Rosie O'Donnell zegt dat ABC overlevenden van Epstein blokkeerde voor gastoptreden bij Jimmy Kimmel Live!

De comédienne filmde zelf een segment met de vrouwen en deelde het op Instagram nadat de zender haar idee afwees tijdens haar gastoptredens in augustus.

Comedian Rosie O'Donnell revealed that ABC prevented her from featuring survivors of Jeffrey Epstein on Jimmy Kimmel Live! during her guest hosting run in August. She ultimately produced the segment independently and shared it directly on social media.

Network Declines Epstein Survivors Segment

O'Donnell described the rejected idea during an appearance on The Jann Arden Podcast. Her plan for the final night of hosting involved an Epstein-related reveal that the network deemed impossible to air. She chose to proceed on her own terms by recording the material separately.

My idea for the last night hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! was to do the Epstein reveal and they said that they were certain that could not happen. So I said I would do it myself and just put it out on my own social media… there were eight women. We met and I told them about my history and why it means so much to me and the human race and why this is a vital importance. I thanked them for trusting me. We shot it in a few hours, two hours we shot the whole thing.

— Rosie O'Donnell, The Jann Arden Podcast

The resulting video shows O'Donnell alongside eight Epstein survivors performing a group rendition of Helen Reddy's anthem "I Am Woman." In the footage she addressed the women directly, acknowledging their difficult experiences and limited support while calling them heroes who could influence how society addresses child sex abuse.

Instagram Release and Political Context

O'Donnell posted the completed video to Instagram on Sept. 3. Her caption referenced the decision by a former Trump attorney serving as attorney general to charge no men in the Epstein files despite substantial evidence. She noted that the experience prompted her to connect with survivors and revive the empowering song from her childhood.

O'Donnell hosted four episodes of the late-night program during the week of Aug. 17. The network has not publicly explained its decision to block the segment. The refusal comes amid escalating tensions between ABC and the FCC under the Trump administration, including a lawsuit filed by the network last month alleging threats to its station licenses.

Similar Decision by Kimmel Highlights Ongoing Tensions

The situation echoes a recent choice by Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel. Earlier this month he opted not to air a pre-recorded interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico on television. The conversation instead went straight to YouTube, where it quickly amassed millions of views. Kimmel attributed the move to FCC pressure on ABC affiliates.