We cant say if he told DeSantis, but why wouldnt he tell him? 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. Bob Chapek "Mr. Chapek seems content to stick his head in the sand when it comes to the pervasive anti-conservative bias across ABC News, just as his predecessor Mr. Iger always was. Thats not even a dig on Chapek. Chapek had apologized multiple times to the LGBTQ community and vowed to suspend all political donations in Florida as a result. I think change, I think generally speaking, change is good. Bob Chapek 02:12. Dave Filoni Answers, Relieve the Battle of Hoth With This Star Wars Mystery Pin Set, Dining / Disney California Adventure / Disneyland, Must-Try Menu Items at Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. Got a confidential news tip? The Democrat Party was visibly angry, and the media spread lies about the bill being a Dont Say Gay bill. 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. Chapek and his team had decided that Florida made more sense as a home base. Bob Chapek The pressure from the WOKE cancel culture was vicious. As such, he should have known how Hollywood works. Danhof, who has shown up to Disney shareholder meetings to ask fiery questions in the past, told Chapek that he had been imploring former CEO Bob Iger to address ABC News issues for years. 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. I am sorry. Heinz, and in advertising at J. Walter Thompson. 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. The political mistake ties back to a previous choice. Disney has intentionally left some fans behind, but it may need them later. The company has also given more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. CEO Denies Political Leanings Following Gina Carano Florida Gov. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. 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. Contribution Chapek cared too much about his needs and not enough about those of others. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. 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. The nearly century-old company has been dragged for becoming too politically correct, famously clashing with Republican Im with the President on this! Igerwrote. "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. Unfortunately, theresnothing inclusive about the Dont Say Gay bill. Before joining Disney, Chapek worked in brand management at ketchup maker H.J. Then, the CEO found himself in a public spat with Floridas governor, who recognized an opportunity to score cheap political points off Disney. Bob Chapek Of course, nobody does that unless they understand political machinations. Shares of the company fell less than 2% in extending trading Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/OWsGTUoeCA, Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) March 29, 2022, SCOOP: Ive obtained video from inside Disneys all-hands meeting about the Florida parental rights bill, in which executive producer Latoya Raveneau says her team has implemented a not-at-all-secret gay agenda and is regularly adding queerness to childrens programming. And if that doesnt happen, to get these bills repealed, she added. Chapek has a career as an American media executive. Chapek responded by saying that his very first trip after being named the new CEO was to visit ABC News. Disney CEO Bob Iger, Here are Disney's major milestones under Bob Iger's leadership, Iger had repeatedly pushed off his retirement. 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? Bob Chapek was born Robert Alan Chapek on August 21, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. 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, 2023 CNBC LLC. 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. Copyright 2021, Launchpad Digital Network, LLC. After two tumultuous years, on November 20, Iger stepped back into the spotlight and Chapek was out. New York CNN . 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. 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. Beliefs like that hurt the brand. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. 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.. Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. While the Walt Disney Company and its executives had a right to indulge in woke activism, Florida did not have to place the company on a pedestal while they do so especially when the companys activism impacted the rights of parents and the well-being of children, DeSantis added. The task force will develop strategy and action plans to engage with LGBTQ+ employees, community partners and content creators. When Chapek took the job as head of Disney, critics lamented his lack of experience with the Hollywood studio system. Chapek seems content to stick his head in the sand when it comes to the pervasive anti-conservative bias across ABC News, just as his predecessor Mr. Iger always was. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Robert Chapek - $11,106 in Political Contributions for 2016 Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek apologized to employees at the company for the companys handling of Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay bill and said that it would Instead, DeSantis blasted the company as woke and in bed with Chinese communists at an exclusive event publicized on Fox News. 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.". All Rights Reserved. "Bob [Chapek] is going to address them probably differently perhaps than I may have. It states that "classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.". And today we are opposing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.. 