Jimmy Kimmel’s Pre-‘In Memoriam’ Robert Blake Joke At The Oscars Left Viewers Feeling Divided

The 2023 Oscars were bound to be a mostly civilized affair because, and this is sheer speculation, that’s the natural bounce-back reaction the year after an Oscar nominee-about-to-be-turned-winner hauls off and Slaps the host. This year, the emphasis was on the awards with a few sparse moments raising eyebrows. Surely, the actual Slap jokes could have gone a lot further.

One (unrelated) joke may have gone too far, according to some people, although other people couldn’t help but snort-laugh. That would be Jimmy Kimmel’s nearly offhanded mention of a phone-in poll to ask viewers if Beretta and In Cold Blood star Robert Blake should be included in the customary “In Memoriam” section of the broadcast. Blake, of course, remained a controversial figure — due to being criminally acquitted but held civilly liable in his wife’s 2001 death — up until his death late last week at age 89.

Andrew Garfield’s instant meme face (from earlier in the broadcast) became a handy social media reaction when Kimmel offered his most incendiary joke of the evening.

— Kyle Kyle Crocodile (@kbaileyjava2) March 13, 2023

Very quickly, people reacted. Blake passed only a few days ago, so perhaps it’s too soon A vocal contingent, however, enjoyed the morbid nature of the joke, both despite and in spite of its savageness.

— karen han (@karenyhan) March 13, 2023

Robert Blake In Memoriam joke made me laugh out loud

— Brett ______ (@BrettRedacted) March 13, 2023

Perfect Robert Blake joke, actually. Sorry, “oooh-ing” audience that thinks you’re at weekend update

— Kevin McCaffrey (@KevinMcCaff) March 13, 2023

OMG that Robert Blake joke was cold blooded #Oscars pic.twitter.com/LTQeebaAnD

— Movie Chumps (@Movie_Chumps) March 13, 2023

Ok the joke about including Robert Blake made me chortle #Oscars

— Eugenia Forced Birth State Beh 白芷各民 (@ebeh) March 13, 2023

That Robert Blake joke was wild

— negative nelly (@panhalfrican) March 13, 2023

Jimmy Kimmel spit out that Robert Blake joke with pure, unfiltered glee. #Oscar

— Mike Avila (@mikeavila) March 13, 2023

Still, others were not fans of the joke and did feel that it should have been skipped and/or Blake should have been included in the segment.

How could we ever forget Money Train Wasn’t @JLo in that classic too pic.twitter.com/UIhoLvyznD

— Donchú O Siochfhrada (@sugrue_p) March 13, 2023