The decision by the largest employer in Central Florida could have a major impact on election fundraising for both parties, and it escalates in his war of words with Gov. Disney CEO Bob Chapek is pausing all of the companys political donations in Florida following the passage of the Dont Say Gay bill, a major escalation in his feud Heinz, and in advertising at J. Walter Thompson. It should never have reached that point, though. Everything else is justifiable. Chapek released Black Widow on Disney+ without checking whether the films star, Scarlett Johansson, minded. The Florida bill hasnt factored into investors views as of yet, though the companys stock has been languishing near a 52-week low. Market data provided by Factset. Disney chief executive Bob Chapek speaks during a ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015, at Hong Kong Disneyland. The debut of "Disney Enchantment" during "The World's Most Magical Celebration" Walt Disney World Resort 50th Anniversary at Magic Kingdom on Sept. 30, 2021, in Orlando, Florida. ABC NEWS SUSPENDS DAVID WRIGHT FOR REMARKS MADE IN PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO. 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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek gets close to GOP lawmakers ahead of March 7th, 2022 Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek comments further on the matter via an internal Disney memo. I havent seen anything like this before.. Disney has given about $55 million to Republicans, Democrats and political committees in the state over the past 28 years, including about $5 million in 2020 and more than $2 million so far in 2022, state records show. Wright was disciplined after higher-ups at ABC News reviewedfootagein whichWright described himself as a "socialist" and criticized the network for the way in which it chooses to present the news. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. New Trailer Drops For Olaf Short Once Upon A Snowman, Wine Bar George at Disney Springs Offering Brunch Starting March 30th. Ron DeSantis, who accused the company of being woke a day earlier for opposing the bill. It didnt happen long ago, so we should all remember how they behaved. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. 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Theyve invested millions of dollars in donations to political parties and more over the last 25 years, theyve given in-kind donations (like tickets to the parks and hotel stays) to political parties, and theyve hired lobbyists. Source: 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, 2024 frontrunner: Trump wins CPAC straw poll in a landslide, Ron DeSantis skips CPAC as organization faces scandals, Florida bill would require bloggers writing about DeSantis to share pay info, DeSantis rips other GOPers for acting like potted plants in face of woke ideology fight: report, Chapek, who had stayed silent on the bill, re-evaluate Disneys special tax district, called Reedy Creek, signing a law to strip Disney World of its Reedy Creek control on Monday. Ron DeSantis said that ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek complained to him about the pressure he was under from the left [WOKEs] to join in on the Governors new education bill restricting gender identity lessons, PK-3. Asked if the Florida GOP wanted to comment about Disneys decision to pull contributions, Helen Aguirre Ferre, executive director of the party, wrote in an email: There is no world in which Gov. I am sorry.. This year, Mr. Chapek contended with one crisis after another, some of his own making. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Occupy Democrats is a political organization and information website that provides a new counterbalance to the Republican Tea Party. TV. Keating, who has written about how Disney's activism is bad for business, said Disney's decisions on the Florida bill has meant the company is catching heat from both sides of the political spectrum. We need Disneys partnership in getting the bills heading to [Gov. In short, this debacle was totally avoidable. He lied and supported the victimization of children. WebBob Chapek. What Is Bob Chapek Political Party? Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. The task force will develop strategy and action plans to engage with LGBTQ+ employees, community partners and content creators. Iger said he spent months personally getting to know Apple and Pixar founder Steve Jobs, Star Wars' creator George Lucas, former Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter and Fox controlling shareholder Rupert Murdoch. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Legal Statement. Questionable decision-making and actions by Disney post-covid may be why a petition to fire Bob Chapek has been brought to fruition. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. These cast members were already reticent to uproot their lives for Disney. Disney CEO Denies Political Leanings Following Gina Carano Firing During annual shareholder call, CEO Bob Chapek maintains the media giant isnt left leaning or right leaning, but instead stands for the universal values of respect, decency, integrity, and inclusion. As a new CEO, he was easily victimized. 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. But Chapek stayed positive and dismissed the other criticism, saying ABC News has a stellar track record of being objective and reporting the news and will continue to do so in the future., ABC NEW SUSPENDS MATT GUTMAN FOR FALSELY REPORTING ALL OF KOBE BRYANT'S CHILDREN WERE ON DOOMED HELICOPTER, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss," Danhof told Fox News following the meeting, referencing a famous The Who lyric. He was the The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. ", Nathanson said the selection of Chapek was not a surprise and a "win-win for the company.". Greg Abbott on a different front. Conversely, Chapek believes that his best approach is to avoid politics altogether, a legitimate impossibility for a company like Disney. 