Rosie O’Donnell found the perfect way to roast President Donald Trump on a show he tried and failed to shut down.
The comedian had a bit locked and loaded, ready to bring down the house.
The routine targeted the man she once described as an “old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy, compassion and basic humanity.”
O’Donnell said network executives killed her anti-Trump parody before it reached late-night television.
She claimed executives got cold feet about her upcoming guest-hosting stint on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” suggesting outside pressure played a role.
The actress is set to guest host the ABC show for a week later this month, as mentioned during an Aug. 3 appearance on “On with Kara Swisher ” podcast.
The song reworked the Scarecrow’s “If I Only Had a Brain” to mock her longtime nemesis. “There was one problem,” O’Donnell explained.
She said she was barred from performing an anti-Trump parody song set to “If I Only Had a Brain” from “The Wizard of Oz.”
She said ABC executives claimed they “couldn’t get permission for the parody because it’s political content.”
She ignored the restriction and gave listeners a preview anyway. Singing to the familiar tune, she joked about Trump, “His approval rate is 30, his diaper’s always dirty, I think the guy’s insane.”
Singing to the familiar melody, O’Donnell joked, “His approval rate is 30, his diaper’s always dirty, I think the guy’s insane.”
Rosie is absolutely right! I'm not even from NY but have watched Trump through the years and he is everything she said he is. https://t.co/ECOgfRtxpW
— Patricia Choquette (@PatriciaCh52518) August 4, 2026
She continued with another verse: “He ain’t no stable genius, got a teeny, tiny penis, and he doesn’t have a brain.”
The parody had already received a “tremendous response” online, O’Donnell said.
But she made clear the decision had nothing to do with Kimmel himself, in case Trump wanted to make him a casualty of their war. She praised the late-night host for the way he has confronted Trump over the years.
O’Donnell described Kimmel as “brave and bold” for consistently challenging the president and “giving it to him in a comedic, honest, truthful way.”
ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air in September 2025 after Kimmel joked about Trump‘s response to a question about Charlie Kirk’s killing.
Trump later vowed to get Kimmel fired, and first lady Melania Trump piled on. The comic’s sudden removal sparked a major national debate around free speech, government overreach, and network censorship on social media.
As a result, public pressure prompted Disney to reinstate the show, and Kimmel returned less than a week later.
Months later, O’Donnell found herself in a similar position. She first posted it to TikTok after watching highlights from Trump’s July 24 appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s alternative dinner.
That’s where the president revived his long-running feud with the comedian.
During that event, Trump joked that O’Donnell wanted to attend but claimed “nobody wanted her back.” He also called her “desperate” and “one of the greatest sufferers of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
😛 At the WHCA Dinner, Trump joked that even Rosie O’Donnell reached out from Ireland because she badly wanted to attend just to honor him.
— Bella (@stockbella) July 26, 2026
He said she loves him a great deal and was desperate to return to the United States to pay her respects to Donald J. Trump.…
O’Donnell responded days later. She recorded the extended parody, adding verses mocking Trump’s approval ratings, his handling of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool controversy, his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and online speculation about him appearing tired during public events.
The feud between Trump and O’Donnell dates back to 2006, but she claims she “knew from the time I was a little kid. This guy is a joke. He’s a used car salesman.”
“And he went absolutely batsh-t crazy,” she shared.
She criticized the president on “The View” following his handling of the Miss USA pageant controversy.
Trump responded with personal attacks that continued throughout his political career, frequently mentioning O’Donnell at rallies, debates and interviews.
Their public sparring intensified again after Trump’s second inauguration. O’Donnell relocated to Ireland in 2025. She later said she would not permanently return while Trump remained in office.
@rosie Saw the White House correspondents dinner – trump once again proving comedy ain’t easy – here’s a little parody I wrote just for him #enjoy #FDT ♬ original sound – Rosie ODonnell
Trump subsequently threatened to revoke her U.S. citizenship; however, no action was taken.
The latest dispute quickly spilled onto social media. Mediaite readers debated both the lyrics and ABC’s reported decision to keep the parody off television.
“Ahh, quit picking on stubby Donald,” one person wrote. Another joked, “Tiny junk jokes, that’ll show him! I mean he’s still the president and doing whatever he wants regardless of the logic and constitutionality of his actions, but that sure was a sick burn!”
Others simply found the parody entertaining.
“Ok, even the snippet of this song is funny,” one person wrote. Another added, “How is it political if he can’t be re-elected? Screw the network. Sing it loud and proud. Impeach convict remove jail.”
A third blasted, “If Trump focused as much on helping U.S. citizens as he does on trashing celebrities he dislikes on social media, we’d be in much better shape right now.”
Some wondered if the president truly had an influence, including one person who said, “It’s OK for Trump to verbally attack and abuse Rosie for years, but soon as Rosie wants to speak the truth, they want to shut her down.”
