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At the heart of the controversy is Kimmel’s infamous stunt involving offensive T-shirts mocking both ICE and then-President Trump. The skit, performed live on ABC, was unauthorized and not approved by Disney, the parent company. It was a provocative move orchestrated by Kimmel and his writing team, which flew under the radar originally but soon spiraled into major repercussions.
The execution of the stunt was seen as reckless, especially given the sensitive context surrounding the ICE shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident forced Disney executives to reassess their stance on Kimmel—and their broader strategy for managing controversial content.