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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has had private phone calls this year with House Republican leaders including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. Iger, 69, will remain with the company through 2021 to handle Disney's content initiatives such as Disney+, with the expectation that Chapek will eventually take control of all roles. We want to hear from you. 2016 Election Cycle. He said he was overwhelmed by professionalism and objectivity of the news division but admitted Wright said some things on the Project Veritas video to make the company question his objectivity. Chapek has been overseeing the company's parks, experiences and products division since those divisions were combined in 2018. Disney allowed the drill team to perform based on an audition tape it had sent. 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. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Richard Drew, File. And Laurene and Steve and [Iger's wife] Willow [Bay] and I sat down at a dinner, and he toasted to the deal we had done some years earlier, convinced that it was the right thing to do for Disney and for Pixar. Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was, Chapek wrote. Chapek is far less publicly political than his predecessor, who once considered a run for the Democratic nomination for president. Management has altered some aspects of the Disney vacation experience as a tactic to overcome the unprecedented challenges of March 2020 through today. Ron DeSantis said that ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek complained to him about the pressure he was under from the left [WOKEs] to join in on the Governors new education bill restricting gender identity lessons, PK-3. As the controversy over the Parental Rights in Education bill was coming to a head, Chapek called me, DeSantis writes, he did not want Disney to get involved, but he was getting a lot of pressure to weigh in against the bill.. Chapek walked back his previous statement to employees that the company could fight against bigotry through its creative content, saying Disney needed to be standing up for the rights of all.. Iger planned to run for POTUS at one point. 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. Now, you could argue that inflation is real during the pandemic. As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com In a letter sent to Disney workers, Chapek said the bill was not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights., You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down, he wrote. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Bob Chapek's time as the CEO of Disney has been tumultuous, to say the least. 11. You will be redirected back to your article in, David Lindley Dies: Session Star And Multi-Instrumentalist With Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan Was 78, Film Independent Spirit Awards: Livestream + Latest Winners List, Will Moviegoers Lend An Ear To Children Of The Corn Remake? But DeSantis pushed on, signing a law to strip Disney World of its Reedy Creek control on Monday. In a span of a month, Disney went from hiring the actress for a Tower of Terror movie to calling her ungrateful and selfishthe week she was having a baby. ", Nothing in the Florida legislation itself mentions the word gay. Then, it required many Golden State employees to switch coasts. (ABC/ RANDY SAGER). Ever since Chapek spoke up, critics on the right have condemned Disney as being too "woke" and even talked of boycotting the resort. Chapek has been overseeing the company's parks, experiences and products division since those divisions were combined in 2018. ABC News anchor caught on hot mic claiming network killed Jeffery Epstein bombshell. "If I werent a shareholder, Id find it amusing. But that's neither good nor bad. Bob Chapek was tapped on Tuesday to succeed long-time Disney CEO Bob Iger. Chapek allegedly told him he didnt want to get involved but hadnt seen anything like it, but thats not what he said in public. Iger told Disney staffers in November that he didnt like that the Mouse House was embroiled in controversy and that he would work to quiet things down.. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. However, one of them provedregrettable. Bob Chapek was initially silent on Floridas controversial bill barring discussions of gender identity in school classrooms. Kathleen Kennedy Cites Impact Of Women, Artists Of Color And LGBTQ On Industry Amid Disney Dont Say Gay Backlash PGA Awards. An amendment from GOP state Sen. Jeff Brandes that would have widened the classroom instruction ban to human sexuality, and not specifically orientation and identity, failed to pass. Iger sat down for an exclusive interview with CNBC's David Faber. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. The thought process here stems from the high cost of real estate in California relative to Florida. 2023 CNBC LLC. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images). The email came two days after the companys annual shareholder meeting, during which Chapek explained that the company had long opposed the Florida bill but opted to work behind the scenes rather than make a public statement. Behind the scenes, I was not, as a father of children ages five, four, and two, comfortable with the continuation of Disneys special arrangement, DeSantis wrote in his memoir. "Right now, the course that Bob has laid is one that we fully intend to follow and I think will pay dividends for our shareholders for years to come," he said. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is calling out former Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek. DeSantis backs down from his commitment to doing whats best for Floridas children and parents. Squawk Box. We want to hear from you! FLORIDIOT: DeSantis Disney lackey thinks tap water makes you gay. Starting immediately, we are increasing our support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states, Chapek wrote, possibly referring to a similar measure proposed in Georgia and bills targeting transgender children in Texas and Idaho. Legal Statement. Disney CEO Told DeSantis He Didnt Want to Do It. The political mistake ties back to a previous choice. When you face challenges and screw up, thats totally understandable. The Shanghai and Hong Kong Disney parks have been shuttered until the outbreak can be contained and there are concerns from analysts that upcoming Disney film releases like "Mulan" could be disrupted because cinemas are currently closed in China. A roundtable of eight Disney employees who represented many