WATCH LIVE WATCH IN THE APP. Disney CEO Told DeSantis He Didnt Want to Do It Iger, 70, is leaving Disney after running the company from 2005 to 2020. TV. We are hard at work creating a new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values. Some folks took offense at that, which isdefinitely a take. When you face challenges and screw up, thats totally understandable. Disney employees skew toward the pro-vaccine and anti-Dont Say Gay side, which is California, not Florida. A roundtable of eight Disney employees who represented many aspects of the LGBTQ+ community also shared their perspectives during the town hall. As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com Disney has gotten too expensive.. I am sorry.. What Is Bob Chapek Political Party? - vimbuzz.com 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. 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.". Got a confidential news tip? Chapek is in the third-year of a three-year contract as CEO that expires in February. In addition to addressing Disney directly, Madison also acknowledged that the issue is much larger than the single company. 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. Pixar deal completed to show Disney employees it was a new day, says former CEO Bob Iger, Disney's Bob Iger: Leaving during Covid was unfortunate timing, Charley Gallay | Getty Images; Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images, App-based entertainment is replacing linear channels like traditional media, says fmr. Disney is still evil and still pushing CRT. He was the executive, he executes policy, no one else. Im with the President on this! Igerwrote. This priority caused him to lose sight of the challenges in working with Hollywood talents. "I became a little bit more dismissive of other people's opinions than I should have been," said Iger. In "The Courage to Be Free," the governor describes a conversation with former CEO Bob Chapek about Disney's political activities. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. CEO Denies Political Leanings Following Gina Carano Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was, Chapek wrote. Ron] Desantis desk vetoed. A Complete Timeline of the Battle Between Gov. Ron DeSantis and ", Nathanson said the selection of Chapek was not a surprise and a "win-win for the company.". The company did this after adding a Fifth Key last year, Inclusion. Robert Chapek - $11,106 in Political Contributions for 2016 DeSantis published the conversation with Chapek in his memoir, The Courage to be Free: Floridas Blueprint for American Revival, shared with Fox News Digital. "Bob [Chapek] is going to address them probably differently perhaps than I may have. Bob Chapek Staunchly Opposed To Politics, Will Not Comment Disney CEO Bob Chapek has had private phone calls this year with House Republican leaders including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. 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.. 02:12. He stepped down last year as CEO, succeeded by Bob Chapek, but has stayed on as chairman through the coronavirus pandemic. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. Bob Chapek (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images) Under pressure from LGBTQ activists and progressive employees some of whom who have walked out of the job in protest 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "If I werent a shareholder, Id find it amusing. 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. We want to hear from you. Amid the melee, DeSantis issued a warning over Disney getting involved in the legislation. Disney CEO Bob Chapek Says No Political Bias In Gina Carano pic.twitter.com/eJnZMpKIXT. With Jobs, Iger said he "was never disappointed" with Disney's integration of Pixar. All rights reserved. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. 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. Read More. Parents would be able to sue school districts over the issue. Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. The actress was let go from the popular Lucasfilm and Disney series on Disney+ after she took to social media to, as Lucasfilm described it, post abhorrent material that compared the current divided political climate in the U.S. to Nazi Germany. Bob Iger, the former Disney CEO whose decades-long tenure at the company ended in December, tweeted his opposition to the legislation weeks ago. 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.. And I think thats a world we should all live in harmony and peace., Disney+ Tops 100 Million Subscribers , CEO Bob Chapek Says. I feel terrible about it. ", WATCH: Disney's Bob Iger turns CEO job to Chapek. Disney did not return requests for comment. 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. Employees were walking out in protest and ranting to the media. This story has been shared 102,949 times. DeSantis signed the legislation into law this week that bars instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Bob Chapek - Wikipedia And if that doesnt happen, to get these bills repealed, she added. DeSantis cements takeover of Disney's special Florida district, Conversely, Chapek believes that his best approach is to avoid politics altogether, a legitimate impossibility for a company like Disney. ABC NEWS SUSPENDS DAVID WRIGHT FOR REMARKS MADE IN PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO. Many of them have led to price increases. Bob Chapek was tapped on Tuesday to succeed long-time Disney CEO Bob Iger. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "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. Disney CEO Bob Chapek gets close to GOP lawmakers ahead of That has become increasingly important as streaming video slowly replaces linear pay TV and movie theaters as the dominant form of entertainment distribution. 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. Ray Keating, an economist and editor of DisneyBizJournal.com, said when companies dive into politics, it rarely turns out and well. 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Disney chief executive Bob Chapek speaks during a ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015, at Hong Kong Disneyland. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images). Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. 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 All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Ron DeSantis over the pressure he was facing to weigh in against Floridas Parental Bill Mahers Real Time Questions The Paths Taken By Disney, TLC, A&E & History Channel. 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.. Disneys queer characters wont hide its funding of real villains 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. ABC News declined to comment when reached by Fox News. He states his positions situationally for his personal profit. In November 2022, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger announced he was replacing Chapek after two years away from the company. Of course, nobody does that unless they understand political machinations. This performance should never have gone forward. Disney CEO Bob Chapek prepares for GOP to become majority in After two tumultuous years, on November 20, Iger stepped back into the spotlight and Chapek was out. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In it, the Disney leader said the company had not released a public statement condemning the bill, which was passed by the state legislation Tuesday and has been sent to DeSantis desk to be signed, because they are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. REUTERS. Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies. 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. Then, Chapek prioritized Disney+ as the core business model for the entire company. In totality, its one problematic mistake, though. 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. 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. New York CNN . DeSantis in new book says Disney CEO complained of pressure So, Disney purchased nearly 60 acres of land in Lake Nona, Florida. During the town hall, Chapek repeated his expression of regret about the companys decision not to take a public stance against the bill, given the large number of its employees it affected. I was glad to speak to Bob yesterday afternoon, and we had a very productive conversation about the need for Disney to put real muscle into stopping whats happening to their employees and to their fans.. Bob Chapek By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. CEO Denies Political Leanings Following Gina Carano I think change, I think generally speaking, change is good. Chapek has been overseeing the company's parks, experiences and products division since those divisions were combined in 2018.