Thanks for being here.
I love the book.
I love the way you talk about-- first of all,
the way you run the company.
The way, when you got on board and started
running the company, and to this day the way you run it.
And the way that you balance your life and enjoy life,
I think is a really great lesson for everybody
when they read this book.
Thank you.
It's fantastic.
And here's what I-- and I was reading this in the New York
Times article about you on Sunday,
that you wake up every morning at 4:15 to workout.
I do.
Like, seven days a week.
Sounds kind of sick, doesn't it?
It does.
Yeah, I do, for a variety of reasons.
First of all, in a job like this, at a company like Disney,
we're so large and so much for me to do,
that if I don't get up early I can't possibly do it all.
But I also need that quiet time, that time
to think and create and just generally be alone
with my thoughts.
It also gives me the ability to come home at a reasonable time
and be with my family.
Right, but so seven days a week, 4:15?
I get up at 4:30 on weekends.
Oh.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah.
You sleep in?
Yeah, I give myself a little present.
Yeah.
But you look great, and you're in good shape and it shows.
Almost 69 years old, so.
I know, he looks amazing.
[APPLAUSE]
So you were the president of ABC when my sitcom was on.
What do you remember about that time?
Long time ago, by the way.
It was.
21 years, 22 years ago.
Well, obviously, what I remember the most is talking to you
about coming out on the show.
I think it was 1997.
The show had been on for a few years--
Five years.
--at that point.
I don't remember it all.
I remember the show, the episode.
It was actually a two-parter if I recall correctly.
Exactly.
And the airport scene was the big one.
I remember talking to you about it.
And it was obviously a very different time.
Right.
And it was a huge decision for you.
Yes.
But it was something that was really important to you.
Right.
And I remember working with you to try to figure it out,
and wanting to basically give you the ability to do that.
Yes, and thank you for allowing me to do that on television.
[APPLAUSE]
I appreciate it.
It was historic.
And I think to this day, it still feels that way.
Yeah.
Well, hopefully we've come a long way,
but we still have a long way to go,
and I know you do a lot to help that in the company.
A lot of people feel--
including Oprah Winfrey, who I think a lot of people
respect and admire.
And I think you did think for a second
about running for president.
Or did you think for a second about--
she thinks you should have run for president.
Yes, she has said that to me a number of times,
has been vocal about it lately.
Right.
I'm running the Walt Disney Company.
Yes, you are.
I'm not running for president, not running anything else.
Yes, it was something I considered at one point,
but briefly.
Yeah.
It's a big decision to make.
It's huge.
And I can't imagine anybody wanting to have that job.
No matter how much you go in with good intentions,
there are so many people that try
to block you from the things that you want to do--
either side.
But you're stepping down in two years?
A couple years, yes.
So, maybe then?
As of right now, not in my plans.
Right.
I know, but things change.
So I'm thinking the two of us together can run.
Yeah.
[APPLAUSE]
We can practice raising our hands.
Oh!
See? that was awkward.
How did we do that?
That was awkward.
We wouldn't work.
That would be a meme, and then--
I'd
I should ask, vice president or president?
No, I would just be the vice president.
I see.
Yeah.
I would allow you to be president.
Yeah.
[APPLAUSE]
Well, we have time to think about that, I guess.
We have two years.
We do.
Yeah.
I heard you say why, but I'll let you, in your own words,
say--
first of all, it is, like I said, it's a great book
and it's really about leadership and I love the way it starts.
You talk about important things.
But why did you write the book?
Well, I've been in this job for about 15 years.
I've been at ABC and Disney for 45 years.
And I called it the ride of a lifetime
because it's been quite a ride.
And there was a double entendre with rides, Disney.
I got it.
And over the years, a lot of young people
have asked me for advice.
What's the secret to my success?
How did I get where I am?
And I like to give back and I like to give people advice,
but it also takes a lot of time and you
can't do it efficiently, at least to a lot of people.
And so, I thought writing it down
would be a nice way to impart the advice that everybody
is always asking for.
And I did it in a way that enabled me to tell stories,
because at Disney you tell stories.
Right.
And rather than writing what I consider to be a dry business
book, I wanted to entertain.
It is entertaining.
I hope I do that.
Yeah.
But you worked really hard and at the last minute,
I read, that you kind of edited it down 2,800 pages.
No, I made 2,800 edits--
Edits, OK.
--to what was supposed to be the final manuscript.
I don't advise anybody who's writing a book
to approach it that way.
Yeah, that's a lot.
Take your time, do it over a couple of years.
Well, I think that you're a brilliant man
and I think that you really have some--
you've done amazing things for the Disney company.
Thank you.
And I think that we're all lucky to have you.
And this is a great book.
Everyone the audience is going home with a copy of Bob's book.
It's called The Ride of a Lifetime.
We'll be back.