Jimmy Kimmel is reporting for duty as the host of the 95th Academy Awards ceremony in a hilarious new video released on Tuesday.
The 55-year-old comedian and late-night talk show host paid tribute to the box-office sensation Top Gun: Maverick in the clip, which was inspired by scenes of Tom Cruise getting his orders to train a new generation of fighter pilots.
Jon Hamm reprises his role from the blockbuster Admiral Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson, while Charles Parnell also returns as Admiral Solomon ‘Warlock’ Bates.
In the video, the two officers berate Kimmel for being their last choice to host the Oscars, which will air on March 12 on ABC.
Even nine-time host Billy Crystal, who makes a surprise appearance toward the end, wouldn’t accept the gig.
Having a laugh: Jimmy Kimmel, 55, starred in a video promoting the Oscars, which will air on March 12 on ABC< and his hosting spot on Tuesday that was inspired by Top Gun: Maverick
Star power: Jon Hamm reprises his role from the blockbuster Admiral Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson, while Charles Parnell also returns as Admiral Solomon ‘Warlock’ Bates
Memories: The video opens with Kimmel strutting into an office in a flight jumpsuit while the recognizable score to Top Gun plays
The video opens with Kimmel strutting into an office in a flight jumpsuit while the recognizable score to Top Gun plays.
He stops to admire a wall of photos of past hosts, before turning to see the Crystal, who had a special place of honor due to his nine hosting gigs.
As he heads into the room, Hamm and Parnell reprise a scene from Maverick.
‘Your reputation precedes you,’ Hamm says cooly.
‘Not in a good way,’ Parnell adds.
After Hamm’s character introduces himself, Jimmy can’t help but say, ‘That is an awesome name.’
‘I know,’ the Mad Men star replies giddily.
After Kimmel says he didn’t expect to be asked to host again, following the 2022 ceremony, which was co-hosted by the trio of Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall.
‘Well, let me be perfectly clear,’ Hamm replies. ‘You were not my first choice. Or my second choice. Or my third, fourth, fifth or eleventh choice. In fact, we asked a lot of people before you.’
As Kimmel says he didn’t want to know who they were, Hamm interrupts him.
Icons: He stops to admire a wall of photos of past hosts, including Chris Rock and Whoopi Goldberg
The boss: Then he turns to see Billy Crystal, who had a special place of honor due to his nine hosting gigs
Ouch: ‘Well, let me be perfectly clear,’ Hamm replies. ‘You were not my first choice. Or my second choice. Or my third, fourth, fifth or eleventh choice. In fact, we asked a lot of people before you,’ he said, before listing dozens of names
‘Let me tell you: Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Fey, Jon Stewart,’ he said, as Parnell continues with as string of increasingly improbably comedians and famous figures.
‘Steve Martin, Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Steve Austin, Steven Seagal, Steve Urkel, Steve from Blues Clues. That’s just the Steves,’ he continues.
Parnell adds that they ‘begged’ Steve Harvey to take the job.
Then Parnell stars to run down through the blueprints of the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, but Kimmel interrupts him with laughter as soon as he called it a ‘three-hour’ ceremony, as the show is always intended to be three hours but often runs well over that.
‘ABC has tasked us with finding a host who is unflappable. And unslappable,’ Parnell continues , referencing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.
‘Oh that’s good, because I can’t get slapped. I cry a lot,’ Kimmel says.
He outlines his ‘plan of attack,’ but the military officers don’t care for his song and dance number.
‘I think he can do it,’ says a voice from the corner as ‘Double Admiral’ Billy Crystal emerges in a white dress uniform.
‘Is there any way you could host?’ Hamm begs.
‘No, I have a dentist appointment Sunday night,’ he replies. ‘Listen, I’ve hosted this thing nine times, and I say give the kid a shot!’
However, he sounds surprised to hear that Kimmel had already hosted twice before.
Soft: ‘ABC has tasked us with finding a host who is unflappable. And unslappable,’ Parnell continued, referencing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. ‘Oh that’s good, because I can’t get slapped. I cry a lot,’ Kimmel said
Not feeling it: He outlined his ‘plan of attack,’ but the military officers didn’t care for his song and dance number
Excuses: Billy Crystal appeared to put in a good word for him, but Hamm asked if he would host instead. ‘No, I have a dentist appointment Sunday night’
Coming soon: Kimmel says he needs the job because he ‘went all in on crypto and I’m about to lose my condominium, so unless you’ve got somebody better, I’m your guy.’ He puts on the Maverick sunglasses, before the camera pushes in on him and accidentally hits him in the face. The Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12 on ABC
‘Really? Didn’t see it.’
Kimmel adds that he needs the job because he ‘went all in on crypto and I’m about to lose my condominium, so unless you’ve got somebody better, I’m your guy.’
He then puts on the Maverick sunglasses, before the camera pushes in on him and accidentally hits him in the face.
The Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12 on ABC.