The 2017 Oscars get political with Donald Trump jokes, jabs — here's a running list
The political statements came fast and furious at the 2017 Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the night with several comments at President Donald Trump's expense. Mic kept track of the political comments as they happened on Sunday night.
Jimmy Kimmel's opening
The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC opened the Oscars with jab after jab directed at Trump. "I want to say 'thank you' to president Trump ... Remember last year when the Oscars seemed racist? Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz," Kimmel continued. "That's progress."
Kimmel kept it coming throughout his monologue. "We don't discriminate against people for where they come from. We discriminate against people because of age and weight," Kimmel said. He then turned the crowd's attention to Meryl Streep, the star-studded actress who has won three Academy Awards and picked a fight with Trump earlier this year. "One of (these actresses) has stood the test of time for her many inspiring and overrated performances," Kimmel said as the camera focused on Streep. "Meryl Streep has phoned it in for over 50 films over the course of her lackluster career ... The highly overrated Meryl Streep everyone!"
"Nice dress tonight, is that an Ivanka?" Kimmel questioned of Streep's dress, referencing Trump's daughter.
Perhaps the highlight of Kimmel's monologue: "You'll get to give a speech that the president of the united states will tweet about during his 5 am bowel movement tomorrow."
"This is for all the immigrants"
Alessandro Bertolazzi said he waited 50 years to take the microphone at the Oscars. And he wasn't going to waste his 30 seconds in the spotlight.
"I'm an immigrant," the Italian-born makeup artist said. "I come from Italy. I work around the world. This is for all the immigrants."
Bertolazzi and two of his fellow artists won best makeup and hairstyling for their work on Suicide Squad.
The Academy comes out for diversity
Cheryl Boone Isaacs did not mention Trump's name in her speech at the Oscars. But the president of the Academy of Arts and Sciences sent a clear message: "Tonight is proof that art has no borders."
"Art has no single language and art does not belong to a single faith," Isaacs said to applause. "All creative artists around the world are connected by an unbreakable bond that is powerful and permanent."
Each year, the Oscars face criticism for a lack of diversity. Isaacs tried to address that head on, saying the academy is bringing in new voices from around the world by the day. But in the age of Trump, those comments struck another, more political note.
"The movies we love, the ones that truly matter, regardless of country of origin, all speak to the human condition, values, sorrows and joys that we all share," Isaacs said. "That is the magic of the movies."
The powerful foreign film statement
The Salesman won best foreign film, but its director was not to be found in the Oscars audience. Instead, a powerful statement in opposition to Trump was read on behalf of Asghar Farhadi. The Iranian filmmaker won best foreign film for the second time.
"My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.," read the Farhadi's words on stage as the crowd erupted in applause. "Diving the world into the 'us' and 'our enemies' categories creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war."
Farhadi's statement challenged filmmakers to use their cameras to tell stories that humanize people in countries targeted by Trump's travel and immigration restrictions.
"I'm against any form of wall that wants to separate us"
Mexican actor Gael García Bernal succinctly articulated the views of many Hispanics alienated by Trump's promises to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
"As a Mexican, as a Latin American, as a migrant worker, as a human being, I'm against any form of wall that wants to separate us," Bernal said. It was not the first time Bernal had spoken out against Trump's proposed wall. Bernal said the wall would separate two countries with great unity. His comments came after the release of his 2015 film Desierto which featured Bernal as a Mexican migrant attempting to cross into the U.S.
Yes, Jimmy Kimmel tweeted at Trump
After a period lacking political commentary, Kimmel made sure to turn the attention back to the president. Walking onstage with his phone in hand, the host tweeted at Trump. The ensuing tweet drew hundreds of thousands of reactions within minutes of Kimmel's tapping send.
