Disney CEO Told DeSantis He Didnt Want to Do It Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek is pausing all of the companys political donations in Florida after the passage of the dont say gay bill and apologized to employees for his silence during the months-long debate on the measure. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. Bob Chapek (C) Chairman of Parks, Experiences, and Products for the Walt Disney Company speaks during the dedication ceremony for the "Rise of the Resistance" attraction opening at Galaxy's Edge at Disneys Hollywood Studios on December 04, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. Contribution Disney has *deep breath* eliminated Magical Express, exchanged free FastPasses for paid Lightning Lane experiences, required Park Passes, temporarily removed the dining plan and most annual passes, and raised many food/drink prices. Still, if the economy ever suddenly suffered a setback, this unforced error would magnify in scope. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. Then, it required many Golden State employees to switch coasts. Colleagues perceive former CEO Bob Iger as a highly political person with an acute mind for such situations. However, in the wake of the Dont Say Gay legislation, such a move feels like a betrayal of their values. Copyright 2021, Launchpad Digital Network, LLC. We cant say if he told DeSantis, but why wouldnt he tell him? Occupy Democrats is a political organization and information website that provides a new counterbalance to the Republican Tea Party. Madison addressed The Walt Disney Companys latest pledge during the LGBTQ advocacy groups annual Los Angeles dinner, held Saturday night at the JW Marriott LA Live Hotel. So, Disney had to do many of these things, and I would agree with you. News Analysis. Its gut-check time for every CEO and company [in] America. Employees were walking out in protest and ranting to the media. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images). Im with the President on this! Igerwrote. Earlier in the week, Chapek said DeSantis had agreed to meet with him to ensure the bill wouldnt be weaponized against the LGBTQ community. Bob Chapek "That was an early sign that it was time. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Disneys queer characters wont hide its funding of real villains This is not just about Bob Chapek and Disney, she told the audience. Florida Gov. At the time, I dismissed those concerns, as Chapek had headed Disneys lucrative home video division. Powered and implemented byFactSet Digital Solutions. In lieu of the management retreat, the plan is for the leadership of the media company to go on a listening tour with employees, according to a person familiar with the strategy. Pushaw did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. It would allow parents to sue school districts for what it perceives to be violations of this law. Then, the CEO found himself in a public spat with Floridas governor, who recognized an opportunity to score cheap political points off Disney. Shares of the company fell less than 2% in extending trading Tuesday. The streaming service launched in November. DeSantis signed the bill into law last March 28, which prompted Disney to publicly rip the new law and stand with Disneys LGBTQ employees and advocates in Florida. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Michael Arnold. Iger, 70, is leaving Disney after running the company from 2005 to 2020. In the interim, these shows have filled the void. In totality, its one problematic mistake, though. The bills Republican sponsors have also been more openly vocal about LGBTQ students, with Baxley complaining about everybody now all about coming out when youre in school.. bob chapek political party (2022) Harriet Jacobs Children, Slick Slider Arrow Position , Wagon Wheel Old Crow Medicine Show Chords , World Most Perfect Face Male 2020 , How To Become An Affiliate Marketer , Abcmouse Increase Difficulty , Parotid Gland Legal Statement. Bob Chapek Iger sat down for an exclusive interview with CNBC's David Faber. But as he reflected on his answers, he realized "times change," and said he was saying no too quickly. Back in 2018, Danhof confronted then-CEO Iger about ABC News Joy Behar, who was under fire at the time for comments that mocked Vice President Pences Christian faith. Questionable decision-making and actions by Disney post-covid may be why a petition to fire Bob Chapek has been brought to fruition. This caused #FireGinaCarano to trend and eventually, she was. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Critics have cited specific concerns over sections of the bill, including the vague wording about banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity that isnt age appropriate that goes beyond the language about kindergarten through third grade. REUTERS. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE, "Disneys management succumbed to political pressure from activists on the Left, and now its getting hit from the Left and the Right," Keating told Fox News Digital. A Complete Timeline of the Battle Between Gov. Ron DeSantis and After weeks of internal strife and external controversy surrounding the Walt Disney Companys lack of public response to the Dont Say Gay legislation in Florida, Ray Keating, an economist and editor of DisneyBizJournal.com, said when companies dive into politics, it rarely turns out and well. Chapek released Black Widow on Disney+ without checking whether the films star, Scarlett Johansson, minded. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided byRefinitiv Lipper. And today we are opposing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.. 02:12. "You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down," Chapek said in a statement on March. The company did this after adding a Fifth Key last year, Inclusion. This story has been shared 151,093 times. Alas, Chapek fell too deeply in love with the idea of increasing Disney+ subscriber numbers. He lied and supported the victimization of children. With Jobs, Iger said he "was never disappointed" with Disney's integration of Pixar. Iger credited his ability to get founders to sell him assets to his intense focus on building personal relationships. "Parks is a business where they use data to drive pricing and engagement," Nathanson said. To my fellow colleagues, but especially our LGBTQ+ community, thank you to all who have reached out to me sharing your pain, frustration and sadness over the companys response to the Florida Dont Say Gay bill, Chapek said in his letter. October 26, 2021 at 5:36 Carano last month raised the issue of a double standard in an interview with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, noting that Pascal was not fired for a 2018 tweet comparing undocumented children in cages in the U.S. to Jews in concentration camps. