OSLO, April 28 - James Gorman, chair of Walt Disney's board, said on Tuesday that it is the responsibility of the company's new chief executive, Josh D'Amaro, and his management team to determine how Disney should respond to the public dispute involving ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The president on Monday urged ABC and its parent company Disney to dismiss Kimmel, joining First Lady Melania Trump in criticizing remarks the host made before a shooting occurred at Saturday's White House correspondents' dinner. Gorman, speaking at a business conference in Oslo, framed the matter as one of the issues large corporations periodically must address.
Gorman declined to outline specific guidance the board might offer concerning the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" program. He said, "It’s the job of the CEO with their team to figure out the right answer and they’ll be guided by the board."
When asked about the company's leadership, Gorman praised the new chief executive, saying, "We have a terrific new CEO, Josh D’Amaro, he’s world class so I’m sure he’ll rise to the occasion and do what the right thing is." D'Amaro assumed leadership of Disney last month.
Kimmel on Monday defended the joke at the center of the dispute, saying his quip about Melania Trump - in which he said she had "a glow like an expectant widow" - was referring to the age difference between the first lady and the president and was not intended as a "call to assassination."
The shooting at the Washington Hilton prompted officials including the president and first lady to be hurried from Saturday's dinner after someone opened fire in the hotel lobby.
Context and implications
Gorman's comments make clear that the board views the situation as an operational and managerial decision to be led by Disney's executive team, rather than one for the board to directly dictate. He emphasized both the routine nature of such corporate dilemmas and his confidence in D'Amaro's ability to handle them.
Given the public nature of the statements from the president and first lady and the subsequent security incident at the event, Disney's eventual response could be watched closely by stakeholders and observers, but Gorman did not offer details on what actions, if any, the company might take.