During his stint as a guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, the comedic actor Anthony Anderson acknowledged that the shooting at a Pennsylvania political rally, where a bullet narrowly missed former President Donald Trump's ear, was no laughing matter. However, he couldn't help but notice the absurdity of some of the merchandise that had surfaced online in its aftermath.
"The entire nation is still reeling from the tragic events at the Trump rally on Saturday," Anderson began his guest hosting monologue, with a hint of irony. "All weekend, I was wondering what Jimmy Kimmel would say about this on Monday. And then it hit me, 'Wait, I'm Jimmy Kimmel today!'"
Amidst a few muted chuckles, Anderson delved into a segment synonymous with Kimmel's show — exploring the quirkiest and most outlandish items found on the internet. This time, the focus was on the flurry of merchandise capitalizing on Trump's narrow escape from death.
"It's been just two days since the attack, but this is America, so people are already trying to cash in on Etsy," Anderson said, before unveiling some of the hottest new items. "These are genuine products, not a figment of our imagination."
One T-shirt displayed on Etsy stood out, a charcoal-black top adorned with the now-iconic image captured by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci, or by Getty's Anna Moneymaker and Doug Mills of The New York Times, of Trump pumping his fist defiantly after the failed assassination attempt. The shirt bore the witty phrase, "My Pronouns: You/Missed."
Another shirt sported the phrase "Grazed and Unfazed," while a third boldly read, "Ear we go again." As with any significant event — like the 9/11 attacks or the 2003 New York City blackout — commemorative T-shirts, mugs, and other items typically flood the market the very next day. This time, however, it was not the street vendors leading the charge, but prominent conservative political commentators.
For instance, Candace Owens, a well-known conservative commentator, promoted a shirt on X (formerly Twitter) featuring Trump's perseverant gesture, complete with a patriotic backdrop and the text "For God and Country," priced at $30. Sebastian Gorka, a former Trump advisor, was also selling shirts for $29.99, adorned with the words "The President of America." Meanwhile, Teleteeshirt, a merchandise website, offered tees bearing the sentiment "Legends Never Die."
Elsewhere, various designs featuring Trump's image emerged. One took inspiration from the iconic "Hope" portrait of Barack Obama by street artist Shepard Fairey and applied it to Trump in the aftermath of the shooting, adorned with the word "FIGHT." Reminiscent of a potential Kyle Rittenhouse collection, a backpack with Trump's image after the shooting boldly printed on the front pocket was available, ready to accompany any teenager through the highs and lows of high school.
This blatant exploitation of major news events only occurs when the stars align — a moment worthy of commemoration, a public urge to express an opinion, and an image that is both striking and illustrative, as described by The Atlantic magazine as "A legendary American photograph."
