Jimmy Kimmel turned political controversy into comedy during Disney's annual upfront presentation in New York City, joking about repeated calls from Donald Trump to have him removed from ABC.

The late-night host opened his appearance with a series of sharp remarks about the pressure surrounding his show over the past year. Speaking to advertisers and media executives, Kimmel joked that the backlash had actually helped his ratings.

"The president has tried to [mess] with me twice over the last six months," Kimmel said during his monologue, BusinessInsider reported. "Another way, you could also say, I've generated unparalleled engagement across a variety of platforms."

Kimmel has faced growing criticism from Trump supporters following several political jokes made on his ABC late-night program. In late April, Trump publicly called for Kimmel to be fired after comments involving first lady Melania Trump sparked outrage online.

The comedian used the Disney event to poke fun at the controversy while also joking about the financial trouble he may have caused the company.

"I've cost Disney a lot of money this year, billions," Kimmel said. "Hiring me 24 years ago, just from a purely mathematical standpoint, was the worst personnel decision that Disney Corporation has ever made."

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At one point, Kimmel sent his longtime sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez into the crowd with a collection basket, jokingly asking advertisers to help cover the damage.

Despite the humor, Kimmel briefly referenced the serious attention ABC and Disney have received in recent months. Federal regulators have reportedly reviewed Disney's broadcast licenses and examined some of the company's diversity policies following political criticism aimed at the network.

Kimmel also made jokes about other television companies during the presentation. According to TheWrap, he teased CBS over changes to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and mocked Fox's plans to revive Baywatch.

"Poor Stephen — it's bad enough to lose your job," Kimmel joked, referring to host Stephen Colbert.

The ABC host also referenced recent controversies involving other Disney programs, including the cancellation of a planned season of "The Bachelorette" connected to reality TV drama.

Even while taking shots at the television industry, Kimmel ended his speech with another self-deprecating joke.

"That's it for me — probably forever," he told the audience.

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Jimmy Kimmel, Disney, Donald trump