>> AFTER A SERIOUS BOX OFFICE
DISAPPOINTMENT -- SEVERAL OF
THEM -- AND AN EMBRACE OF WOKE
POSITIONS FOR PUSHING THE
COMPANY FURTHER TO THE LEFT, THE
NEWLY INSTATED CEO BOB IGER HAS
EXPRESSED REGRET THAT THE
COMPANY GOT INVOLVED IN THE
CULTURE WARS.
IGER HAS COME OUT OF RETIREMENT,
BACK AT DISNEY TO FIX THE
DAMAGED BRAND, SPOKE TO
EMPLOYEES IN A TOWN HALL WHERE
HE ADDRESSED DISNEY’S RECENT
CULTURAL AND POLITICAL
CONTROVERSIES THAT ARE GOLFING
THE COMPANY.
>> WILL DISNEY STAYING -- STAY
OUT OF MAKING POLITICAL
STATEMENTS?
>> I THINK THERE IS A
MISPERCEPTION ABOUT WHAT
POLITICS IS.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THE
SUBJECTS THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE
CONTROVERSIAL, AS IT RELATES TO
DISNEY, HAVE BEEN BRANDED
POLITICAL WITHOUT -- I DON’T
THINK WHEN YOU WERE TELLING
STORIES OR ATTEMPTING TO BE A
CITIZEN OF THE WORLD ABOUT HIS POLITICAL
-- ABOUT IS POLITICAL.
DO I LIKE THEM BEING ENROLLED IN
CONTROVERSIES?
OF COURSE NOT.
A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR
COMPANY, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT
I CAN WORK TO QUIET THINGS DOWN,
I’M GOING TO DO THAT.
>> MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WE GO TO
DISNEY TO WATCH HOW CHILDREN
LAUGH, HAVE BRIGHTNESS WITH
CINDERELLA -- BREAKFAST WITH
CINDERELLA OR WHATEVER IT IS.
DO POLITICS BELONG AND DISNEY,
OR DO YOU GO TO DISNEY TO GET
LECTURED OR HAVE FUN?
[LAUGHTER]
>> Vice President Pence: WE
LOADED THE KIDS IN THE MINIVAN,
MADE THE LONG DRIVE FROM
INDIANAPOLIS DOWN TO DISNEY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Martha: I’M SURE THE CAR
RIDE WAS NOT FUN.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Vice President Pence: WE
WANT TO GET A PICTURE WITH THE
MOUSE.
>> Ainsley: DID YOU WEAR MOUSE
EARS?
>> Vice President Pence: I DID
NOT.
AT LEAST WITH NO PHOTOGRAPHS.
[LAUGHTER]
IT IS -- FUN.
DISNEY WORLD, ONCE CALLED THE
HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH.
I WELCOME BACK BOB IGER.
MY HOPE IS THAT HE WILL STEER
DISNEY BACK FROM ITS CORE
BUSINESS, WHICH IS REFLECTING
THE COMMON VALUES, THE
ASPIRATION, AND REALLY
FAMILY-ORIENTED ENTERTAINMENT.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES IN
THIS COMPANY, WE ARE ENTITLED TO
THOSE VALUES AND BELIEFS, BUT,
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MOST DEAR
TO US, LET’S LET FAMILIES WORK
THOSE ISSUES OUT.
LET’S RESPECTIVE FAMILIES
ABILITY TO CONVEY THEIR FAITH,
THEIR VALUES.
LET’S JUST BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE
MOUSE.
THAT’S MY ASPIRATION, AND MY
HOPE IS THAT DISNEY WILL LEARN
SOME HARD LESSONS FROM ITS LAST
RECENT YEARS AND GET BACK TO
THEIR CORE BUSINESS WHICH HAS
COME UP HER GENERATION GREAT
SOURCE OF NOT ONLY
ENTERTAINMENT, BUT FUN FOR
FAMILIES.
>> YOU ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT TO
LOWER THE PRICES OF THE TICKETS.
[LAUGHTER]
CARLEY IS HAVING A BABY IN TWO
MONTHS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
>> Carley: I REMEMBER EARLIER
THIS YEAR WHEN DISNEY ANNOUNCED
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE
CHANGING THE GRADING FROM LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN BOYS AND GIRLS TO
"HELLO DREAMERS" IN AN EFFORT TO
BE MORE INCLUSIVE.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL?
