Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger scowled at and said "f--- you" to Tom Borelli, director of the National Center for Public Policy Research's Free Enterprise Project, at Tuesday's annual Disney shareholder meeting.
Iger's remark came after Borelli told Disney shareholders about Iger's refusal to sell the DVD or the distribution rights of the miniseries "The Path to 9/11."
Borelli had just ended his presentation and was attempting to shake Iger's hand on his way back to his seat. Iger, who was sitting in the audience at the time, also refused to uncross his arms and shake Borelli's hand. Borelli, who had received applause from fellow shareholders after his presentation, went back to the podium and precisely reported to his fellow shareholders what Iger had just said, to gasps from the assembled crowd. Borelli then sat back down.
"The Path to 9/11" is a miniseries based on the federal "9/11 Commission Report." The miniseries aired in 2006 on the Disney-owned ABC television network. The shareholder meeting was held at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California.
Sure, write this off as right-wing whackness but if I were a shareholder, I'd be seething. No, not for the vulgarism - must we coarsen every exchange in our lives? - but for the lack of good business sense by the CEO. Most entertainment companies can't wait to rush to release to DVD whatever they have in their video vaults - a quick browse of the Blockbuster aisles will show you there's all kinds of krep out there - but Disney, the master buck-maker, decides to play coy.
Though I didn't see it, the miniseries was popular and clearly there's an audience for it. You're just giving us right-wingers fodder, Disney. Release the thing already!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment