Jimmy Kimmel Zings ‘Conscientious Objector’ Mel Gibson During Oscars
Mel Gibson has joined Matt Damon as the butt of Jimmy Kimmel‘s Oscars jokes.
Throughout the night, the emcee took aim at the Best Director nominee multiple times, both in his segues and opening monologue.
“Our next presenter is one of the stars of Hacksaw Ridge, which is nominated for Best Picture. It is the story of the conscientious objector who decides to work with Mel Gibson anyway,” Kimmel said before introducing actor Vince Vaughn on stage. “He is so money and after all these years he still doesn’t know it.”
But that wasn’t all.
“As you know, I don’t have to tell anybody, the country is divided right now. I’ve been getting a lot of advice. People have been telling me it’s time to bring everyone together, you need to say something to unite us, and let’s just get something straight off the top. I’m not — I can’t do that,” Kimmel said in reference to President Donald Trump.
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“There’s only one Braveheart in this room and he’s not going to unite us either, okay? Mel, you look great — I think the Scientology is working. I really do.”
Gibson, who’s been a pariah in Hollywood for more than a decade, caught backlash in January for receiving a Best Director nomination after his career stalled following a 2006 arrest for driving under the influence; during the traffic stop, he was recorded making anti-Semitic remarks.
The star was last nominated for an Academy Award was in 1996 when he won Best Director and Best Picture for Braveheart.
Gibson was also slammed at Saturday’s Independent Spirit Awards by hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney.