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. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. But this time is different. In totality, its one problematic mistake, though. Chapek has been overseeing the company's parks, experiences and products division since those divisions were combined in 2018. Pushaw did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. Bob Chapek document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. We want to hear from you! "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. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Disney did not return requests for comment. News Analysis. By Laurn Alexa | Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 12:02pm 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. Abbott issued an order, which was blocked by a state judge, to have parents investigated for potential child abuse charges if their transgender children receive hormone blockers. A Complete Timeline of the Battle Between Gov. Ron DeSantis and 02:35. 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. Ron DeSantis, who accused the company of being woke a day earlier for opposing the bill. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. In November 2022, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger announced he was replacing Chapek after two years away from the company. Chapek was replaced by longtime CEO Bob Iger in late 2022. We are hard at work creating a new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values. All rights reserved. Political Party Stances; 51% : Florida Gov. Disney CEO Bob Chapek prepares for GOP to become majority in (It was fully repealed in December 2020. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Its bad for business and even worse for the Disney brand. ABC Newsrecently suspended veteran Washington correspondent David Wright for remarks he made that were captured on video byProject Veritas. Earlier in the week, Chapek said DeSantis had agreed to meet with him to ensure the bill wouldnt be weaponized against the LGBTQ community. So, Disney purchased nearly 60 acres of land in Lake Nona, Florida. Robert ChapekPolitical Campaign Contributions2016 Election Cycle. Disney Chairman Bob Iger is leaving the company at the end of the month. But DeSantis pushed on, signing a law to strip Disney World of its Reedy Creek control on Monday. Bob Chapek "I am sorry. All Rights Reserved. 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 Many of the calls Most of the decisions appear understandable in isolation. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. What about the Disney black list? he asked. He knew how to grow the business while adjusting to the changing marketplace, which was intense." All Rights Reserved. Bob Chapek The Human Rights Campaign echoed Pixar staff on the political contributions issue and said it wouldnt accept the donation, putting egg on Disneys face. 2016 www.independentsentinel.com. WebBob Chapek. Here are Disney's major milestones under Bob Iger's leadership. HRC Responds to Disney CEO Bob Chapek Pause on Political Ron DeSantis over the pressure he was facing to weigh in against Floridas Parental Rights Education bill, known as the Dont Say Gay bill, according to DeSantis new memoir. The bias is blatant. The other way that Disney got hit from the left and right happened last week. We want to hear from you. And Laurene and Steve and [Iger's wife] Willow [Bay] and I sat down at a dinner, and he toasted to the deal we had done some years earlier, convinced that it was the right thing to do for Disney and for Pixar. Disney chief executive Bob Chapek speaks during a ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015, at Hong Kong Disneyland. Some folks took offense at that, which isdefinitely a take. HERITAGE ACTION CALLS OUT DISNEY: 'IT REALLY IS A WOKE WORLD AFTER ALL', "We all have the right to have our voices heard on issues, but not on the shareholders dime.". He agreed that the company should stand up more for the LGBTQ+ community in pursuit of more meaningful and lasting change. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Iger said he's felt himself become increasingly dismissive of other people's ideas, a sign he should let someone else lead Disney. Disney allowed the drill team to perform based on an audition tape it had sent. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to Florida Gov. 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. Bob Chapek - Wikipedia All rights reserved. This choice cost her tens of millions of dollars, as her contract rewarded her with a split of box office revenue. He then transitioned to the company's consumer products team in 2011 as president of Disney consumer products. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. If Disney had merely maintained the status quo, a multi-coastal business operation, none of these headlines would dominate the media. Ron] Desantis desk vetoed. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Legal Statement. As the controversy over the Parental Rights in Education bill was coming to a head, Chapek called me. 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.. A recent CNBC article referenced Chapeks perceived lack of emotional intelligence. Bob Chapek at the Pinocchio premiere in December 2022. All Rights Reserved. Disney is still evil and still pushing CRT. "It's development of a relationship," Iger said. