Former talk show host David Letterman recently appeared on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! During his appearance, Letterman spoke with Jimmy Kimmel about the Oscars 2023, which Kimmel hosted. Letterman asked Kimmel why Tom Cruise wasn’t in attendance at the highly celebrated event.

David Letterman asked, “Where was Tom Cruise?” to which the Oscars 2023 host replied, “We don’t know where Tom Cruise was. We heard production issues.” Both Kimmel and Letterman wondered what that meant, and criticised the Magnolia star’s absence at the Academy Awards. Later on, Letterman takes a dig at Tom Cruise, saying that “If Mr. Big Shot was not there, the show was still never more successful.” He then gave Kimmel a compliment by saying, “Nice going, Jimmy.”

The Top Gun star’s absence from the award ceremony was said to be due to his involvement in Italy shoot for Mission Impossible 7 as per reports. The actor was also expected to be on the show as he had attended the Oscars Nominees Luncheon.

Jimmy Kimmel’s Oscars joke on Tom Cruise and James Cameron

After Cruise’s Oscar skip, Kimmel made a joke on Scientology and Cruise’s involvement with it, saying “Tom Cruise with his shirt off in that beach football scene? L. Ron Hubba Hubba, you know what I’m saying?” 

Kimmel also joked about Avatar: The Way of Water director James Cameron not arriving at the Oscars. The Jimmy Kimmel Live host said that Cruise and Cameron had made it their mission to make the audience go back to the cinemas to consume their films in the post-pandemic world. However, when it was their time to attend “the theatre,” they weren’t there. 

Both Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water were box office blockbusters, and received several Oscar nominations. While Top Gun: Maverick scored the Oscar win for Best Sound, Avatar: The Way of Water scored the win in Best Visual Effects.