Jimmy Kimmel Casts Doubt on Melania Documentary's Box Office Performance
Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel has raised eyebrows by suggesting that the surprisingly strong ticket sales for the new Melania Trump documentary might not be entirely organic. During his Wednesday evening monologue, the 58-year-old comedian floated the theory that the film's box office success could have been artificially boosted through questionable means.
Skepticism Over Opening Weekend Figures
The skepticism originates from a Sunday Substack post by former IndieWire editor Tom Brueggemann, which was subsequently reported by Puck. Industry sources cited in the post sought to explain how the documentary managed to generate $7 million during its opening weekend after premiering on January 29th. This figure came as a surprise to many box-office experts, including Brueggemann himself, who had initially predicted the film would be a preemptive flop, earning between $1 million and $5 million at most.
Kimmel broached the subject with the pointed segue: 'Speaking of rigged outcomes.' He elaborated, 'A lot of people, myself included, have been wondering how this movie managed to sell $7 million worth of tickets last weekend when almost every theater seemed to be empty leading up to the release.'
Allegations of Strategic Bulk Purchases
The host framed Brueggemann's blog post as a 'report' and went on to detail the allegations. According to the same industry sources who spoke to Brueggemann, there were indications that blocs of tickets were purchased for the weekend and then distributed for free to senior citizen homes, Republican activists, and other interested parties to help boost audience numbers.
Kimmel bolstered his argument by referencing a past incident: 'And if you don't believe this is the kind of thing they would do, you may be forgetting that back in 2019, the Republican National Committee bought $100,000 worth of Don Jr.'s book to put in swag bags to make it a New York Times bestseller.'
However, it is crucial to note that no concrete proof has been provided for these claims. Major cinema chains, including Amazon, AMC, and Regal, all told Puck that they 'did not experience unusual block purchases of tickets' during the film's first week. Brueggemann himself conceded in his piece, 'Assuming this happened, how much did this help? We’ll never know.'
Kimmel's Comedic Commentary and Criticism
In his characteristic style, Kimmel reacted jovially to the allegations, quipping about senior citizens receiving tickets alongside their medication. He also humorously suggested that Republican activists and senior citizens were 'really the same thing'.
While acknowledging that 'some people actually did go to see the movie', Kimmel flashed a photo of female congregants from Dr. Robert Jeffress's Dallas Megachurch who wore dresses identical to one featured in the film. He mockingly referred to the group, who call themselves 'church ladies', as the 'dumb as a rockettes', a play on the famous Radio City dance team.
Contrasting Critical and Audience Reception
The host further highlighted the film's critical panning, noting it has secured only a 5 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite costing $75 million to produce. 'To put that in perspective, that is 1 percent lower than "Gigli,"' Kimmel remarked, referencing the widely ridiculed Ben Affleck film.
He contrasted this with the movie's astronomical 99 percent audience score, joking that it was '1 percent higher than The Godfather.' Kimmel added sarcastically, 'And I'm sure Donald J. Corleone had nothing to do with that at all. We need to get to the bottom of this.'
Broader Political and Corporate Criticisms
Kimmel could not resist taking parting shots at both the administration and Amazon's leadership. He pointed out that Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, whose company paid for the documentary, 'just laid off hundreds of journalists at the Washington Post. I guess he spent all the budget on Melania.'
He also urged Donald Trump to deploy Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to investigate, referencing her recent presence at an FBI search in Georgia related to 2020 election ballots.
Official Response and Ongoing Controversy
Despite the controversy, Amazon MGM Studios has reported a positive outlook. Kevin Wilson, the company’s chief of domestic distribution, told the Hollywood Reporter that Melania showed a 'strong start and positive audience response' that 'exceeded our expectations.'
The film, which follows the 20 days before President Trump's second inauguration, continues to face criticism over its substantial price tag. Some have framed the project as an attempt to curry favor with the administration, though, like the allegations of rigged ticket sales, this claim remains without evidence. The debate underscores the polarized reception to media projects associated with political figures and the ongoing scrutiny of their commercial performance.