HOW IS THAT NOT INCLUSIVE?
THAT IS THE KIND OF STUFF --
PARENTS, EVERYBODY ROLLED THEIR
EYES.
I JUST THINK WE HAVE LEARNED
THAT WHEN COMPANIES BECOME TOO
POLITICAL AND WOKE DAY -- OUT OF
A LOT OF MONEY.
ESPN EXECUTIVES EVEN SAID THAT
POLITICAL HURT THEIR BOTTOM
LINE, SO NOW DISNEY IS LEARNING
THAT LESSON.
>> Ainsley: I’M GLAD YOU
BROUGHT THAT UP.
MARTHA ...
MIKE STOCKS DOWN 40%, ONE OF THE
WORST IN THE DOW FOR 2022.
"STRANGE WORD," THAT MOVIE
BOMBED.
IS THIS ABOUT THE MONEY?
DO YOU THINK BOB IGER IS BEING
SMART?
>> Martha: ABSOLUTELY.
IN THIS COUNTRY, WE FORGET THE
MISSION OF INSTITUTIONS, WHETHER
IT’S SCHOOLS, EDUCATION.
THE REASON THEY BROUGHT BOB IGER
BACK AND THE REASON HE WANTS TO
COME BACK IS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO
PROTECT THE BRAND HE BUILT.
THIS IS A GREAT AMERICAN BRAND,
AND THEY ARE BEHOLDEN TO
SHAREHOLDERS.
THE MISSION FOR AN AMERICAN
CORPORATION IS TO PROVIDE VALUE
FOR THEIR SHAREHOLDERS, TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, TO HIRE A LOT OF
PEOPLE, TO KEEP THEM EMPLOYED
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A THRIVING,
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
IT’S NOT TO PREACH TO YOUR
CUSTOMERS.
IT’S NOT TO HAMMER THEM OVER THE
HEAD AND TELL THEM THE WAY THEY
ARE SUPPOSED TO THINK ABOUT
SOMETHING.
I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A
DISINTEGRATION OF DISNEY FOR A
VERY LONG TIME.
I GO BACK TO "BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST," SOME OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL
STORIES, AND YOU CAN SEE THE
PROGRESSION OF WHAT THEY ARE
TRYING TO DO OVER TIME, AND I
THINK BOB IGER IS THERE TO TURN
THIS INTO A MONEY MAKER AGAIN.
IF YOU KEEP THE FOCUS ON THAT
AND PLEASE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
CUSTOMERS, WHETHER IT’S IN THE
MOVIE THEATER OR --
>> Vice President Pence: I
LOVE HOW YOU SAID THAT,
INSTITUTIONS, EVEN THE MILITARY,
THE PENTAGON, CORPORATE AMERICA.
WHAT IS HEARTENING TO ME ABOUT
THIS THOUGH, AND -- IT’S THE
IMPACT ON THEIR STOCK OR THE
BOX OFFICE.
THE ANTIDOTES TO WOKE AMERICA IS
AMERICA, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
VOTING WITH THEIR POCKETBOOKS,
WITH THEIR FEET.
LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE THIS -- ALL
IS GOOD.
>> Emily: THEY HAVE LOST SIGHT
OF WHO THEY ARE PAYING CUSTOMER
WAS, AND THEY PAID -- AT THE
BOX OFFICE TAX EXEMPT STATUS
THAT THEY ENJOYED FOR 50 YEARS.
THAT IS ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
NOW, BOB IGER TRYING TO RESTORE
IT, BUT HE HIMSELF SAID THAT
THEY WANTED TO INCLUDE IT IN
THAT MISSION.
FRANKLY, A LOT OF DEPARTURE FROM
SIMPLY GETTING BACK TO CREATING
MAGIC IN THE KINGDOM FOR
FAMILIES.
I THINK IT IS INTERESTING, AND A
TYPICAL LIBERAL HYPOCRISY THAT
THIS ENTIRE TIME AS THEY HAVE
BEEN LECTURING US AND TELLING
PARENTS HOW TO TRAIN OR EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, INSTEAD HAVE
THEIR CHILDREN, INSTEAD HAVE
BEEN EXPANDING INTO ANTI-GAY --