Jimmy Kimmel Is Already Prepared for Another Slapping Fiasco at the 2023 Oscars | "If It's the Rock, I Run"

Jimmy Kimmel is not an unfamiliar face on the Oscar stage as the man is all set to host the prestigious award ceremony for the third time. As the world looks forward to the 95th Academy Awards at Dolby Theater on March 12, 2023, some of us are wondering if there is going to be another round of controversy on the Oscar stage this year.

The popular talk show host answered some burning questions in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter as he prepares himself for hosting the award ceremony again, three years after his last stint in 2019. However, this year, Kimmel is bracing himself for something he's never had to handle before and that is a slap.

"It’s so important to have a host who knows how to handle live television and a live audience," Academy CEO Bill Kramer noted recently about Kimmel's appeal. "He's funny, he's respectful, and his edges aren't too sharp."

It doesn't matter if Kimmel's "edges" are sharp or not, we can never know when and who might take offense after his words. We wonder if Kimmel is going to provoke another celebrity this year leading to yet another slaptastic moment that the internet can make memes about. But Kimmel has already prepared himself for a scenario where things turn ugly. 

Answering the outlet's question about what he would do "if there is another slap?" Kimmel said, "You mean if somebody comes up on the stage and slaps me? Well, I size them up, and, if I'm bigger than they are, I beat the sh*t out of them on television. And if it's the Rock, I run." Good to know that the show host is all prepared for the big night.

The Oscar ceremonies have been occasionally controversial so far. Until the Smith and Rock incident happened in 2022, the biggest mess up on the Oscar stage was La La Land getting named the best picture instead of Moonlight, the actual winner. As we pray for the award ceremony to advance smoothly Kimmel also disclosed the best advice that he has received so far about hosting the Oscars from Billy Crystal.

"He told me to 'play to the room.' You always have to be conscious of the audience at home and make sure they understand what's going on, but you also want to get laughs in the room — and if you don't get that, it's not going to play well for people watching on TV," Kimmel said.

The host also revealed that actor Tom Cruise who has been the center of several lighthearted jokes and moments at the Golden Globes and DGA awards will also attend the Oscar this time.  "I don’t know if he saved movies, but he definitely gave them the Heimlich maneuver," Kimmel said about the Hollywood superstar. Most of us might agree with this statement and watch Kimmel star in a Top Gun: Maverick-themed parody Oscar trailer.

Well, at the end of the day, we hope this year's Oscar ceremony doesn't become a joke like last year and that Kimmel can host the ceremony in the best possible way.