Prior to 2016, Bob Igers political party was Democratic Independent (2016present). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In "The Courage to Be Free," the governor describes a conversation with former CEO Bob Chapek about Disney's political activities. "Heres a suggestion for Disney CEO Bob Chapek: Get back to business, that is, excellence in storytelling, and stop wasting shareholders' money on political crusades that have nothing to do with Disneys business," Keating told Fox News Digital. 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 lied and supported the victimization of children. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Were all familiar with the maxim that the sum is greater than the parts. Additionally, the outbreak continues to threaten the global economy and worldwide travel. Chapek is in the third-year of a three-year contract as CEO that expires in February. John Oliver Calls Bob Chapeks Explanation For Disney Donations To Dont Say Gay Politicians Actively Insulting. ", Nothing in the Florida legislation itself mentions the word gay. Disney hasnt brought back all its union-based performers yet, although it has taken recent steps to do so. REUTERS. 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. But Im an ally you can count on, and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility and opportunity you deserve.. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Chapek has been overseeing the company's parks, experiences and products division since those divisions were combined in 2018. These cast members were already reticent to uproot their lives for Disney. And I think thats a world we should all live in harmony and peace., Disney+ Tops 100 Million Subscribers , CEO Bob Chapek Says. The company has also given more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. Chapek and his team had decided that Florida made more sense as a home base. The Human Rights Campaign echoed Pixar staff on the political contributions issue and said it wouldnt accept the donation, putting egg on Disneys face. 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. Chapek took on the role of CEO back in February of 2020 from Bob Iger, right before the entire world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapek absolutely should have spoken with her first. 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, And today we are opposing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.. Chapek didnt speak to the Carano incident directly but said Disney stands for values that are universal: respect, decency, integrity and inclusion and we seek to have the content that we make reflective of the rich diversity of the world we live in. 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. 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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek is facing a crisis of confidence in his leadership that is fueling an atypical level of turmoil at the top of the worlds largest entertainment company.. Many of the workers who have agreed to go to Florida remain in California for the time being. 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.. 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. If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy., Biden had tweeted his opposition to legislation designed to attack LGBTQI+ kids.. While Chapek said he spoke with DeSantis by phone and would meet with him, DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw said Thursday no in-person meeting had been scheduled. 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. DeSantis wrotethat Chapek and Disney ultimately caved to leftist media and activist pressure and pressed the false narrative against the bill.. FLORIDIOT: DeSantis Disney lackey thinks tap water makes you gay. 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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently responded to accusations of a company double standard during the Q&A portion of Disneys annual shareholder meeting.One shareholder held that Gina Carano was fired due to her conservative views, rather than the offensive nature of her fateful post, noting, as others have, that left-leaning co-star Pedro As a new CEO, he was easily victimized. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Michael Arnold. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The Parental Rights in Education bill has passed the Florida Legislature and awaits the signature of Gov. (It was fully repealed in December 2020. this site provides a list of businesses that are too woke and could cancel a client or a contract just for ones opinions on LGBTQ or race or something like that. Bob Chapek was initially silent on Floridas controversial bill barring discussions of gender identity in school classrooms. "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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek downplayed criticism of ABC News. Conversely, Chapek believes that his best approach is to avoid politics altogether, a legitimate impossibility for a company like Disney. Earlier in the week, Chapek said DeSantis had agreed to meet with him to ensure the bill wouldnt be weaponized against the LGBTQ community. With Jobs, Iger said he "was never disappointed" with Disney's integration of Pixar. If Disney had merely maintained the status quo, a multi-coastal business operation, none of these headlines would dominate the media. New Trailer Drops For Olaf Short Once Upon A Snowman, Wine Bar George at Disney Springs Offering Brunch Starting March 30th. 02:12. 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. DeSantis, a rumored 2024 presidential hopeful, has not yet announced if he will run. It fit into the larger corporate campaign known as Reimagine Tomorrow, which aims to emphasize Disneys commitment to diversity and inclusion. He was the The Florida bill hasnt factored into investors views as of yet, though the companys stock has been languishing near a 52-week low. Greg Abbott on a different front. 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. Employees were walking out in protest and ranting to the media. Chapek allegedly told him he didnt want to get involved but hadnt seen anything like it, but thats not what he said in public. This site uses different types of cookies. "If I werent a shareholder, Id find it amusing. Iger also discussed his strategy around buying animation studio Pixar, comic book and action hero company Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm, home of Star Wars. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has had private phone calls this year with House Republican leaders including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. 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. So, Disney purchased nearly 60 acres of land in Lake Nona, Florida. 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. "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. He then transitioned to the company's consumer products team in 2011 as president of Disney consumer products. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. Here are CEO Bob Chapeks worst five mistakes thus far. Now, you could argue that inflation is real during the pandemic. ABC News anchor caught on hot mic claiming network killed Jeffery Epstein bombshell. The task force will develop strategy and action plans to engage with LGBTQ+ employees, community partners and content creators. 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. Some folks took offense at that, which isdefinitely a take. 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. "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. The email said a member of his staff would hand-deliver a copy of the bill to Disneys Orlando headquarters and asked for gas money to get him there. 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. I thought of this belief in combination with the recent political dust-up Disney experienced. It sounds about right. However, its not what Chapek said at the time. Period. Iger credited his ability to get founders to sell him assets to his intense focus on building personal relationships. 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. We get pressured all the time, Chapek told DeSantis, according to the governors book. Periodically, we must employ comment moderation due to an influx of spammers. Home; Video; Trump Investigations; Right Wing Extremism; Opinion; Impeachment; Corruption; Foreign Policy; Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Political Campaign Contributions. Kathleen Kennedy Cites Impact Of Women, Artists Of Color And LGBTQ On Industry Amid Disney Dont Say Gay Backlash PGA Awards. What I suspect is that the people who formerly approved such shows arent with the company now.