“Resurfaced Jimmy Kimmel Clip Shocks Viewers as Host Rushes to Shield Ivanka Trump From Andy Dick’s Handsy Antics on Live TV”
When a video from 2007 recently resurfaced online, social media lit up with reactions ranging from disbelief to outrage. The clip, pulled from an old episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, shows host Jimmy Kimmel stepping in to protect Ivanka Trump after comedian Andy Dick repeatedly touched her inappropriately during an interview. What was once an awkward late-night moment has now become a viral flashpoint in the age of accountability, sparking new debates about boundaries, celebrity culture, and how incidents like this were handled in the pre-#MeToo era.
In the footage, Ivanka Trump—then known primarily as Donald Trump’s poised daughter and a rising businesswoman—was seated beside Andy Dick as they chatted with Kimmel. Within minutes, Dick leaned toward Ivanka, placing his hand on her leg. Ivanka politely shifted away, attempting to brush off the contact with grace. But when Dick persisted, repeatedly trying to stroke or grab her leg, her discomfort became increasingly visible.
That’s when Kimmel took matters into his own hands. In the clip, the late-night host can be seen firmly telling Dick to stop and physically pulling his arm away from Ivanka. When the behavior continued, Kimmel gestured to security, and Dick was promptly removed from the stage. The audience, unsure how to react, gave a mix of awkward laughter and nervous applause as the segment tried to move on.
At the time, the incident barely made headlines, written off by many as another one of Dick’s “eccentric” antics. The comedian had long been known for unpredictable behavior, and in some circles, the moment was even dismissed as comedy. However, with modern viewers revisiting the footage, many argue that it illustrates how normalized harassment was on mainstream television less than two decades ago.
Dick himself addressed the episode years later, brushing it off as a joke and even leaving flippant remarks on social media about how he thought Ivanka would date him. But that defense has not aged well. As one Twitter user put it: “Watching this now, it’s horrifying. Ivanka clearly looked uncomfortable, and Kimmel had to protect her. This wasn’t comedy—it was harassment.”
What stands out most in the video today is Kimmel’s decisive response. While comedians often play along to avoid breaking the flow of entertainment, Kimmel’s intervention was firm and immediate. Viewers now credit him with shielding Ivanka from further embarrassment and sending the message that Dick’s behavior was unacceptable, even if the full cultural weight of that message wasn’t recognized in 2007.
The resurfaced clip is sparking a wider conversation about how female guests on late-night shows were often placed in uncomfortable positions for the sake of ratings and how far the industry has—or hasn’t—come in creating safer spaces for women in the spotlight.
For Ivanka Trump, the episode is a reminder of how long her image has been scrutinized and shaped by the media. For Kimmel, it adds a layer of respect for how he handled a volatile live moment. And for Andy Dick, whose career has been marred by numerous controversies since, the viral video serves as yet another reminder of why his reputation never recovered.
