Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel has been accused of racism for poking fun at Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali’s name.
The presenter joked about the Moonlight star and the name of his newly-born son following his best supporting actor win.
He also teased a tourist who appeared as a stunt on the show in which passengers on an open-top bus tour of Hollywood were unexpectedly ushered into the ceremony.
Viewers slammed Kimmel over the jokes.
Really over Kimmel’s unfunny shtick of mocking “different” names of POC. Do better. #Oscars
— The Resisterhood (@resisterhood) February 27, 2017
So Jimmy Kimmel doesnt think Korean names are real names but thats not surprising #Oscars pic.twitter.com/C2cNoEXIkr
— VLS (@Zutta_V) February 27, 2017
PEOPLE’S NAMES ARE NOT JOKES YOU RACIST ASSHOLE oh my GOD why has Kimmel gone back to this well more than zero times?! #Oscars
— Katie Hegarty (@HegartyKatie) February 27, 2017
to me, kimmel is an unusual name, but you don’t see me going on and on about it.
— Alex Alvarez (@soalexgoes) February 27, 2017
Of course, this wasn’t the biggest scandal of the night.
The best picture Oscar was won by Moonlight after La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner.
The producers of the musical were concluding their speeches when it was announced that Moonlight was in fact the winner of the top prize of the night.
Bonnie and Clyde stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced La La Land had taken the best picture prize until the film’s producer Fred Berger said: “This is not a joke. Moonlight is best picture,” and showed the camera the card that revealed the winner.
Warren returned to the microphone to say: “I want to tell you what happened I opened the envelope and it said Emma Stone, La La Land and that is why I took such a long look at Faye and at you.
“I wasn’t trying to be funny. This is Moonlight for best picture.”
The film’s director Barry Jenkins said: “Very clearly even in my dreams this can’t be true. But to hell with it because this is true. It’s true, it’s not fake.”
Paying tribute to the team behind La La Land, he said: “We have been on the road with these guys and it was so gracious and so generous of them.”
Producer Dede Gardner added: “I’m still not sure this is real. It’s very humbling to be up here and I hope it’s inspiring to little black boys and brown girls who feel marginalised. I hope they take some inspiration from seeing his beautiful group of artists.”
Chaos and confusion took over the stage as the casts of both films handed Oscars back and forth.
“Personally I blame @IamSteveHarvey for this.” – Jimmy #Kimmel #Oscars
— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) February 27, 2017
Two La La Land producers had already given their acceptance speeches before the mistake was revealed.
Host Jimmy joked that he knew he would mess up compering the ceremony.
He added: “Personally I blame Steve Harvey for this,” referring to Harvey’s mistake in announcing the Miss Universe winner in 2015.