The TV host has been labeled a “national disgrace” by viewers after he asked an extremely awkward question from Taliban shooting survivor, Malala Yousafzai.
Kimmel, 53, approached the youngest Nobel Prize winner during the show and asked a silly joke about Harry Styles spitting on Chris Pine.
“Your work on human rights and education for women and children is an inspiration,” he said to Malala.
“As the youngest Nobel prize winner in history, I was wondering, do you think Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine?”
Jimmy’s joke was met with laughter from the crowd, while the 25-year-old women’s education activist looked visibly uncomfortable.
“I only talk about peace,” she replied.
Kimmel responded positively, “You know what, that’s why you’re Malala and nobody else is. That’s a great answer, Malala. The winner is malala-land, everybody.”
Yousafzai attended the 95th Academy Awards as an executive producer of her film, Stranger at the Gate, which was nominated in the Best Documentary Short Film category.
According to The Mirror, “The joke was in reference to singer and actor Harry Styles sending social media into meltdown as he appeared to spit at actor Chris Pine at the Don’t Worry Darling film premiere last year.”
During an ad break, the Nobel Prize laureate took to her Twitter and retweeted a video clip of their conversation with the caption,
“Treat people with kindness.”
At another awkward moment, an event attendee dressed up as a ‘Cocaine-Bear’ from the movie, “Crawled Down the Aisle,” started pestering Yousafzai.
Watching him make the activist super uncomfortable, Kimmel called out,
“Cocaine bear, leave Malala alone!”
Hundreds of people on Twitter shared Malala’s tweet and hailed her a “hero” for giving the perfect response to an “utterly disgraceful” question.
“’jimmy kimmel is a national disgrace. this woman deserves better,” said one.
“why did jimmy kimmel and the cocaine bear just harass malala oh my god leave her alone,” a second wrote.
“not jimmy kimmel asking malala if harry styles spat on chris pine and then calling her maLALA LAND ???” another added.
“jimmy kimmel after terrorizing malala and oscar nominees for 5 minutes,” said another.
“why the hell did jimmy kimmel go up to malala, make that corny ass chris pine and harry styles joke and then call her malala land?? what is wrong with this man,” a third asked.
“JIMMY KIMMEL GET AWAY FROM MALALA,” another said.
“Did Jimmy Kimmel just make a racist joke about Malala’s name bro liberalism has not evolved one bit in a billion years,” another tweet read.
“Malala basically telling Jimmy Kimmel to go f**k himself in the most diplomatic way possible was great,” wrote another.
“what’s with jimmy kimmel and undermining the work done by women of color for cheap laughs at award shows?? is he that desperate to stay relevant? sad. quinta and malala deserve better than to share an article title with this washed up white man,” someone said.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
It was a damn joke. I don’t care if she is the youngest winner or not. Can she not laugh?? Get over it already !!!!