Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email
US President Donald Trump tweeted about the “lowest rated” Oscars , more than a day after the ceremony, which was highlighted by the #metoo movement against sexual harassment and a few jokes about him.
“We don’t have stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course!),” the erstwhile reality television personality said in his morning tweet.
The Hollywood Reporter said this year’s nearly-four hour ceremony hit an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers, a 19 per cent drop from previous years.
The telecast in 2008 was the last low, but it was still 5 million viewers ahead of 2018.
Late-night television programme host Jimmy Kimmel was emceeing the event for the second year in a row and took a few swipes at the President, to which he may have been responding to in his belated tweet.
Mr Kimmel said “none other than President Trump called ‘Get Out ’ the best first three-quarters of a movie this year,” about the Best Picture nominee and winner for Best Original Screenplay horror movie about a black man meeting the family of his white girlfriend.
After Icarus , a film about Russian athletes and doping, won Best Documentary Mr Kimmel quipped: “Well, now at least we know [Russian President Vladimir] Putin didn’t rig this competition”.
Daniela Vega makes Oscars hsitory as first openly transgender presenter Mr Trump’s campaign team is still being investigated by the FBI and Congress for alleged collusion with Russian officials during the 2016 election .
Several actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Best Director winner Guillermo del Toro made comments about so-called Dreamers, or people brought into the US illegally as children, being accepted and making their mark in American society.
Mr Trump has been arguing over a policy on allowing the nearly 800,000 Dreamers to stay legally in the country since many are enrolled in school or working and paying taxes.
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy AwardsShow all 62 1 /62Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Producer J. Miles Dale (L), director Guillermo del Toro (at microphone) and cast/crew accept Best Picture for 'The Shape of Water' onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards uillermo del Toro and Sally Hawkins take the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Picture for "The Shape of Water" from presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway
Reuters
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway take the stage to present the Oscar for Best Picture
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actresses Sally Hawkins, Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and Meryl Streep embrace after Frances McDormand's Best Actress acceptance speech
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Frances McDormand wins the Best Actress Oscar for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Reuters
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actors Jodie Foster (L) and Jennifer Lawrence speak onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards British actor Gary Oldman delivers a speech after he won the Oscar for Best Actor in "Darkest Hour" during the 90th Annual Academy Awards show on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California
AFP/Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actor Emma Stone speaks onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards David Malinowski and Armie Hammer attend the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Composer Alexandre Desplat (R), winner of the Best Original Score award for 'The Shape of Water,' motions in the press room to a video feed of director Guillermo del Toro accepting the Best Director award
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Guillermo del Toro accepts the Oscar for Best Director for "The Shape of Water" from presenter Emma Stone (R)
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Alexandre Desplat, winner of Best Original Score for the film The Shape of Water, is congratulated by the film's stars Sally Hawkins (L) and Octavia Spencer (R)
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Presenter Emma Stone walks on stage
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney attend the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Call Me By Your Name stars Armie Hammer (L) and Timothee Chalamet embrace during the Oscars show
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Greta Gerwig gets touched up during the ad break at the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Jordan Peele accepts the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Get Out."
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay winner Jordan Peele (R) hugs Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya (L)
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actress Nicole Kidman arrives on stage to present the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Sam Rockwell and Taraji P. Henson attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Andra Day and Common sing Best Original Song nominee Stand Up for Something from Marshall
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards James Ivory wins the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Call Me by Your Name
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Ashley Judd (L), Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek (R) take the stage
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Tiffany Haddish (L) and Maya Rudolph take the stage to present the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Natalia Lafourcade and Gael Garcia Bernal attend the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Sebastian Lelio with his Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for A Fantastic Woman alongside Rita Moreno in the press room at the 90th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood
PA
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Coco wins the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Kelly Marie Tran, Oscar Isaac and Mark Hamill present the Best Animated Short Film Oscar
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Margot Robbie gets emotional watching co-star Allison Janey accept her award
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Allison Janey accepts the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for "I, Tonya."
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Matthew McConaughey talks with Marcus Henderson
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Rita Moreno, wearing the same dress she wore to the ceremony she was awarded Best Supporting Actress in a supporting role
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Sam Rockwell poses in the press room with the Oscar for Actor in Supporting Role
AFP/Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Gael Garcia Bernal performs on stage
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Miguel and Natalia LaFourcade perform a song from Coco
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Presenters Lupita Nyong'o and Kumail Nanjiani
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Kobe Bryant poses with his award for Best Animated Short Film Award for "Dear Basketball"
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Helen Mirren shows of a jet ski on offer to the shortest Oscars speech
Disney ABC Television Group
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Daniela Vega presents during the 90th Annual Academy Awards
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick hold their gongs for Best Makeup and Hair in the 'Darkest Hour'
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actor/singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actor Taraji P. Henson speaks onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actress Eva Marie Saint presents the Oscar for Costume Design
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Presenters Greta Gerwig and Laura Dern take the stage to give out the award for Best Documentary
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Sam Rockwell accepts the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri
AFP/Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Actor Lakeith Stanfield takes on his Get Out role once again onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Viola Davis waits to present the award for best supporting actor
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Daniel Kaluuya and Timothee Chalamet greet photographers on the 90th academy awards red carpet
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Mary J. Blige, the first person to be nominated in both the acting and best song categories, arrives at the 90th academy awards
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Jennifer Lawrence attempts to find her seat in the Dolby Theatre
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards The Shape of Waters' Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones embrace on the Oscars red carpet
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Tiffany Haddish attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards wearing a traditional dress from Eritrea
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Salma Hayek takes the red carpet at the 90th Academy Awards
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Diane Warren and Helen Mirren share a laugh at the 90th Annual Academy Awards
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards James Ivory arrives at the 90th academy awards in a custom made shirt featuring Call Me By Your Names' Timothee Chalamet
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Whoopi Goldberg attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Emma Stone arrives at the Academy Awards
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Andra Day arrives at the Academy Awards
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Solidarity sisters Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino and Jane Fonda celebrate Times Up on the red carpet
Rex Features
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman arrives on the 90th Annual Academy Awards red carpet
Getty Images
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell display their Times Up pins
REUTERS
Oscars 2018: memorable moments from the 90th Academy Awards Get Out's Allison Williams glides down the Oscars carpet
REUTERS
There was also Best Actress winner Frances McDormand’s stirring speech on respect for women and gender equality in the industry as Mr Trump faces 19 women alleging sexual harassment and misconduct on his part.
Conservatives across Hollywood and politics were ecstatic about the low ratings.
Actor James Woods tweeted: “Sad. How can Hollywood stop itself from alienating its audience?”
Bill Mitchell, a radio host and staunch supporter of the President, wrote on Twitter: “The American people are no longer interested in Hollywood pontificating about their liberal politics”.
Mr Trump likely tweeted about the low ratings this morning since it was discussed on his preferred-viewing programme, Fox and Friends.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies