Rosie O'Donnell Claims ABC Paused Trump Skit Amid Lawsuit Preparations
The comedian stated ABC cited corporate reasons for halting a planned mockery of the then-president during her guest hosting stint on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'.
Rosie O’Donnell has stated that ABC temporarily halted a planned skit mocking then-President Donald Trump during her guest-hosting week on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" because the network was preparing to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration. O’Donnell, who was filling in for Jimmy Kimmel, recounted the incident during a recent appearance on "The Jann Arden Podcast."
O’Donnell said she intended to perform a skit titled "Donny Boy," a parody of the Irish folk song "Danny Boy," on April 17, her first night as guest host. However, she was informed by network executives shortly before filming that the skit could not proceed.
"The network called and said, ‘We don’t want you to do it,’" O’Donnell recalled. She stated she was given little immediate explanation for the decision and had to quickly prepare alternative monologue material.
The following day, O’Donnell said, the reason became clear. On August 18 of that year, ABC, owned by Disney, filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the Trump administration of a "retaliatory campaign." The network alleged that the FCC, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, initiated an early review of eight of Disney’s broadcast licenses in retaliation for ABC’s refusal to cooperate with an investigation into its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. ABC contended that this review was an attempt to silence its programming, which often featured criticism of the Trump administration.
O'Donnell noted that had the network communicated the impending corporate action, she would have understood the need to pause the skit. Her "Donny Boy" sketch was eventually aired later in her hosting week, with O'Donnell dedicating the song to "a very special boy."
Additionally, O’Donnell mentioned that a proposal to feature a segment on victims of Jeffrey Epstein was also declined by the network for her final night as guest host. A representative for O’Donnell clarified that this discussion occurred with Jimmy Kimmel himself, who suggested she address the topic on YouTube, which she did. O'Donnell reportedly expressed that she enjoyed her time hosting the show and has a positive relationship with Kimmel.