TORONTO

Mayor Rob Ford may have gone Hollywood, but he isn’t going to be walking the red carpet.

Councillor Doug Ford confirmed by phone Sunday afternoon that because of “heavy security,” the mayor will not be attending the 86th annual Academy Awards show or strutting around on the red carpet beforehand.

Mayor Ford is in Los Angeles because of a scheduled appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show Monday.

“Jimmy’s not walking it and we’re going to be with him tonight,” Councillor Ford said. “This is kind of last minute. And even Jimmy had to go through a security check. If we would have done it two weeks ago, we could’ve done it. Jimmy holds the best Oscars party in town, I hear.”

The Kimmel party – hosted in the ABC studios near the Dolby Theatre where the awards ceremony is being held – is one “of many” shindigs the embattled Toronto mayor is invited to, Ford said.

The late-night talk show host greeted the Ford brothers and their entourage at Los Angeles International Airport Saturday night, dressed as a chauffeur.

“He’s so down to earth and fabulous,” Doug Ford said of Kimmel. “He’s as funny as they come, dressed up in a chauffeur’s outfit. Rob walked right by him yesterday and we didn’t expect it.”

Ford said the trip is to drive home the message of promoting Toronto as “Hollywood of the North.” But everything will be unscripted.

“This is cold turkey,” he said. “No matter what Jimmy is asking him, he’s going to be talking about Toronto. ABC advertising for 30 seconds is $1.8 million and we’re getting 30 minutes.”

When asked whether he was concerned if Kimmel planned to ambush him with questions about the alleged crack video, Ford laughed it off.

“This guy’s a classy guy,” he said. “And I don’t mean this out of disrespect for you or anyone – but he’s not the Toronto media. These guys are different down here.”

And while the mayor recently claimed to local media he wasn’t a celebrity, he seems to be hobnobbing with Hollywood elite.

“Rob and I aren’t into the big Hollywood star stuff, but Rob is one of the biggest stars down here,” Ford said. “We can’t even walk down Sunset Strip without someone calling his name or cheering.”