Iger to take over as CEO of Disney on 9/30/05!

[manning]

Here is an interview with the author of Disney War. When you get to the site click listen to hear the interview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4503311

 

[manning]

LA Times march 17 commentary about the selection process for a new Disney CEO. How sad!!

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion...0,3358823.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

 

[airlarry!]

Jeez, leave to do a little work, and the thread goes every which way. I'll try to be brief, because I can see the thread is winding down and RMatt may have used up the board's allotment of bandwith with that last post.

BTW, I never said you were an Ei$ner apologist. I said, "many" not "DancingBear". I never presuppose that someone who challenges my thinking on Ei$ner is an apologist, but I do think that there are those on this very board. Only you know why you believe a talentless hack is better at leading a corporation built on creativity and innovation then the charismatic spiritual leader of the world's best animation company.

The fact that Ei$ner stoops to namecalling (can't call it petty namecalling, that is only reserved for members of the Element remember) is no badge at all; it just illustrates how pitiful the choice is.

Remember, media reports say that Ei$ner has been grooming Mr. Igor. Yet the man he grooms is "weak" and "stupid", colorless, creatively empty, and a vanilla choice. James Stewart, a Pulitizer Prize winning author, said on NPR that Michael Ei$ner told him he intends to seek the Chairmanship of the company that was stripped from him. What better way to do this than to push forward a weak candidate to replace him in his current position.

Michael Ei$ner is cold, calculating, and admits to being absolutely and vocerifiously ruthless in business dealings. He is not one of the largest shareholders in Disney for nothing. I am not saying it will happen, but for people of your intelligence and Disney insight to dismiss the idea that the Igor candidacy could be nothing more than a sham and a shell for Ei$ner to remain in power is goofy.

You've admitted to me that it has been long past the time for Ei$ner to leave. In my eyes, that's something. But just as you have probably been blinded by the succeses the company has had (both in spite of and because of Ei$ner) in the past, Ei$ner has blinded you again. Robert Iger looks like a nice guy, but he cannot fill Walt's seat.

By the way, last I checked, this is still The Walt Disney Company. Therefore, it is still Walt's seat, and you are the one who needs to get over it. Anybody who wants to lead this company better be ready to lead it with integrity, with leadership, with vision, and with a focus on producing the best family entertainment. This is not Kraft, or GE, or Ford, or Family Widget Company USA LLC. This company is about ideas and stories, and I am not convinced that MiniME knows that yet.

I'm giving him three months to show me. That's all it would take for me to do it.

BTW, comparing the Poly to the Four Seasons? Oh, thank God Baron didn't read that one. We don't compare Disney to Universal here...we don't compare the MK to Six Flags...arguments about the Poly versus the Four Seasons don't mean anything.

Don't fight the hypothet, counselor. The question was simple, try answering it. Does hiring a big name architect alone score points? I thought effective use and planning of the resort counts for more than a cover boy from AD? We know your answer already...because you want me to bring the Dolphin over to the MK lagoon. That suggestion right there tells me everything I need to know.

I know my posts come out harsh against Igor. I don't know the guy, I only know his resume. And nothing in his resume leads me to believe that he is anything less than Ei$ner-lite. This company does not deserve Ei$ner-lite. The shareholders don't deserve it. The fans don't deserve it. You, DancingBear, do not deserve twenty more years of Ei$ner.

I may be wrong here...but I am willing to sticking my nose out, because my position on Igor is consistent with my position on Ei$ner.

 

[mitros]

Makes all the sense in the world to me!

 

[DancingBear]

Only you know why you believe a talentless hack is better at leading a corporation built on creativity and innovation then the charismatic spiritual leader of the world's best animation company.

Good line.

Michael Ei$ner is cold, calculating, and admits to being absolutely and vocerifiously ruthless in business dealings. He is not one of the largest shareholders in Disney for nothing. I am not saying it will happen, but for people of your intelligence and Disney insight to dismiss the idea that the Igor candidacy could be nothing more than a sham and a shell for Ei$ner to remain in power is goofy.

I don't think I've dismissed the idea that Eisner may think this way.

I'm giving him three months to show me. That's all it would take for me to do it.

But, of course, you would never have gotten the job. Iger has to deal with more than satisfying the Element constituency.

BTW, comparing the Poly to the Four Seasons? Oh, thank God Baron didn't read that one. We don't compare Disney to Universal here...we don't compare the MK to Six Flags...arguments about the Poly versus the Four Seasons don't mean anything.

It's as meaningful as your hypothetical. Why not ask me the same question about the Grand Floridian, or for that matter, the Wilderness Lodge, vs. the Contemporary?

Does hiring a big name architect alone score points? I thought effective use and planning of the resort counts for more than a cover boy from AD?

What exactly is your problem with the Swan and Dolphin, other than that you don't like it? [Keep in mind that only the Element has their World Showcase experience ruined by the distant view of the S&D]. Again, the fact is that there was going to be a vanilla convention center hotel on this site, that Eisner fought to get that contract voided, and that, failing that, he made sure we got Michael Graves' design instead of the vanilla towers. I like Graves' stuff--have you seen his post office in Celebration?

We know your answer already...because you want me to bring the Dolphin over to the MK lagoon. That suggestion right there tells me everything I need to know.

Don't be dense. The point was that the location next to the Magic Kingdom could not have been replicated at the Swan and Dolphin. Again, I'd take a free GF or WL over a free Contemporary--what does that prove? Oh, also, I'd take a free S&D over the CBR--does that tell you anything?

I may be wrong here...but I am willing to sticking my nose out, because my position on Igor is consistent with my position on Ei$ner.

As long as you believe Iger is MiniME, there really is no other position that you could take, is there? Don't pat yourself on the back too hard for bravely announcing that you will hold Iger's feet to the fire.

I disagree with you about Eisner = Iger. I'm not sure what to think about him yet, but he'll get more than 3 months from me to prove himself.

I also don't believe in any way that Iger = Walt, but I don't expect that. I don't think Bill Ford is Henry Ford, either. If Iger (1) brought on Brad Bird to head DFA, (2) nurtured what appears to be the positive Matt Ouimet approach at the parks, and (3) re-energized WDI, would you care that he wasn't Walt?

 

[DVCconvert]

(1) brought on Brad Bird to head DFA, (2) nurtured what appears to be the positive Matt Ouimet approach at the parks, and (3) re-energized WDI, would you care that he wasn't Walt?

heck, if that happened, I wouldn't care if it were Kim Dae Jung!

 

[crusader]

What the heck?

sir airness - don't even bother to give Iger three months. You've already taken that away by completely degrading his character and ability.

You're done, which is perfectly within your rights and beliefs to be.

This says it all -

By the way, last I checked, this is still The Walt Disney Company. Therefore, it is still Walt's seat, and you are the one who needs to get over it. Anybody who wants to lead this company better be ready to lead it with integrity, with leadership, with vision, and with a focus on producing the best family entertainment. This is not Kraft, or GE, or Ford, or Family Widget Company USA LLC. This company is about ideas and stories, and I am not convinced that MiniME knows that yet.

I agree with you about your statements regarding the leadership of this company. But you forgot one - BRASS! The good guy finishes last - ie Pixar. Is that what you want for Disney? To partner and create and masterfully design quality art only to have the rights pulled out from under you because you lacked the brass to obtain capital without selling away your idea in order to market your product?

Neither Jobs nor Lasseter managed to accomplish the one critical thing Walt knew by his own failures never to sell away.