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Critics Slam Disney’s “Wokeism” and Bob Iger: Too Late to “Quiet the Noise”

While Disney CEO Bob Iger might want to try and “quiet the noise,” many critics feel it’s too little, too late, and that the damage has been done.

For months now, the Mouse House has been on the receiving end of much backlash and criticism for its alleged “pandering to woke audiences.” Some Disney fans have expressed their frustration with the Walt Disney Company and its constant pushing of a certain “agenda.” Notably, these criticisms have come after LGBTQ+ content was more prevalent on the platform and after certain casting choices. Think like Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid.

Many times in the past, Disney CEO Bob Iger has made clear that Disney has to do “the right thing” (while a laudable sentiment, it simply is a little vague), but it seems that he’s backtracking on some of Disney’s decisions.

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, current Disney CEO Bob Iger
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, current Disney CEO Bob Iger / Credit: ABC

Read More: Bob Iger Says Disney Will “Quiet the Noise” in “Woke” War Against Ron DeSantis

Bob Iger Wants to “Quiet the Noise,” Critics Think It’s Too Late

Many critiques of Disney’s wokeness became particularly widespread when the feud between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor DeSantis took off. When former Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, known officially as the Parental Rights in Education Act, Governor Ron DeSantis did not respond well.

While the war between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company may have started over that disagreement, it’s escalated into court cases, and now, most headlines about Disney have to do with the company’s political battles, rather than the entertainment it provides.

Perhaps in acknowledgment of this strange development, the company has finally decided to “quiet the noise,” especially when it comes to its culture war with the conservative governor, if Bob Iger’s latest comments to shareholders are to be believed.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis / Credit: ABC

However, an article from mrcTV has us wondering whether it’s too late, as some critics believe. The article explained, that the real issue with Disney is that it “burned too many bridges with its would-be audience.”

Quoting writer Charlie McCarthy on Newsmax,

It’s politicized itself so heavily that half the country despises the company, and on top of that, few people want to show up to a Disney flick to get preached at or bear witness to another boring CGI-fest whose stories were written by activists and not storytellers. 

cinderella castle, magic kingdom, disney world
Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World / Credit: Disney

Related: You Can Kiss Disney Movie Representation and Inclusion Goodbye Under Current Bob Iger

The writer also reiterates, “Disney has shown a clear disdain for Americans and their values while embracing a bubble-like mentality surrounding radical leftist social justice values. They don’t see their product as an artful creation but as a soapbox from which to finger-wag.”

As the article put it, “Wokeism just ain’t cutting it anymore.”

Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios Theme Park
Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park, Walt Disney World Resort / Credit: Disney

Fundamentally, the Walt Disney Company is still one of the most influential entertainment conglomerates in the world. However, it’ll certainly be interesting to see how the company navigates through these presently choppy waters.

Priyanka Kumar

Priyanka is a writer, artist, avid reader, and travel enthusiast based in Chicago. In her free time, she is probably walking by the lake, catching up on the latest releases on TV, or spending inordinate amounts of time rewatching Moana, Encanto, and her Disney Channel life-long favorites Zack and Cody wreak havoc on the Tipton.

2 Comments

  1. It is correct that Disney burned way to many bridges to recover. They have alienated so many people that they don’t have enough supporters to pull them out of the hole they dug.

    When people started turning away and letting Disney know that they didn’t like what they were doing, they pretty much doubled down on their bad decisions and just told them, to bad, go some place else. Universal loved that decision.

    Now they are robbing the parks and hotels as well as their customers so they can keep funding the failing woke media companies that they own.

    Sadly we found no alternative but to completely turn our backs on them. Universal has been a wonderful replacement.

  2. Eisner hired some woke people near the end of his time, but when Iger took over he put the woke people in charge of HR. They in turn made sure to populate the company with wokes. Then Chapek made the mistake of renewing KK’s contract with Lucasfilm, and she is as woke as one can be. Therefore, it all has snowballed to this point and the rouge fireman who really lit the bonefire is now saying that he needs to put the fire out. Problem is he has no idea how to do it cause what needs to be done igoes against what he is.

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