Jeff Bridges, Kristen Bell Kick Off Live Mean Tweets Week on ‘Kimmel’
The false ire of Matt LeBlanc — and the real ire of several Twitter users — following a joke at the Emmys on Sunday inspired Jimmy Kimmel to tap Kristen Bell, Jeff Bridges and Benedict Cumberbatch for the first live celebrity mean tweet readings on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Kimmel, as he recounted during his monologue Monday, presented the Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy at the Emmys. Before reading the nominees, however, the host joked that once the presenter is handed the envelope, they could technically give the award to anyone — like LeBlanc, for instance — without any real repercussions.
While Kimmel took the joke as far as cutting out the name of the winner and eating it, the Emmy did go to its rightful recipient, Transparent‘s Jeffrey Tambor. Afterwards, LeBlanc, who was nominated for Episodes and seated behind Kimmel at the show, gamely posed for a photo with the late-night host, flipping him off through the sliced envelope.
Unfortunately, several Twitter users missed the joke and jumped to LeBlanc’s defense by bashing Kimmel, who gladly recited their vitriol on air: “Why don’t you learn to show people the same respect you show animals,” one user wrote. “Can your stupid ass do that?” Another informed Kimmel, “Being a douchenozzle at someone else’s expense. Then saying ‘Sorry dude’ is still just being a douchenozzle.”
Despite the traumatizing trolling, the experience became the impetus for a live iteration of Kimmel‘s patented “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” segment, which he will feature throughout the week.
Jeff Bridges took the stage first, proving the Dude abides even a hater who believes the actor is “a crazy fucker and not in a cool way, just in a disturbed hobo shouting at sparrows and sidewalks way.” Kirsten Bell followed, sporting a grin and strutting off camera after reading a vile missive suggesting “her vagina is probably an Alcatraz for penis.”
The esteemed Benedict Cumberbatch closed out the first night of live mean tweets, giggling his way through, “If you find Benedict Cumberbatch attractive, I’m guessing you’d also quite enjoy staring directly at a cat’s anus.” The actor, however, was not at a lost for words, cracking, “Well someone did, and she put a ring on it.”