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. The political mistake ties back to a previous choice. He states his positions situationally for his personal profit. Of course, nobody does that unless they understand political machinations. DeSantis retaliated by signaling publicly that he would be willing to re-evaluate Disneys special tax district, called Reedy Creek, and favorable corporate agreements due to its insistence on woke political activism. In March, Disney became entangled in a heated dispute with Gov. In "The Courage to Be Free," the governor describes a conversation with former CEO Bob Chapek about Disney's political activities. All Rights Reserved. Corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds, he wrote, and are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide. So what Disney says means nothing? The more combustible of those situations unfolded over House Bill 1557, the so-called Dont Say legislation. Bob Chapek That explains the inconsistency. Chapeks initial responses to the bill were tepid at best, as he wanted to maintain solid relationships with the legislators. DeSantis cements takeover of Disney's special Florida district, Everyone knew that was a lie. And I think thats a world we should all live in harmony and peace., Disney+ Tops 100 Million Subscribers , CEO Bob Chapek Says. Chapek is in the third-year of a three-year contract as CEO that expires in February. During the evening, Charlee Corra also took the stage and announced that he along with parents Sheri and Roy P. Disney, the great-nephew of Walt Disney, would match $250,000 in donations to HRC. Californias governor has similarly stated his desire to keep Disney on the West Coast in a place that actually represents the values of your workers.. Fridays move came after Chapek announced in a Disney shareholder meeting Wednesday that the company would pledge $5 million to LGBTQ organizations focused on legal protections for the community a donation HRC rejected the same day. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He got played here. The Florida bill hasnt factored into investors views as of yet, though the companys stock has been languishing near a 52-week low. The company has also given more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. That argument is correct, independent of where you may fall on the political spectrum. Chapek wrapped up the session and thanked all of the participants. Disney CEO Bob Chapek gets close to GOP lawmakers ahead of Chapek has not commented on the DeSantis report. Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. What Is Bob Chapek Political Party? Disney acquired the majority of Fox's assets in 2019. Who would have ever thought Walts dream would be so screwed up. Disney is still evil and still pushing CRT. Chapek and Disneys past public silence on the controversial HB 1557/SB 1834 bill ignited an internal revolt among the companys LGBTQ employees and their allies, leading to the CEO apologizing Friday for not being a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights., You may have seen the news earlier this week that HRC is not going to take any funding from Disney until we see them take real action to defeat hateful legislation in Florida, the HRC interim leader said during her speech at the Saturday event. WATCH LIVE WATCH IN THE APP. A recent CNBC article referenced Chapeks perceived lack of emotional intelligence. Danhof, who has shown up to Disney shareholder meetings to ask fiery questions in the past, told Chapek that he had been imploring former CEO Bob Iger to address ABC News issues for years. The actress was let go from the popular Lucasfilm and Disney series on Disney+ after she took to social media to, as Lucasfilm described it, post abhorrent material that compared the current divided political climate in the U.S. to Nazi Germany. Chapek learned a harsh lesson that potential political allies behind closed doors are all too happy to attack Disney in the media for personal gain. Critics have depicted the bill as hurtful to LGBTQ inclusiveness and dubbed it the "Don't Say Gay" bill. In November 2022, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger announced he was replacing Chapek after two years away from the company. The weeklong mess also elicited criticism from the right, as Fox News picked up on the DeSantis administrations portrayal of what they derided as woke Disney trying to get the state to change its ways. It wasn't the reason I left, but it was a contributing factor.". Reporters uncovered the fact that Disney had donated to the campaigns of several sponsors of the bill. March 7th, 2022 Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek comments further on the matter via an internal Disney memo. WATCH: Disney's Bob Iger turns CEO job to Chapek. A Division of NBCUniversal. At this point, I felt confident he knew what he was doing because that was the right move. 2023 CNBC LLC. Bob Chapek Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. The pressure from the WOKE cancel culture was vicious. It sounds about right. For the past 18 months, Disney has fallen into the latter category as leadership has accidentally caused as many screw-ups as it has fixed. In short, this debacle was totally avoidable. Disney chief executive Bob Chapek speaks during a ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015, at Hong Kong Disneyland. Chapek is almost childlike by comparison. