Jimmy Kimmel Promises to Dial Down Trump Jokes for Upfronts

For his 15th roast of ABC at the Upfronts, the late night host promises less politics.

Jimmy Kimmel, host and executive producer of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and host of the "90th Oscars", speaks onstage during the ABC Television/Disney portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 8, 2018 in Pasadena, California.  (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Jimmy Kimmel, host and executive producer of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and host of the "90th Oscars", speaks onstage during the ABC Television/Disney portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 8, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Media jokes trump Trump.

That seems to be the direction Jimmy Kimmel is leaning towards for his hosting duties at ABC’s Upfronts event in New York on Tuesday. Considering his audience inside Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall is made up of network executives, media, producers and advertisers, dialing back on the political jokes may not be a bad idea. But since he missed the Upfronts last year because of the health issues involving his newborn son’s heart, this will officially mark his first such presentation of the Trump era — so observers can be forgiven wondering if he can avoid his favorite punchline target.

“Hopefully it’ll be the last upfront of the Trump era, too,” Kimmel told Deadline. “So, I don’t know, I don’t know how much focus there will be on that. I think people have had an ass-full of Donald Trump, and I feel like the upfront is a time to look within and make fun of ourselves.”

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