The award winning agents at MickeyTravels are ready to help you book a truly magical vacation! 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. Park officials reeeeeaaally dont want headlines with racist chant in them. Its gut-check time for every CEO and company [in] America. Who would have ever thought Walts dream would be so screwed up. In "The Courage to Be Free," the governor describes a conversation with former CEO Bob Chapek about Disney's political activities. The bill bars teachers from discussingLGBTQtopics like sexual orientation or gender identity with students until after third grade. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. Ron DeSantis. Its only temporary and has nothing to do with the content of the comments. We cant say if he told DeSantis, but why wouldnt he tell him? Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. ", Florida Gov. 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. According to one attendee, Chapek conceded that Disneys silence wasnt just about Florida. Disneys CEO transition from Bob Iger to Bob Chapek marked a shift from an outspoken, famous CEO with political ambitions, to a largely unfamiliar name whose 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. A roundtable of eight Disney employees who represented many aspects of the LGBTQ+ community also shared their perspectives during the town hall. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Chapek is a liar. Wright then expounded at length on his political views. DeSantis backs down from his commitment to doing whats best for Floridas children and parents. News of the postponement came as Disney CEO Bob Chapek conducted a town hall meeting for all employeesMonday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Then, the CEO found himself in a public spat with Floridas governor, who recognized an opportunity to score cheap political points off Disney. Kathleen Kennedy Cites Impact Of Women, Artists Of Color And LGBTQ On Industry Amid Disney Dont Say Gay Backlash PGA Awards. Florida Gov. 2016 Election Cycle. He was the executive, he executes policy, no one else. All Disney employees were invited to attend the town hall this morning, which Deadline was told was part of an ongoing conversation series that began in 2020. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. 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. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. The company has also given more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. "Im totally fine with reining in corporations, I think theyre too many billionaires, and I think theres a wealth gap thats a problem. All rights reserved. Most of the decisions appear understandable in isolation. 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.. The thought process here stems from the high cost of real estate in California relative to Florida. Then, Chapek prioritized Disney+ as the core business model for the entire company. Despite the acrimony this month and a rare public clash last summer with an A-list star, Scarlett Johansson the company has been rebuilding after the depths of the pandemic and posted stellar financial results in February for its most recent quarter. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. It closed todays trading at $138.62, down 1%. Questionable decision-making and actions by Disney post-covid may be why a petition to fire Bob Chapek has been brought to fruition. "Parks is the only business they have, before [streaming], that's direct to consumer.". But as he reflected on his answers, he realized "times change," and said he was saying no too quickly. Disney allowed the drill team to perform based on an audition tape it had sent. After two tumultuous years, on November 20, Iger stepped back into the spotlight and Chapek was out. Chapek's was named chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in 2015 and his tenure was marked by the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016, the doubling of the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the addition of immersive Star Wars lands at Disneyland and Disney World, the expansion of Marvel-inspired attractions worldwide and massive development projects at Disneyland Paris. Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. ABC NEWS SUSPENDS DAVID WRIGHT FOR REMARKS MADE IN PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO. At this point, I felt confident he knew what he was doing because that was the right move. 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. 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. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. He will officially give up his chairman role at the end of the year. 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. It sounds about right. 02:12. Its bad for business and even worse for the Disney brand. On top of the stock woes, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has become a punching bag for cultural critics. The segment includes Disney's travel and leisure businesses, including six resort destinations and a cruise line, its consumer products operations, including all of its licensing of apparel, toys, home goods, digital games, apps, publishing and retail locations, as well as all of its theme parks globally. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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.) Iger decided to remain as chairman for nearly the past two years after giving up his CEO role to Chapek in February 2020. What about the Disney black list? he asked. (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images) Under pressure from LGBTQ activists and progressive employees some of whom who have walked out of the job in protest Michael Arnold. "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. So, Disney had to do many of these things, and I would agree with you. The tech companies and entertainment companies here who have an influential presence across the country and around the world have an important role to play in fighting state-sanctioned discrimination wherever it exists., Madison said the country is at a tipping point, similar to the 2016 HB2 anti-trans bathroom legislation, or the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, in North Carolina and pointed to how companies that refused to expand business in the state, they pulled out of conferences, they canceled events impacted the fate of that bill. Chapek wrapped up the session and thanked all of the participants. REUTERS. 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.. By Laurn Alexa | Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 12:02pm (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images). What I suspect is that the people who formerly approved such shows arent with the company now. Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. Here are CEO Bob Chapeks worst five mistakes thus far. In addition to addressing Disney directly, Madison also acknowledged that the issue is much larger than the single company. 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. 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. It should never have reached that point, though. It sounds about right. Many of the calls I am sorry. 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. Disney this week said it will work to repeal the legislation in Florida because it's dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of the LGBTQ+ community. "Parks is a business where they use data to drive pricing and engagement," Nathanson said. "Over time, I started listening less and maybe with a little less tolerance of other people's opinions, maybe because of getting a little bit more overconfident in my own, which is sometimes what happens when you get built up," Iger told CNBC's David Faber in an exclusive interview. Chapeks statement comes after a week of criticism from fans and employees about his delayed reaction to the bill, which he opposed only after it passed both houses of the Legislature and was sent to DeSantis for his signature. With Jobs, Iger said he "was never disappointed" with Disney's integration of Pixar. FLORIDIOT: DeSantis Disney lackey thinks tap water makes you gay. Prior to 2016, Bob Igers political party was Democratic Independent (2016present). He has a microbiology degree from Indiana University Bloomington and received his MBA from Michigan State University. But Im an ally you can count on, and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility and opportunity you deserve.. ", FLORIDA REPUBLICANS CONDEMN 'WOKE' DISNEY, URGE MORE BOYCOTTS BY CONSERVATIVES AGAINST THE 'ACTIVIST MACHINE'. ABC News declined to comment when reached by Fox News. If Disney had merely maintained the status quo, a multi-coastal business operation, none of these headlines would dominate the media. The Mickey-Shaped Treats Trending Right Now! That explains the inconsistency. Disney did not return requests for comment. All Rights Reserved. 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.. He is the guilty party. Copyright 2021, Launchpad Digital Network, LLC. Chapek's promotion comes at a time when Disney is facing challenges from the global coronavirus outbreak. According to Fox News, in his book, The Courage to Be Free: Floridas Blueprint for American Revival,which will be released Tuesday, DeSantis recounts a private conversation he had last year with Chapek, who had stayed silent on the bill. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Bob Iger, the former Disney CEO whose decades-long tenure at the company ended in December, tweeted his opposition to the legislation weeks ago. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Robert Chapek. Pushaw did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. 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. DeSantis published the conversation with Chapek in his memoir, The Courage to be Free: Floridas Blueprint for American Revival, shared with Fox News Digital.