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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 24 February 2017
Jimmy Kimmel talks about Trump and other pre-Oscars concerns

SANDY COHEN much time for refinement tach some kind of rooting
AP Entertainment Writer or reflection. Whereas with interest to it. We’ve been
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jimmy the Emmys and the Oscars, forced to pick a team, and
Kimmel says he never really you know you have a big that should never hap-
wanted to host the Acad- audience, you know that pen. There’s one team in
emy Awards. you’re going to be evalu- this country, it’s the United
“If anything, what I wanted ated, you’re going to be States, and we should be
is for people to publicly say judged, and you want to allowed to make fun of
that I should be the host do as good a job as pos- each other.
and that it’s an outrage sible. I always want to do AP: Do you have any pre-
that I am not the host, but as good a job as possible, performance rituals for
then to not actually have but you really want to, as quelling nerves? Do you
to host it,” the 49-year-old chefs say, put your foot in it get nervous?
comedian told The Associ- for something like this. Kimmel: I’m a little bit ner-
ated Press. “Because host- AP: What are your biggest vous before the show
ing turns out to be a lot of concerns this close to show starts, but once I get on-
work, and as you know, time? stage, that goes away.
people are very critical.” Kimmel: The biggest chal- I don’t think the human
Kimmel, who has twice lenge is I have a lot of jokes brain can process that
hosted the Emmy Awards, and I have to whittle them many emotions at once, so
will make his Oscars debut down and figure out which In this March 8, 2015, file photo, Jimmy Kimmel arrives at the I’m pretty focused once I
on Sunday. He talked with ones to use. That’s not as 32nd Annual Paleyfest : “Scandal” held at The Dolby Theatre in get onstage. And once the
the AP about his prepa- easy as it might sound, be- Los Angeles. Kimmel, who has twice hosted the Emmy Awards, monologue is done, I’ll be
rations, his pre-show ritu- cause a room full of com- will make his Oscars debut on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. able to really kind of have
als and what role politics edy writers is a very differ- Associated Press fun with the show and look
might play that night. ent audience than a room for improvised moments
AP: How does preparing to full of movie stars who have and opportunities to com-
host the Oscars differ from cameras on them. You doesn’t, and really the only day, you know? ment on things as they’re
the Emmys or the work can’t really go onstage way we’ll know is when I’m AP: Are you worried about happening. As far as ritu-
you do on “Jimmy Kimmel to a comedy club and try on that stage. potentially alienating con- als or anything before the
Live!”? Kimmel: It’s very dif- this material out either, AP: How political will you servative viewers? show, we do have a chant
ferent from hosting my own because that’s also a dif- get on Sunday? Kimmel: No. I think smart (at “Live!”) that we do be-
show but it’s almost the ferent audience and you Kimmel: I’m not sure how people know funny is funny. fore every show, where
same as preparing to host want the jokes to remain to answer that question. I Everybody for some rea- everyone in the room will
the Emmys. My show is ev- secret, and nowadays mean, will Donald Trump son has decided that they chant “Best show ever!”
ery night, so it’s mostly dis- people seem to tape ev- be mentioned by me and have to pick a side, and I and I fist-bump everybody.
posable. We write jokes for erything and post it on the during the show? Abso- think people would be a It’s usually done in a sar-
the day and we write jokes internet. So I really am in a lutely. How much I’m not lot happier if, when they castic way, but we might
for the next day and we little bit of a bubble as far sure yet. It kind of depends heard a joke, they enjoyed be sincere just this one
just keep going. There’s not as what will work and what on what’s happening that the joke and didn’t at- time.q

Oscars made strides, but Octavia

Spencer wants more growth

JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. them on-screen, that’s hy- of women and minorities.
Associated Press pocrisy.” These days, Spencer has
Even though Octavia Spencer is one of six black her own production com-
Spencer is pleased with the actors up for an Academy pany and believes she
record number of blacks Award at Sunday’s cere- could be one of Holly-
nominated for acting Os- mony. Dev Patel, who is of wood’s “biggest produc-
cars this year, she’s still dis- Asian descent, is nominat- ers” in the near future.
appointed by the lack of ed for best actor. Spencer Spencer wants to create a
recognition for other peo- is nominated for her role in lane for women and peo-
ple of color. “Hidden Figures,” which is ple of color to share their This feb. 6, 2017 file photo shows Octavia Spencer at the 89th
“Diversity doesn’t mean just nominated for best picture. untold stories in film, much Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif.
black,” Spencer said in a The diverse slate is a far cry like “Hidden Figures.” She Associated Press
recent phone interview to from the past two years, played the role of Doro-
promote her new film, “The when all-white acting nom- thy Vaughn, a pioneering But there are African-Amer- in the United States (she will
Shack,” which comes out inees led to the social me- black mathematician who ican doctors, scientists and also star in it), and co-pro-
March 3. “I’m excited that dia hashtag #OscarsSoW- worked at NASA. When she lawyers. ... Those are the ducing a HBO series about
more black people are be- hite and a national con- won the Academy Award types of stories that we also the Jonestown Massacre in
ing recognized. That’s what versation on race in Hol- six years ago for best sup- want to see presented in Guyana.
I would like to see arrive for lywood. It also compelled porting actress, she played film.” The actress said her pro-
other people of color, be- Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the a maid in “The Help.” Stories with a historical per- duction company won’t
cause they are so valued president of The Acad- “We are multifaceted peo- spective resonate with her be limited to telling black
and underserved. I think emy, to implement a plan ple,” said Spencer. “Yes, the most. She’s developing stories.
when we ask the public, restructuring the organiza- women of color served a series about entrepreneur “If it’s a white story that
the paying public, to sup- tion’s membership to try in people’s kitchens and Madam C.J. Walker, one of hasn’t been told, it’ll be
port films that don’t portray and make it more reflective cleaned people’s houses. the first female millionaires told,” she said. q