The 20-Year War: Every Hilarious Jimmy Kimmel And Matt Damon Oscars Feud Moment, Including The 2024 Dog Gag

The long-running, "made-for-TV" rivalry between late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon is one of Hollywood's most enduring and hilarious bits, reaching its annual peak at the Oscars. The tradition has become an expected highlight of the Academy Awards ceremony, with Kimmel, the host, using his platform to ruthlessly mock his "nemesis," even when Damon isn't in attendance, as was the case at the most recent 96th Academy Awards in March 2024. The fake feud is a masterclass in commitment, spanning two decades and countless television appearances, but its most memorable battles are fought on the hallowed stage of the Dolby Theatre. This detailed timeline unpacks the history of the rivalry, the key players, and the most recent, viral joke involving a canine co-star.

The "Feud" Origin Story: From Late Night to the Academy Awards Stage

The now-iconic rivalry between Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon is entirely fabricated and started with a moment of pure, off-the-cuff exhaustion. The bit began back in 2005 during the third season of Kimmel’s late-night talk show, *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* The host, frustrated after a disappointing episode, decided to conclude his show with a spontaneous, sarcastic sign-off. The line he chose would become a legendary catchphrase: "Apologies to Matt Damon, but we ran out of time." Kimmel admitted he simply picked the biggest celebrity name he could think of at the time, not realizing he was launching a two-decade-long comedy routine. Damon, a good sport and friend of Kimmel's, quickly embraced the joke, and the rivalry was born. This simple, repeated apology became the foundation for a series of escalating pranks, insults, and televised confrontations that eventually spilled over from the late-night world onto the global stage of the Academy Awards.

Key Biographical Profiles: The Combatants and the Peacemaker

To fully appreciate the layered history of this rivalry, it helps to understand the key figures involved in the long-running gag.

Jimmy Kimmel (The Host/Aggressor)

• Born: November 13, 1967 (Brooklyn, New York)
• Occupation: Talk show host, comedian, writer, producer
• Claim to Fame: Host of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* (since 2003)
• Oscars Hosting: Kimmel has hosted the Academy Awards four times: 89th (2017), 90th (2018), 95th (2023), and 96th (2024).
• Role in Feud: The instigator and chief antagonist, known for mercilessly cutting off Damon's screen time.

Matt Damon (The Target/Victim)

• Born: October 8, 1970 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
• Occupation: Actor, producer, screenwriter
• Claim to Fame: Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay (*Good Will Hunting*), star of the *Bourne* franchise, *The Martian*, and *Oppenheimer*.
• Oscars History: Five-time nominee (acting and writing) and one-time winner.
• Role in Feud: The perpetually frustrated, "talentless" celebrity who can never get on Kimmel's show or finish a speech.

Ben Affleck (The Peacemaker/Co-Conspirator)

• Born: August 15, 1972 (Berkeley, California)
• Occupation: Actor, director, producer, screenwriter
• Claim to Fame: Childhood friend and frequent collaborator with Matt Damon (co-wrote and co-starred in *Good Will Hunting*).
• Role in Feud: Often caught in the middle, Affleck has both tried to broker peace and actively sided with Kimmel, notably smuggling Damon onto the *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* stage.

The Most Savage Oscars Feud Moments

The Academy Awards provide the perfect, high-profile setting for Kimmel to take the rivalry to a global audience. Here are the most memorable and savage moments from their Oscars saga.

2017: The First Strike and the Orchestra Cut-Off

When Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017, the feud was immediately integrated into the show's script. Kimmel introduced Damon, who was presenting an award, but not before mocking his film *We Bought a Zoo* and jokingly referring to him as "talentless." The most iconic moment of the night, however, came as Damon was about to introduce the nominees for Best Original Screenplay. Kimmel, standing in the wings, gave a signal to the orchestra, which immediately began playing the "wrap-up" music, completely drowning out Damon's speech. This gag of cutting off Damon’s screen time has become a running theme in their televised interactions.

The *Good Will Hunting* and *Manchester by the Sea* Digs

Kimmel has frequently used Damon’s career and personal life as ammunition. At one point, Kimmel praised Damon’s childhood friend Ben Affleck, but then pivoted to a classic dig. He jokingly complimented Damon for giving the lead role in the film *Manchester by the Sea* to Ben's brother, Casey Affleck, instead of taking it for himself. This subtle mockery of Damon’s generosity and career choices is a staple of Kimmel’s Oscars monologue.

2023: A Near Confrontation on the Red Carpet

The rivalry continued during the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. Though no major stage confrontation occurred, Kimmel made sure to acknowledge the "feud" on the red carpet. He warned Damon, who was in attendance, to stay away from the show, keeping the playful animosity alive for the cameras and the audience. This constant, low-level harassment is what keeps the joke feeling fresh and unpredictable.

The 2024 Oscars: The Viral Dog Gag That Replaced Damon

The most recent chapter in the Kimmel-Damon saga occurred at the 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024. Matt Damon was not present at the ceremony, but that didn't stop Kimmel from making him the butt of the final joke of the night. As Kimmel was wrapping up the broadcast, he brought up Messi, the talented dog actor from the Best Picture nominee *Anatomy of a Fall*. In a pre-taped shot, the camera cut to Messi appearing to urinate on Damon’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Kimmel then closed the show with the line: "Well, that was a cute moment. And I’d like to thank that dog for doing what I’ve been trying to do to Matt Damon for the last 20 years." This final, unexpected gag perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the feud: a relentless, public humiliation of Matt Damon, even in absentia, cementing the rivalry as the most reliable comedic moment of any Kimmel-hosted Oscars.

The Topical Authority of a Fake Feud

The Kimmel-Damon rivalry has transcended a simple late-night bit to become a significant piece of pop culture history, often discussed alongside other famous celebrity "feuds." The joke works because both men are genuine friends in real life, making their on-screen hatred all the more theatrical. Their commitment to the bit has generated countless LSI keywords and entities that define the routine, including:

• The "Apologies to Matt Damon" sign-off.
• Ben Affleck’s role as the reluctant middleman.
• The use of the orchestra music to cut off speeches.
• Mockery of Damon’s film *We Bought a Zoo*.
• The 2024 dog-pee joke involving Messi from *Anatomy of a Fall*.
• The constant references to Damon being "bumped" from *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*

This level of detail and commitment is why the rivalry remains a favorite among fans and a guaranteed highlight of any Academy Awards ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. It is a long-running, hilarious testament to a genuine friendship disguised as a bitter, two-decade-long war.