Robert Downey Jr. Was Not Pleased With Jimmy Kimmel’s Joke at The 2024 Oscars

Robert Downey Jr. didn’t seem impressed after Jimmy Kimmel made a joke about his past struggles with drug addiction during his opening monologue at the Oscars. Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars for the fourth time since 2017, kicked off the ceremony with a lighthearted monologue poking fun at various actors and nominees, including Ryan Gosling, Cillian Murphy and Christopher Nolan.

However, his quip about Downey’s history of substance abuse seemed to fall flat.

Also Read: Robert Downey Jr. Wins His First Oscar For ‘Oppenheimer’

During the monologue, Kimmel remarked, “This is the highest point of Robert Downey Jr’s career… well, one of the highest points,” alluding to Downey’s successful career resurgence. The comedian then made a gesture referencing dr*g use, prompting Downey to mouth the words “keep going,” signalling for Kimmel to move on from the joke.

Continuing with the jest, Kimmel commented on Downey’s talent and charisma, joking, “Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular p*nis?” However, the joke didn’t sit well with many fans and viewers, who took to Twitter to criticise it, deeming it unfunny and inappropriate.

One user wrote, “Making fun of the dr*g issues of Robert Downey Jr. is actually pretty lame. I’m not surprised though, because Jimmy Kimmel has always sucked.” Another tweeted, “Not very nice for Robert Downey Jr. to hear on the night he won his first Oscar. What a tool. Does ANYONE think Jimmy Kimmel is funny??”

Despite the awkward moment, Downey Jr. went on to win his first Oscar later that night for his role in ‘Oppenheimer.’ The film received seven awards at this year’s ceremony, including ‘Best Cinematography,’ ‘Best Film Editing,’ ‘Best Original Score,’ ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director,’ among others.