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. DeSantis published the conversation with Chapek in his memoir, The Courage to be Free: Floridas Blueprint for American Revival, shared with Fox News Digital. You can look at the comments section for any Disney discussion, and its an inevitable statement from some. If you dont see your language, email sara@independentsentinel.com we will add it. And so, its like theres no upside, or our bosses dont see an upside in doing the job were supposed to do, which is to speak truth to power and hold people accountable.. Now, you could argue that inflation is real during the pandemic. What Is Bob Chapek Political Party? But that's neither good nor bad. Disney shareholder tells CEO Chapek to stop wasting money on What Is Bob Chapek Political Party? - vimbuzz.com 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 Bob Chapek Political Party watch now. DeSantis cements takeover of Disney's special Florida district, Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. November 21, 2022 by Mary Bob Chapek was born Robert Alan Chapek on August 21, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It fit into the larger corporate campaign known as Reimagine Tomorrow, which aims to emphasize Disneys commitment to diversity and inclusion. ABC News anchor caught on hot mic claiming network killed Jeffery Epstein bombshell. 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. In that role, he reorganized the business to cut costs and oversaw a number of popular toy crazes from franchises like "Frozen.". Disneys queer characters wont hide its funding of real villains While Iger didn't speak about specific decisions, he said he was increasingly invalidating points from co-workers because he'd "heard every argument before." Even so, Disney has strengthened the belief that its park price increases are out of control. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. They allegedly alsomade the workplace environment hostile. In addition to pausing political donations to all Florida state representatives pending a review, Chapek also told employees in a company-wide memo that Disney would increase its support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states and is working on a new framework for its political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values.. In addition to addressing Disney directly, Madison also acknowledged that the issue is much larger than the single company. October 26, 2021 at 5:36 The website cannot function properly without these cookies. 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 VIDEO 3:58 03:58. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the Eau Gallie High School aviation hangar on March 22, 2021. 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. Everyone was attacking Governor DeSantis with bald-faced lies, and he was the one who stood for what he believed. To my fellow colleagues, but especially our LGBTQ+ community, thank you to all who have reached out to me sharing your pain, frustration and sadness over the companys response to the Florida Dont Say Gay bill, Chapek said in his letter. With Jobs, Iger said he "was never disappointed" with Disney's integration of Pixar. At the time, I dismissed those concerns, as Chapek had headed Disneys lucrative home video division. 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. (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images) Under pressure from LGBTQ activists and progressive employees some of whom who have walked out of the job in protest 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. "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. Disney employees skew toward the pro-vaccine and anti-Dont Say Gay side, which is California, not Florida. March 7th, 2022 Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek comments further on the matter via an internal Disney memo. 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.. Ray Keating, an economist and editor of DisneyBizJournal.com, said when companies dive into politics, it rarely turns out and well. "Im totally fine with reining in corporations, I think theyre too many billionaires, and I think theres a wealth gap thats a problem. 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. 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. Conversely, Chapek believes that his best approach is to avoid politics altogether, a legitimate impossibility for a company like Disney. Prior to working at the parks, Chapek led Disney's home entertainment business starting in 2009 and led the organization to record-setting performances. 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. He has a microbiology degree from Indiana University Bloomington and received his MBA from Michigan State University. He will be the seventh CEO in Disney's nearly 100-year history. 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.. I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community, he wrote. Home; Video; Trump Investigations; Right Wing Extremism; Opinion; Impeachment; Corruption; Foreign Policy; "Floridas HB 1557, also known as the Dont Say Gay bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the Disney statement said. John Oliver Calls Bob Chapeks Explanation For Disney Donations To Dont Say Gay Politicians Actively Insulting. Bob Chapek During the pandemic, Disney has ramped up its usage of high school performers at theme parks, especially Magic Kingdom. ABC News anchor Amy Robach was recorded on a hot mic claiming the network spiked a story exposing Jeffrey Epstein three years ago.