jimmy Kimmel claimed that he wasn’t the person to bring a politically divided nation together. But he did bring the crowd in the Dolby Theatre together to honor a totally “uninspired and overrated” actress, Meryl Streep.
Nominated for a record 20th statue for Florence Foster Jenkins, Streep caused a stir at last month’s Golden Globes ceremony, where she delivered an impassioned speech knocking then-President-elect Donald Trump. She was interrupted by frequent applause, but Trump himself proved a more severe critic, tweeting the next day, “Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn’t know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes.”
Following his stated interest in finding common ground with people he disagreed with, Kimmel didn’t initially dispute Trump’s characterization of the Hollywood icon. “We are here tonight to honor great actors, but we’re also here to honor the actors who seem great, but actually really aren’t,” he began, with tongue firmly in cheek. “Of all the great actors here in Hollywood, one in particular has stood the test of time for her many uninspired and overrated performances. … Meryl Streep has phoned it in for more than 50 films over the course of her lackluster career.”
Kimmel then invited Streep to stand up and be recognized for that long, lackluster career. “Everybody, please join me in giving Meryl Streep a totally undeserving round of applause,” he said as the crowd rose to their feet in applause and Streep herself looked alternately proud and bashful. It was a reaction that was too genuine to be an act.
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