Rosie O’Donnell, who guest-hosted ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for one week in August, revealed that the network delayed a planned satirical skit targeting President Donald Trump amid escalating tensions between ABC’s parent company, Disney, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The delay came as Disney prepared to file a lawsuit challenging the FCC’s early review of ABC’s local broadcast licenses.

O’Donnell detailed the incident during a recent episode of “The Jann Arden Podcast.” She said she intended to close her opening-night monologue on Aug. 17 with a performance of “Donnie Boy,” a parody of the Irish ballad “Danny Boy” that criticized Trump. However, just before taping, network executives informed her they did not want her to proceed with the skit and gave her only minutes to revise the ending. The following day, Disney officially initiated its lawsuit against the FCC, accusing the agency of violating the First Amendment.

“I woke up the next morning and realized why,” O’Donnell said, suggesting that the legal action influenced the network’s decision. ABC declined to comment on the matter. O’Donnell added that she eventually performed the skit later during her guest-hosting gig.

In addition to the Trump-related segment, O’Donnell addressed a proposed portion involving victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to Cindi Berger, O’Donnell’s representative, the decision not to air that segment on the broadcast show was made following a discussion with Jimmy Kimmel. Berger said Kimmel recommended that the material be presented online rather than on television. A spokesperson for Kimmel did not respond to requests for comment.

Earlier in September, O’Donnell shared a video on her Instagram featuring a group of women she identified as Epstein survivors singing Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman.”

Throughout her week as guest host, O’Donnell maintained a notably measured tone in her criticisms of Trump, despite their long-standing and public feud. She explained her approach on the podcast, saying she consciously chose to avoid an aggressive style to honor Kimmel’s support in selecting her for the role. “I made an active choice to approach Trump the way that I did, and not aggressively like a pit bull, which scares some people,” she said. She also noted that her use of contact lenses instead of her usual glasses may have softened her public persona during the broadcasts.