Watch Jimmy Kimmel zing Trump, Mel Gibson, and, yes, Matt Damon in his Oscars monologue

Jimmy Kimmel hosts the Oscars
(Image credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Jimmy Kimmel kicked off his introductory monologue at Sunday night's Academy Awards with some light, good-hearted political humor, noting that the Oscars are being broadcast not just in the U.S. but also "around the world in more than 225 countries that now hate us." One of the least political late-night TV hosts, Kimmel got to President Trump eventually, but he started out with a soft target in the room. "I don't have to tell anybody, the country is divided right now," he said. "I've been getting a lot of advice, people are 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. There's only one Braveheart in this room, and he's not going to unite us, either. Mel, you look great, I think the Scientology is working."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.