June 27, 2026
Jimmy Kimmel on How the Oscars Are Held in a Hollywood Shopping Mall


Jimmy Kimmel has hosted the Oscars four times, and his โ€œJimmy Kimmel Liveโ€ studio is right across the street from the Dolby Theatre. So heโ€™s especially well equipped to break the news to the rest of America about something everyone in Los Angeles already knows: The Academy Awards are held in a shopping mall.

Yep, the Ovation Hollywood โ€” formerly known as Hollywood and Highland โ€” has been home to the Oscars since 2002, having opened as a shopping center at the corner of, yes, Hollywood and Highland in November 2001. On Monday nightโ€™s โ€œJimmy Kimmel Live,โ€ the host recounted the nightโ€™s Oscars while reminding his audience where the telecast takes place.

โ€œMonday after the Oscars is one of the weirdest days of the year around here,โ€ he quipped in his opening monologue. โ€œItโ€™s like Cinderella when the clock strikes midnight โ€“ and everything turns into rats and rags. Thatโ€™s how I would describe our neighborhood: Itโ€™s raggy and ratty out there right now.

โ€œIโ€™m not sure how many people watching around the world know that the Oscars are held in a mall,โ€ he added. The Dolby Theater is just a mall! Thereโ€™s a Foot Locker, thereโ€™s a Johnny Rockets. Last night, Barbra Streisand was like this close to a Hot Topic store.โ€

Kimmel noted how โ€œOne Battle After Anotherโ€ won six Oscars, including best picture, while โ€œSinnersโ€ had a very strong night with Michael B. Jordan winning best actor: โ€œMichael B Jordan is now so successful, he announced today heโ€™s retiring from acting โ€“ to play baseball,โ€ Kimmel joked. โ€œHeโ€™s been signed by the White Sox.โ€

The host also noted how โ€œGoldenโ€ from โ€œKPop Demon Huntersโ€ won best original song (โ€œBest Original Song your kids play so much it almost makes you miss Baby Sharkโ€) and pointed how how the most unexpected moment of the night may have been when there was a tie for best live action short.

โ€œThat was the first tie at the Oscar since 2013 and I have to say, I donโ€™t know if I like a tie,โ€ Kimmel said. โ€œThey should settle ties with a race to the stage. Like we got one Oscar. You want it? Come up and get it!โ€

Kimmel then turned his attention to Trumpโ€™s handling of the war on Iran, as well as his latest attacks on the free press โ€” led by FCC chairman Brendan Carr.

โ€œTrump is very upset โ€“ about network news coverage of his war. And so heโ€™s called in his attack schnauzer โ€“ Mr. โ€˜We can do this the easy way or the hard wayโ€™ โ€“ FCC Chairman Brendan Carr who this weekend sounded the alarm against freedom of the press,โ€ Kimmel noted, pointing to Carrโ€™s latest threats to strip TV stations of their licenses if the Trump administration disagrees with their coverage.

โ€œBroadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions, also known as the fake new, have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up. The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.โ€ฆIt is very important to bring trust back into media, which has earned itself the label of fake news,โ€ Carr wrote.

Retorted Kimmel: โ€œThe media didnโ€™t earn themselves the label of โ€˜fake news,โ€™ โ€“ the First Fatso made that up, and you ran with it!โ€

Trump then posted his own screed: โ€œI am so thrilled to see Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the FCC, looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic โ€˜Newsโ€™ Organizations. They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES, both in News and almost all of their Shows, including the Late Night Morons, who get gigantic Salaries for horrible Ratings, and never get, as I used to say in The Apprentice, โ€˜FIRED.โ€™ Thank you for your attention to this matter!โ€

Said Kimmel: โ€œWell, you know what? Youโ€™re welcome! I donโ€™t know if youโ€™re thanking me, but you are welcome! On behalf of all my fellow late-night morons, you are welcome.โ€

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