"Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. Ron DeSantis. I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community, he wrote. This priority caused him to lose sight of the challenges in working with Hollywood talents. Thanks to a reportedly massive payment Disney sent to Johansson, the two parties have since made up. Original story, Wednesday morning: Disney CEO Bob Chapek said during the companys shareholders meeting on Wednesday that he will be meeting with Florida Gov. "Parks is a business where they use data to drive pricing and engagement," Nathanson said. Disney named Chapek the new CEO last month after Iger abruptly stepped down. They left for other gigs. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Disney CEO Bob Chapek gets close to GOP lawmakers ahead of In November 2022, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger announced he was replacing Chapek after two years away from the company. 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. I think change, I think generally speaking, change is good. Robert Chapek. New Trailer Drops For Olaf Short Once Upon A Snowman, Wine Bar George at Disney Springs Offering Brunch Starting March 30th. DeSantis published the conversation with Chapek in his memoir, The Courage to be Free: Floridas Blueprint for American Revival, shared with Fox News Digital. All Rights Reserved. I feel terrible about it. 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. "His history in all the divisions that really matter really is very supportive of him taking on that role. Republicans argued the bill protects parental rights, while Democrats and LGBTQ groups contend it was intentionally vague and could have a chilling effect on teachers and students. The bias is blatant. The other way that Disney got hit from the left and right happened last week. I can assure you of that. Disneys decision to fold under the pressure of the lying-Left is disappointing.. 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. "That was an early sign that it was time. As such, he should have known how Hollywood works. The Democrat Party was visibly angry, and the media spread lies about the bill being a Dont Say Gay bill. Disney CEO Bob Chapek now claims he wants the company to be everything for everyone after he caved to the woke mob and fought the anti-grooming law in Florida. Of course, nobody does that unless they understand political machinations. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. 2016 Election Cycle. ABC NEWS SUSPENDS DAVID WRIGHT FOR REMARKS MADE IN PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO. Michael Arnold. "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. Unfortunately, theresnothing inclusive about the Dont Say Gay bill. Occupy Democrats is a political organization and information website that provides a new counterbalance to the Republican Tea Party. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. 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.. Chapek has not commented on the DeSantis report. A recent CNBC article referenced Chapeks perceived lack of emotional intelligence. 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. Political Campaign Contributions. 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. Human Rights Campaign interim president Joni Madison says the LGBTQ organization has already been in touch with Bob Chapek after the Disney CEO committed to pausing all political donations in Florida following internal backlash over its initial silence around the Dont Say Gay bill. What about the Disney black list? he asked. 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? Its only temporary and has nothing to do with the content of the comments. https://1792exchange.com/spotlightreports/. The pressure from the WOKE cancel culture was vicious. FAQ - New Privacy Policy, New York Posts Karol Markowicz discusses how Disney is pushing back against Floridas parental rights bill and how she is quitting the park on Fox Business Tonight.. 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. "Bob's legacy in the company is just profound. 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. 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. Iger also discussed his strategy around buying animation studio Pixar, comic book and action hero company Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm, home of Star Wars. As you might imagine, some of them are LGBTQ+ or friends/family members of those who are. He agreed that the company should stand up more for the LGBTQ+ community in pursuit of more meaningful and lasting change. If you dont see your language, email sara@independentsentinel.com we will add it. 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.) "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. 2023 CNBC LLC. He said the company was increasing support for advocacy Its just a bit more subtle. This is not just about Bob Chapek and Disney, she told the audience. Parents would be able to sue school districts over the issue. 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. Iger will assume the role of executive chairman. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Chapek's promotion comes at a time when Disney is facing challenges from the global coronavirus outbreak. "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. Chapek has a career as an American media executive. The Wrap has reported that Imagineers have campaigned for Disney to reconsider. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is calling out former Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek. When everything is fine, but you unintentionally create your own drama, thats a sign that youre your own worst enemy. 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. 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.". Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. 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. 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. Chapek added, there is so much more work to be done and said he would continue to engage with the LGBTQ community in the coming weeks. Legal Statement. He lied and supported the victimization of children. Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. 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. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. 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. And, we are committed to creating a more inclusive company and world, Chapek wrote in a memo to staff in March 2022. 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. As a new CEO, he was easily victimized. ABC NEWS' AMY ROBACH CAUGHT ON HOT MIC SAYING NETWORK SPIKED HER EPSTEIN BOMBSHELL, Danhof asked Chapek directly, What steps can you take to return objectivity to ABC and when can we expect to see balanced coverage return?. Bob Iger, the former Disney CEO whose decades-long tenure at the company ended in December, tweeted his opposition to the legislation weeks ago. 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. Iger sat down for an exclusive interview with CNBC's David Faber. Bob Chapek was initially silent on Floridas controversial bill barring discussions of gender identity in school classrooms. 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. Management has altered some aspects of the Disney vacation experience as a tactic to overcome the unprecedented challenges of March 2020 through today. That philosophy applies to Disneys park behavior during the pandemic as well. All rights reserved. During the pandemic, Disney has ramped up its usage of high school performers at theme parks, especially Magic Kingdom. Timing 'surprising' says senior analyst on Bob Iger stepping down. Then, Chapek prioritized Disney+ as the core business model for the entire company. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Not coincidentally, Chapeks naivet has already caused Disney to take shots from the left AND right on two different matters. 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. Bob Chapek at the Pinocchio premiere in December 2022. In a second memo to Disney workers, Chapek said Disney was suspending all political donations in Florida. "Bob is probably the best qualified person in the company to take this job," Michael Nathanson, senior research analyst at MoffettNathanson, said on CNBC's "Closing Bell" Tuesday. The task force will develop strategy and action plans to engage with LGBTQ+ employees, community partners and content creators. "I am sorry. New Disney CEO Bob Chapek was confronted by an investor about ongoing issues at ABC News on Wednesday, but the high-powered executive brushed off the criticism, and the investor then blasted him for having his "head in the sand when it comes to the pervasive anti-conservative bias across ABC News.". Bob Chapek's time as the CEO of Disney has been tumultuous, to say the least. Amid the melee, DeSantis issued a warning over Disney getting involved in the legislation. This performance should never have gone forward. 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. 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. Here are Disney's major milestones under Bob Iger's leadership. watch now. ", Nothing in the Florida legislation itself mentions the word gay. Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. He did not want Disney to get involved, but he was getting a lot of pressure to weigh in against the bill, DeSantis writes. Chapek absolutely should have spoken with her first. 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. Now, you could argue that inflation is real during the pandemic. The exec is continuing to try to put the company on more stable footing after its response to Floridas Dont Say Gay bill met with fierce backlash internally and in influential pockets of the talent community. After two tumultuous years, on November 20, Iger stepped back into the spotlight and Chapek was out. WebBob Chapek. Got a confidential news tip? or redistributed. 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. Bill Mahers Real Time Questions The Paths Taken By Disney, TLC, A&E & History Channel. Powered and implemented byFactSet Digital Solutions. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Bob Chapek was tapped on Tuesday to succeed long-time Disney CEO Bob Iger. Squawk Box. Here are CEO Bob Chapeks worst five mistakes thus far. The nearly century-old company has been dragged for becoming too politically correct, famously clashing with Republican 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. The award winning agents at MickeyTravels are ready to help you book a truly magical vacation! A growing number of participants in the retreat were expressing reluctance with pressing ahead given the climate at the company.