Disney In The Dumps: Weekly Recap – April 4

Boycott Begins

There are many Disney fans who do not agree with Disney’s political stance. As such, many families are speaking out against the Mouse House, so much so that they are calling for a boycott. They believe that Disney should not have a stake in politics or an agenda other than providing family-friendly, high-quality products. Have a listen to the various forms of backlash, including reactions about Disney expanding in countries that criminalize LGBT people for “existing.”

BREAKING: Protesters gather in front of the Disney HQ in Burbank CA chanting “BOYCOTT DISNEY!” pic.twitter.com/hKVp2ufGBQ

— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 7, 2022

Disney Employee Opinions

Disney executive Victoria Alonso has the complete opposite opinion, and had these words for Disney CEO Bob Chapek:

“I asked him to look around and truly if what we sell is entertainment for the family, we don’t choose what family. Family is this entire room. Family is the family in Texas, in Arizona, in Florida, and in my family, in my home. So I ask you again Mr. Chapek: please respect—if we’re selling family—take a stand against all of these crazy outdated laws. Take a stand for family. Stop saying that you tolerate us—nobody tolerates me, let me tell you that. You tolerate the heat in Florida, the humidity in Arizona or Florida, and the dryness in Arizona and Texas. And you tolerate a tantrum in a two-year-old. But you don’t tolerate us. We deserve the right to live, love, and have. More importantly, we deserve an origin story.

I encourage all of you to stop being silent—silence is death. Silence is poison. But if you don’t stand up, if you don’t fight, if you don’t give your money, if you don’t vote, then all we can do is have a party and be gay. Fight, fight, fight! As long as I am at Marvel Studios I will fight for representation for all of us.”

Bob Chapek Grovels

A private virtual meeting was leaked, and Bob begged for forgiveness from the LGBTQ community.  Chapek can be heard saying the following:

• “I want you to know that your words have made a real impact on me.”
• “I understand that we have made mistakes, and the pain that those mistakes have caused.”

Celebrity Opinions

Even Henry Winkler (Fonzie from Happy Days) has an opinion on the Disney boycott. Check out his tweet below!

For 51 years your parents took you …&. YOU took your kids to @Disney World .. !ANYONE damaged ???? COME on

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) April 3, 2022

Mr. DeSantis had the opportunity to read ALL the books he wants Banned . Correct ?? A LESS educated population makes Less noise https://t.co/1WvcH2lJAN

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) March 25, 2022

Winkler even retweeted the following:

In the ever so wise words of our editor-in-chief, Alex, this sounds a lot like, “Did Goofy touch your kid thirty years ago? No! So, same thing, I guess.” In other news, Abigail Disney, granddaughter of Walt Disney, has some words of her own!

THREAD/ Like all radical ideologues, the right wing has finally run amok and is coming to devour the hand that feeds it. Business. For my part I am delighted. It is the business world that has been, either by act or omission, feeding the opportunist right wing to distract 1/ pic.twitter.com/7okhzmFII0

— Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) April 1, 2022

Abigail might need a dose of reality, a pinch of education, and a dash of awareness.

DeSantis Deep In The Eighty-Acre Wood

DeSantis had some more to say about last week’s conversation about the Reedy Creek Improvement Act. Disney is setting aside nearly eighty acres of land by Central Florida theme parks to create thirteen-hundred affordable housing units. This will be interesting to follow should DeSantis revoke the act.

Ex Biden Employee Hired by Disney

Kristina Schake has joined Disney as executive vice president of global communications. Schake was previously appointed by President Biden “to lead the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine education campaign.” She has also served Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration.

First Trans Actress Casts By Lucasfilm

Disney+ announced that they would be premiering a new TV show, Willow, based on the 1988 Willow film. We already saw Erin Kellyman is going to be in the show, after her being in Star Wars and playing the “villain” in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Now, Lucasfilm has announced that Talisa Garcia will also be in the show, and she will be the first trans actress to be hired by Lucasfilm. It’s also the first time that Disney hired a trans actress to play a “cisgender” (aka the new slang for “biological”) role.

Culturally Appropriated Rock

No, not Geode the pilot, Force-wielding rock! The Tanaya Stone Spa in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland Resort contains a sacred rock and is currently being questioned on “when, where, and how the stone” was acquired. A report from Deanne Revel at Fodor’s states that Disney may have committed a felony by including the stone at the center of the spa as “cultural theft.” Click here to read the report.

A Summary