AceShowbiz - Jimmy Kimmel took the stage at Disney's recent upfronts in New York City, using humor to address the backlash surrounding his removal from the air and the ongoing efforts by former President Donald Trump to have him fired from Disney.

Opening his monologue, Kimmel quipped that dealing with the challenges over the past year had made him appreciate the typical stress of upfronts week, which usually dominates May in the city. He said, "The president has tried to f-k me twice over the last six months - that's one way to look at it." He also noted the unintended benefits of the situation, highlighting the massive engagement he's generated across multiple platforms.

Kimmel did not shy away from poking fun at the financial impact his controversies have had on Disney. He revealed that he has cost the company "billions" this year and joked that hiring him 24 years ago might have been the worst personnel decision in Disney’s history. To emphasize the point, he humorously sent his longtime sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez into the audience to collect donations from advertisers, saying it would help if they could contribute "a little lecture this year."

Besides addressing his own situation, Kimmel took aim at other controversies within ABC, referencing the Taylor Frankie Paul incident. He joked that usually a show would only be pulled if the lead actor threw a chair, adding, "As for us at ABC, except for all the domestic violence, we're doing really great."

Kimmel also used the opportunity to lampoon rival networks. He mocked CBS for replacing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed, calling it the "least likely to offend the president with a rerun of 'Comics Unleashed' from 2007 featuring Paula Poundstone and Andy Dick." He sympathized with Stephen Colbert, joking, "Poor Stephen - it's bad enough to lose your job - imagine getting replaced by the owner of the Weather Channel."

His barbs extended to NBC, where he insinuated someone was "f-king the mayor of Chicago" given the numerous renewals for the One Chicago franchise. Fox was not spared either, with Kimmel ridiculing their strategy to improve ratings by reviving Baywatch. He quoted Fox president Michael Thorn saying the reboot will bring the California Dream to a new generation with "fresh stories they can masturbate to in the living room when no one is home."

Throughout the presentation, Kimmel balanced self-deprecating humor with sharp critiques of the television industry, highlighting the precarious position he has found himself in while underlining ongoing shifts and challenges across major networks.