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. I thought of this belief in combination with the recent political dust-up Disney experienced. I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community, he wrote. In a second memo to Disney workers, Chapek said Disney was suspending all political donations in Florida. And, we are committed to creating a more inclusive company and world, Chapek wrote in a memo to staff in March 2022. Initially, complaints arose about the fact that Disney wasnt letting the drill team wear their headdresses. Disney CEO Chapek Bob Chapek Tuesday said he doesnt really see Disney as characterizing itself as left-leaning or right-leaning responding to a shareholder who accused Hollywood and the company of a double standard in firing Gina Carano from The Mandalorian because shes a conservative. Disney CEO Bob Iger, Here are Disney's major milestones under Bob Iger's leadership, Iger had repeatedly pushed off his retirement. He is the guilty party. Apparently, a Texas high school doesnt know what year it is and still performs a routine featuring Indianettes.. DeSantis signs bill placing Disney district u Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Prince Harry was scared to lose Meghan Markle after fight that led to therapy, Prince Harry says psychedelics are fundamental part of his life, Inside Scheana Shay, Raquel Leviss heated confrontation about Tom Sandoval affair, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss planned to tell Ariana Madix about affair. A source familiar with the situation told The Hollywood Reporter that HRC is still in active discussions with Disney around Chapeks initial financial pledge as well as the companys ongoing action around state legislation. Many of them have led to price increases. Disney CEO Bob Chapek Announces Pause for Political Giving in Everyone struggles with adversity. In addition to what all Americans witness on a daily basis, Project Veritas has recently exposed numerous examples of ABC journalists admitting that the network bosses repeatedly spike positive stories on President Trump, Danhof said. During the town hall, Chapek repeated his expression of regret about the companys decision not to take a public stance against the bill, given the large number of its employees it affected. He has a microbiology degree from Indiana University Bloomington and received his MBA from Michigan State University. ", Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek last year complained to Florida Gov. It hasnt gone away. Bob ABC News anchor caught on hot mic claiming network killed Jeffery Epstein bombshell. (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images) Under pressure from LGBTQ activists and progressive employees some of whom who have walked out of the job in protest The other way that Disney got hit from the left and right happened last week. "I would consider myself a socialist,like I think there should be national health insurance," he said. HB 1557/SB 1834, dubbed the Dont Say Gay bill,would seek to ban classroom discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and has been labeled a government censorship bill by the ACLU of Florida. Under pressure from LGBTQ activists and progressive employees some of whom who have walked out of the job in protest Disney's Chapeks eventually criticized the Florida legislation, paused all political giving in Florida and apologized to employees. ABC Newsrecently suspended veteran Washington correspondent David Wright for remarks he made that were captured on video byProject Veritas. Its bad for business and even worse for the Disney brand. "Look, the world is changing dramatically, and it's important for the CEO of a company to address all of those changes rapidly," Iger said. Many of the calls "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. HRC Responds to Disney CEO Bob Chapek Pause on Political "He was very, very concerned about Lucasfilm - in many respects his baby, his legacy and there was a trust there too that I think we demonstrated, that we could be trusted," Iger said about Lucas. Justin Danhof, the general counsel for the National Center for Public Policy Research, cited data showing ABC News is overwhelmingly negative toward President Trump and mentioned other scandals that have come out of the news division in recent memory when speaking to Chapek at the company's annual investor's meeting. According to one attendee, Chapek conceded that Disneys silence wasnt just about Florida. People that do something very wrong then make excuses are evil. DeSantis backs down from his commitment to doing whats best for Floridas children and parents. We need Disneys partnership in getting the bills heading to [Gov. Disney to Pause Florida Political Donations Amid Dont Say Gay For all other types of cookies we need your permission. DeSantis cements takeover of Disney's special Florida district, At another point in the town hall, the companys HR chief addressed the Florida situation and also affirmed that the company would oppose an effort by Texas Gov. Prior to 2016, Bob Igers political party was Democratic Independent (2016present). The stockholder, speaking during the Q&A portion of Disneys annual shareholder meeting, noted that co-stars Pedro Pascal and Gina Carano both controversially referenced Nazi Germany in social media comments but only she was removed. ABC NEWS SUSPENDS DAVID WRIGHT FOR REMARKS MADE IN PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO. A Disney shareholder is speaking out against the company's involvement in Florida politics by actively opposing the Republican-led "Parental Rights in Education" bill championed by Republican Gov. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Interim president Joni Madison confirmed she and Bob Chapek "had a very productive conversation about the need for Disney to put real muscle into stopping what's happening to their employees and to their fans.". I am sorry.. Chapek learned a harsh lesson that potential political allies behind closed doors are all too happy to attack Disney in the media for personal gain. Chapek was replaced by longtime CEO Bob Iger in late 2022. You can look at the comments section for any Disney discussion, and its an inevitable statement from some. Greg Abbott on a different front. The Parental Rights in Education bill has passed the Florida Legislature and awaits the signature of Gov. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Disney had already been under fire from the bills critics over its contributions to the bills GOP sponsors, including $11,000 over the last 12 years to GOP state Sen. Dennis Baxley of Ocala. The nearly century-old company has been dragged for becoming too politically correct, famously clashing with Republican In that scenario, someone less experienced with vetting is in charge. This priority caused him to lose sight of the challenges in working with Hollywood talents. That philosophy applies to Disneys park behavior during the pandemic as well. He then transitioned to the company's consumer products team in 2011 as president of Disney consumer products.
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