> At a Glance
> – Jimmy Kimmel won Best Talk Show at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 4
> – He sarcastically thanked “President Donald Jennifer Trump” in his acceptance speech
> – The win marks the show’s second victory after 10 total nominations
> – Why it matters: The moment highlights late-night TV’s ongoing feud with the president
Jimmy Kimmel turned his Critics Choice Awards acceptance speech into a roast of President Trump, thanking him for providing endless material that helped secure the Best Talk Show trophy.
The Winning Moment
Kimmel took the stage at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar clutching an oversized sheet of paper and joking he “really didn’t expect this.” After naming individual critics and ABC colleagues, he pivoted to the president.
> Jimmy Kimmel
>
> “Most of all, I wanna thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.”
The barb capped a turbulent year for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was suspended for six days in September after Kimmel’s on-air comments about the fatal shooting of commentator Charlie Kirk.
A Year Of Ups And Downs
The brief hiatus turned into a ratings boost, leading ABC to extend Kimmel’s contract through 2027. Tragedy struck again in November when longtime band leader Cleto Escobedo died.
Nominees Kimmel beat out included:
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
- Hot Ones
- Late Night with Seth Meyers
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Key Takeaways
- Kimmel’s second Critics Choice win comes after 10 total nominations
- The show’s six-day suspension ultimately lifted ratings
- Trump has long been a favorite comedic target for Kimmel
- The victory sets up more political humor as the 2026 midterms approach
With his contract locked in through 2027, Kimmel signaled he’s ready to keep the Trump jokes coming when the show returns Monday night.
