Jimmy Kimmel Has Blunt Words About Will Smith's Ruined Reputation

Jimmy Kimmel knows a thing or two about award show disasters. After all, he was the host of the infamous 2017 Academy Awards ceremony where "La La Land" was mistakenly announced as the best picture winner, when the award actually belonged to "Moonlight." Kimmel and presenter Warren Beatty tried to explain away the mistake as it happened, and Kimmel joked on stage, "Warren what did you do?!" and quipping, "Personally I blame Steve Harvey for this." Back then, we thought nothing could ever top that wacky and zany Oscars moment. But when the Will Smith-Chris Rock altercation rocked the Oscars ceremony, some people on Twitter reminisced about envelope-gate and what a simpler time it was. 

Kimmel has now added to that chorus. "I'm a little bummed because I've only now hosted the second craziest Oscars of all time," he quipped during his show's opening monologue on March 28. "I only had like three years to enjoy that!" Echoing that sentiment on Monday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the funny man lamented that he wasn't sure how it felt to be "off the hook" for envelope-gate.

He also shared some choice words on the podcast about the Smith-Rock altercation, revealing how he truly feels about the way this incident has harmed Smith's public image going forward.  

Speaking on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" on March 28, comedian Jimmy Kimmel told the host his unfiltered feelings about how the Will Smith-Chris Rock altercation has tarnished the "Men In Black" star's public image, and possibly even his career going forward. When host Simmons called that moment, "the craziest celebrity altercation ever," Kimmel replied, "Yeah, especially when you consider the characters involved," and then reminded everyone that previously, the "King Richard" Oscar winner was known as "the nicest guy in Hollywood."

"This is like if Tom Hanks got up and smacked somebody across the face... it's the only thing comparable, right?" Kimmel stated. Later in the conversation, Kimmel shared that this incident has harmed Smith's reputation in town and his image as a Tom Hanks-esque figure, joking that there wasn't a single person in the world who didn't like Smith before he accosted Rock live-on-air. "Now, he doesn't have a single comedian friend, that's for sure. ... I think they all feel like they're next."

Since that wild moment on Sunday night, Smith posted a public apology on his official Instagram, apologizing to Rock, the Academy, and everyone who watched the moment around the world. Jada Pinkett Smith also seemingly referenced the moment on her Insta, posting an image on March 29 with the text overlay, "This is a season for healing and I'm here for it." Rock has not publicly issued a statement addressing the altercation as of this writing.