aspects of the LGBTQ+ community also shared their perspectives during the town hall. A rep for ABC News toldFox News he would be reassigned after serving his suspension and an insider said he was hoodwinked into making the statements oncamera. Disney is still evil and still pushing CRT. People like me will say, Gee, how come Disney has never said anything about China, where they make a fortune? DeSantis told Chapek, according to the book. While Iger didn't speak about specific decisions, he said he was increasingly invalidating points from co-workers because he'd "heard every argument before." VIDEO 3:58 03:58. Change isn't necessarily bad.". New York CNN . Here are CEO Bob Chapeks worst five mistakes thus far. Parents would be able to sue school districts over the issue. Occupy Democrats is a political organization and information website that provides a new counterbalance to the Republican Tea Party. "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. All rights reserved. Disney Chairman and former CEO Bob Iger told CNBC he began thinking about stepping down as chief executive after feeling he was becoming too dismissive of other people's opinions. At first, Chapek tried to remain on the sidelines, but LGBTQ employees and advocates pressured the exec to take a stand last March, asserting that the bill was a human rights issue. Chapek is almost childlike by comparison. He did not want Disney to get involved, but he was getting a lot of pressure to weigh in against the bill, DeSantis writes. If signed by DeSantis, the bill would prohibit discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools up to the third grade and limits it to age-appropriate students in higher grades. We need you to be there for us when it is hard and when it counts.. CEO Bob Chapek is less willing than Bob Iger to take public political stands including LGBTQ (The PAC splits its gifts equally between the parties.) ABC Newsrecently suspended veteran Washington correspondent David Wright for remarks he made that were captured on video byProject Veritas. 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. According to one attendee, Chapek conceded that Disneys silence wasnt just about Florida. Copyright 2021, Launchpad Digital Network, LLC. News of the postponement came as Disney CEO Bob Chapek conducted a town hall meeting for all employeesMonday. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Someone will be now, though. The other way that Disney got hit from the left and right happened last week. https://1792exchange.com/spotlightreports/. Disney has since stated it will no longer donate to political campaigns. 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.. I feel that the truth suffers, the voters are poorly informed, and people also have the opportunity to tune into whatever they want to hear, Wright said in the video, which also featured an ABCNews producer. (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images). John Oliver Calls Bob Chapeks Explanation For Disney Donations To Dont Say Gay Politicians Actively Insulting. ABC News declined to comment when reached by Fox News. We have a multi-language translator on the top left. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community, he wrote. Robert Chapek. Ousted Disney chief executive Bob Chapek is set to receive a hefty paycheck following his exit. While Chapek was positive and largely avoided Danhofs criticism, his comment that Wrights objectivity is questionable coincides with the networks decision to suspend the veteran reporter. The nearly century-old company has been dragged for becoming too politically correct, famously clashing with Republican In addition to pledging to enlist an outside adviser to guide the companys efforts, Chapek also is creating a companywide task force led by studios SVP Global Communications Paul Roeder and Disney Parks marketing executive Lisa Becket. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company from 2020 to 2022. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Bill Mahers Real Time Questions The Paths Taken By Disney, TLC, A&E & History Channel. Ron DeSantis said he advised former Disney CEO Bob Chapek to stay out of a political battle over legislation in his state limiting discussion of sex and gender in public schools, according to the Republican's forthcoming book. Disney named Chapek the new CEO last month after Iger abruptly stepped down. "Im totally fine with reining in corporations, I think theyre too many billionaires, and I think theres a wealth gap thats a problem. The Mickey-Shaped Treats Trending Right Now! WebCanada Disney CEO Bob Chapek Apologizes to LGBTQ Employees, Announces Pause for Political Donations in Florida variety This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast 29K 7 1.6K Related Topics Politics 1.6K comments Best AutoModerator 1 yr. ago As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion. 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. Specialty Preview, Ozy Media Closes In Wake Of Founder Carlos Watson Scandal, TikTok Introduces New Feature To Limit Screen Time For Teens, Prolific Actor Dies At 61 After Aneurysm; Hollywood Reax + Career In Photos, Eyes $51M+ Opening In U.S., A Record For Rocky Spinoff Franchise & Amazon, SAG-AFTRA And Casting Directors Weigh In On Self-Tape Controversy, Oscar Winner Guillermo del Toro On The Films That Lit His Fuse. Amid the melee, DeSantis issued a warning over Disney getting involved in the legislation. Contribution Initially, complaints arose about the fact that Disney wasnt letting the drill team wear their headdresses. We want to hear from you! We are hard at work creating a new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values. 02:35. If Disney had merely maintained the status quo, a multi-coastal business operation, none of these headlines would dominate the media. Disney employees skew toward the pro-vaccine and anti-Dont Say Gay side, which is California, not Florida. The pressure from the WOKE cancel culture was vicious. Still, if the economy ever suddenly suffered a setback, this unforced error would magnify in scope. Abbott issued an order, which was blocked by a state judge, to have parents investigated for potential child abuse charges if their transgender children receive hormone blockers. Disneys decision to fold under the pressure of the lying-Left is disappointing..