This website uses cookies to improve your experience. As you might imagine, some of them are LGBTQ+ or friends/family members of those who are. 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. 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. Bob Chapek Political Party This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Many speculated about Bob Igers future plans after his shocking decision to resign as CEO of The Walt Disney Company in February, including whether he intended to run for president. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Earlier in the week, Chapek said DeSantis had agreed to meet with him to ensure the bill wouldnt be weaponized against the LGBTQ community. The controversial Project Veritas is the same group that published footage of ABC anchor Amy Robach claiming ABC News executives killeda story that would have exposed the now-deceased sex offenderJeffrey Epsteinthree years ago. Chapek had apologized multiple times to the LGBTQ community and vowed to suspend all political donations in Florida as a result. Bob Chapek Everyone knew that was a lie. Bob Chapek was tapped on Tuesday to succeed long-time Disney CEO Bob Iger. Bob Chapek's time as the CEO of Disney has been tumultuous, to say the least. Still, DeSantis has continued to claim that Chapeks opposition is only because he hadnt bothered to read the bill, according to a DeSantis campaign email sent Thursday. DeSantis wrotethat Chapek and Disney ultimately caved to leftist media and activist pressure and pressed the false narrative against the bill.. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. "I became a little bit more dismissive of other people's opinions than I should have been," said Iger. Market data provided byFactset. DeSantis signs bill stripping Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. Bob Chapek - Wikipedia Chapek is credited for bringing Disney's home entertainment division into the digital ag The bias is blatant.. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images). Everyone was attacking Governor DeSantis with bald-faced lies, and he was the one who stood for what he believed. Occupy Democrats is a political organization and information website that provides a new counterbalance to the Republican Tea Party. Iger also discussed his strategy around buying animation studio Pixar, comic book and action hero company Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm, home of Star Wars. Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. VIDEO 3:58 03:58. However, one of them provedregrettable. At the time, I dismissed those concerns, as Chapek had headed Disneys lucrative home video division. Labeledby opponentsas the Dont Say Gay bill, the legislation effectively bans discussion or teaching about the LGBTQ+ community and sexual orientation or gender identity in the states public school system from kindergarten to the third grade. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In November 2022, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger announced he was replacing Chapek after two years away from the company. Ex-Disney CEO Chapek griped to DeSantis about 'pressure' to slam The thought process here stems from the high cost of real estate in California relative to Florida. Political Campaign Contributions. Bob Chapek Whether Disney CEO Bob Chapek had considered this before multiple shareholders pressed him about this bill this week during Disneys annual investors call isnt clear. Asked about Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, Chapek said he is absolutely thrilled with her and the company looks forward to having Kathy directing the activities of the entire Lucasfilm operation for many years to come.. By Laurn Alexa | Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 12:02pm When everything is fine, but you unintentionally create your own drama, thats a sign that youre your own worst enemy. But DeSantis pushed on, signing a law to strip Disney World of its Reedy Creek control on Monday. Earlier this month, in an email to employees, Chapek apologized to workers for letting you down by not being more of an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. You will be redirected back to your article in, Paramount To Pay $122.5M To Settle 2019 Shareholder Lawsuit Over Viacom-CBS Merger, Film Independent Spirit Awards: Livestream + Latest Winners List, posted stellar financial results in February, 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. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. 02:12. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Still, if the economy ever suddenly suffered a setback, this unforced error would magnify in scope. When Chapek took the job as head of Disney, critics lamented his lack of experience with the Hollywood studio system. As many of its LGBTQ+ employees get set for a full-day walkout Tuesday, Disney has decided to postpone a management retreat set for next week as it continues efforts to calm internal waters. He said the company was increasing support for advocacy At Corporate Pep Rally, Disney CEO Pitches Warmer, Fuzzier Side I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community, he wrote. All rights reserved. ", Nothing in the Florida legislation itself mentions the word gay. Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. Disney allowed the drill team to perform based on an audition tape it had sent. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Apparently, a Texas high school doesnt know what year it is and still performs a routine featuring Indianettes.. Everything else is justifiable. I can assure you of that. Bob Iger, the former Disney CEO whose decades-long tenure at the company ended in December, tweeted his opposition to the legislation weeks ago. 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. Legal Statement. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. Pushaw did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. Disney CEO Bob Chapek admitted at Disneys 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders that he had been actively opposing the bill through back channels despite previously sending out an email to his employees claiming the company would not be taking a stance on the bill. The bias is blatant. Chapek On Monday, Disney and CEO Bob Chapek sent an internal memo following reports that the company had donated thousands of dollars to Florida representatives Bob 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 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. This year, Mr. Chapek contended with one crisis after another, some of his own making. Bob Chapek Wright then expounded at length on his political views. 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?. 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. When you face challenges and screw up, thats totally understandable. 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. Disney has intentionally left some fans behind, but it may need them later. Wright was recently disciplined by higher-ups at ABC News. A Complete Timeline of the Battle Between Gov. Ron DeSantis and The streaming service launched in November. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. He lied and supported the victimization of children. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. 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. However, its not what Chapek said at the time. And, we are committed to creating a more inclusive company and world, Chapek wrote in a memo to staff in March 2022. We need you to be there for us when it is hard and when it counts.. The Human Rights Campaign echoed Pixar staff on the political contributions issue and said it wouldnt accept the donation, putting egg on Disneys face. 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. That philosophy applies to Disneys park behavior during the pandemic as well. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. It should never have reached that point, though. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. Chapek began his Disney career in 1993 as the marketing director for the company's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division, which at that time was focused on VHS tapes. Disney CEO Told DeSantis He Didnt Want to Do It. All Rights Reserved. Florida Gov. "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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. That explains the inconsistency. Disney has gotten too expensive.. Bob Chapek at the Pinocchio premiere in December 2022.