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Jimmy Kimmel says ‘past your jail time’ merch is flying after Trump Oscars row

’Not only were they laughing at you on Oscar Sunday, there are now dozens of Past Your Jail Time shirts for sale’

Amelia Neath
Tuesday 19 March 2024 17:24 GMT
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Jimmy Kimmel on his viral ‘past your jail time’ gag

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Donald Trump called Jimmy Kimmel “lousy” and “dumber than I thought” amid his Oscars row with the host, yet Kimmel said he hasn’t gotten too upset over the ordeal, as “past your jail time” merchandise has started to crop up.

The name-calling saga between the former president and the late-night host continues, and this time, Kimmel has reacted to Mr Trump’s comments about him during a Sunday interview with Fox News’ MediaBuzz.

Kimmel joked about how Mr Trump is “still stewing” about the joke he made at his expense during the Academy Awards ceremony over a week ago.

However, Kimmel is not letting his squabble with Mr Trump get him down, especially now that merchandise is being sold with “Isn’t it past your jail time” printed on it – a reference to Kimmel’s jibe at Mr Trump during the Oscar ceremony.

“Not only were they laughing at you on Oscar Sunday, there are now dozens of ‘past your jail time’ shirts for sale,” Kimmel exclaimed.

“There are mugs, there are tank tops, there’s an ‘Isn’t it past your jail time’ backpack, people are writing it outside the Trump Hotel, there are billboards,” the host claimed.

In case you haven’t been following the ongoing back-and-forth between the two, here’s a rundown: Mr Trump posted on Truth Social while Kimmel was hosting the Oscars on 10 March, asking if there has “ever been a worse host” and calling for him to be replaced.

Kimmel said he ‘loves’ that their Oscar row bothers Mr Trump so much
Kimmel said he ‘loves’ that their Oscar row bothers Mr Trump so much (Jimmy Kimmel Live!)

Kimmel then read this post out while on stage, in front of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and then spoke directly to Mr Trump, saying, “Isn’t it past your jail time?”

The host also commented on the post during a Jimmy Kimmel Live! episode, claiming Mr Trump wrote it because “he wasn’t getting any attention” and “couldn’t stand it”.

Mr Trump was questioned about the Oscar slam on MediaBuzz, prompting the president to clap back at Kimmel.

“He’s not a talented guy. I hear he hits me all the time, so I figured I’d hit him because I thought he was a lousy host,” Mr Trump said.

This brings us to Monday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where the comedian gave Mr Trump yet another response in their ongoing row.

“Donald Trump has said I’m not talented so many times, Eric [Trump] is starting to get jealous,” Kimmel joked.

“What he doesn’t realise is that I love this – I love that this bothered him so much,” he continued.

Kimmel revealed that the Oscars production team had tried to stop him from reading Mr Trump’s Truth Social out on stage but went ahead with it anyway.

Mr Trump ridiculed Mr Kimmel, saying that the host actually sent his comments “viral” by reading them out.

“I said, ‘This guy’s even dumber than I thought’. The thing went viral, it’s been all over the world now, and all he had to do is keep his mouth shut,” he said.

“Maybe you are right about me being dumb,” Kimmel responded to this.

“We should take one of those cognitive tests, or an IQ test, together and maybe we could sit down for a long game of Scrabble and find out who has the big-lier brain.”

Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ comments in Ohio were criticised by the Biden-Harris campaign
Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ comments in Ohio were criticised by the Biden-Harris campaign (AP)

Aside from his own personal quarrel with the former president, Kimmel was also struck by Mr Trump’s “disturbing” comments in Ohio on Saturday, where he told the crowd: “Now, if I don’t get elected... it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”

“The longer this election goes on, the more he talks like Thanos,” Kimmel joked.

Mr Trump’s comments were slammed by the Biden-Harris campaign who said the Republican “wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge”.

Mr Trump made his comments in the context of promising a “100 per cent tariff” on foreign-made cars. “You’re not going to be able to sell those guys if I get elected,” the former president said at the rally.

Mr Trump’s team also had to clarify what the former president meant, stating he was talking about the auto industry and tariffs.

Despite the clarification, Kimmel found it odd that people even have to question what context Mr Trump would have meant “bloodbath” in.

“The truth is the context we should be considering isn’t whether or not Trump meant bloodbath literally, what we should [be considering] is that he’s such a lunatic we actually have to debate if he meant it literally,” he said.

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