Jimmy Kimmel Rewards Shortest Oscars 2018 Acceptance Speech With Brand-New Jet Ski
In a move to delight both those in attendance and at home, a jet ski is offered as a prize for the shortest Oscar speech.
The 'Biggest Award' Of The Night
Host Jimmy Kimmel, perhaps cognizant of how lengthy and drawn out the ceremony tends to be, made the pronouncement early at this year's biggest show in Hollywood.
Kimmel even joked during the opening monologue that the first ever Oscars show only lasted 15 minutes, but there were still complaints afterward.
"Why waste precious time thanking your mom when you could be taking her for the ride of her life: on a brand new jet ski! This is not a joke. I will be timing you. I have a stopwatch," he advised.
In a move meant to honor that super brief ceremony, Kimmel announced that a brand new jet ski would be awarded to the Oscar winner who could give the shortest acceptance speech on the night.
In case of a tie-breaker, however, Christopher Plummer, up for All the Money in the World after taking over at the last minute from disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, would win the jet ski instead.
The host kept the star-studded audience up to date about the contest throughout the night. Following Sam Rockwell's speech for Best Supporting Actor in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, he revealed that one minute and 29 seconds was the time to beat.
At one point, Kimmel even sweetened the pot by offering a stay at the Days Inn in Arizona due to what he felt was a lack of interest in the competition.
Taking It Seriously
Get Out writer-director Jordan Peele, accepting his award for Best Original Screenplay, tried to shush those cheering him. Peele noted that he would lose out on the jet ski if they wasted any more of his precious time onstage.
On the opposite end of the spectrum was legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins. Winning for Blade Runner 2049 for the very first time following a whopping 14 nominations, Deakins quipped he wasn't too pushed on winning the jet ski.
"I better say something or they're going to give me a jet ski. And I don't see myself on a jet ski," he joked.
Likewise, Best Actor winner Gary Oldman complained he wouldn't get to win if he didn't wrap up his lengthy acceptance speech soon.
Once all was said and done, Kimmel announced that Phantom Thread costume designer Mark Bridges won the Oscar's shortest acceptance speech and would be taking home the jet ski.
The audience then applauded as Bridges, clad in a life jacket and flanked by Dame Helen Mirren, "rode" off the Dolby Theater stage into the night.
Mirren appeared earlier to show off the prize in The Price Is Right fashion clad in a sparkly number and sashaying on the stage in what was one of the funniest moments of the night. Bridges's speech reportedly clocked in at a paltry 36 seconds total.
