President Donald Trump has the whole Oscar-ratings thing figured out: No stars, low ratings. And Jimmy Kimmel has offered an appropriate show of gratitude.
“Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY,” Kimmel responded to Trump’s earlier tweet.
Along with tweets about DACA, North Korea and a parsing of the difference between chaos and energy, Trump couldn’t resist taking a swipe at those Hollywood elites by gloating about the ratings for Sunday night’s 90th Academy Awards
“Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY,” Trump tweeted this morning. “Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore – except your President (just kidding, of course)!”
This year’s Oscars averaged 26.5 million viewers (live+same day), down 19% from last year’s 32.9 million, a nine-year low.
Considering just those Nielsens, Trump’s Oscar schadenfreude is, at least, accurate. Petty, but accurate.
It’s the second part of his statement that demands both scrutiny and criticism. This year’s Oscar ceremony was a significant step in Hollywood’s walking the walk of its diversity talk. Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, and many others, both nominees and presenters – gave the broadcast a fresher look than it’s had in years.
As host Jimmy Kimmel said, “If you are a nominee tonight who isn’t making history, shame on you,” Kimmel said. So maybe these Oscar newcomers don’t merit Trump’s capital S-for-Star treatment. His loss.
But Hollywood wasn’t the only one of Trump’s favorite bug-a-boos to get slammed today. Apparently having watched – or maybe still watching – cable news coverage of Sam Nunberg’s great unravel, Trump blamed it all on Fake News.
“The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House,” Trump tweeted today. “Wrong! People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!”
Take a look:
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.