Why are they doing it? That's the logical question that any normal human being would have as they watch these interviews with the stars of Disney's upcoming live-action Snow White.
This is the kind of stuff that actually makes me worry about the future of our friends at The Babylon Bee. Those actual, real-life, serious interviews are almost identical to the kind of scripts satirists would write in an effort to parody progressives' absurd obsession with wokeness and identity politics. I know it's becoming cliché, but there is a sector of progressivism that is now beyond parody. (Of course, now that I think about it, as bad as this may be for the Bee folks, I suppose it is the ultimate job security for those of us at Not the Bee).
So anyway, why would they do it? I don't care how impenetrable your echo chamber may be, there's no way that someone in the Disney boardroom is unaware of how all this plays in the general population. They see the box office numbers, they peruse social media, they notice the dropping park attendance. Someone there, and probably more than a few someones if not a majority, have noticed that the company's core demographic - families - may have reached a tolerance tipping point where they say, "we have better options."
But if they know all this, then why don't they course correct?
A conservative preacher named Michael Clary recently offered his best guess, and after reading it, this may be the most thoughtful, thorough, and reasonable explanation I've seen. Make sure to read the whole thing:
It's clear at this point that Disney has dug themselves a hole they can't get out of.
This interview is for the upcoming "Snow White" - but with a "modern edge." Wow. Innovative.
The young actress says…
"It's no longer 1937" (cuz we're so much better than they were!)
"She's not gonna be saved by the prince" (yeah, who needs a man to save her?)
"She's not gonna be dreaming about true love" (good! Girls hate that crap these days! This isn't 1937! Girls don't want to fall in love! Gross!)
"She's dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be" (that's the ticket! All girls dream about these days is leadership!)
Disney has to know this message wont sell, but they can't turn back now. They're still benefiting from the trust they'd accumulated back when they cared about their audiences and made decent films. But that time is running out.
Disney corp is be-clowning itself with this kind of propaganda. They're a joke. Their credibility with their target audience isn't any better than Bud Lite. They're a progressive propaganda machine and every family knows it.
But they can't stop doing it. Their brand identity requires them to continue creating soulless garbage to stay in the good graces of LGBTQ activists who are now running the show.
Families aren't buying it. Disney was once associated with wholesome, family entertainment.
Now? Not so much. You can't continue to undermine the core values of your target audience and expect people to keep shelling out cash for it.
What parents want to take their kids to a special day at the movies, shell out their hard earned cash to sit in a theater, getting lectured at by a self-righteous, preachy screenplay that revels in undermining the values you're trying to instill in your children?
The "Disney worldview" is one that would deprive parents of grandchildren in the future because it tells little girls that the "good life" is to be girl-bossing in some corporate boardroom, not falling in love, getting married, and building a loving family together. Yuck! That's so 1937! Patriarchy!
But since Disney has run out of new ideas, they're cannibalizing "the vault" by modernizing the old, embarrassing film classics, all but ensuring they'll erase whatever decent legacy they might otherwise have had.
You're committing suicide, Disney. Fine with me. The sooner the better. Here's one household where you won't be missed.
A number of points Clary brings up hit the mark.
First, he's right in saying that Disney's credibility is shot. People may still love the park rides, food, and overall experience (though it's not for everybody). They may still love the "vault" of Disney classics. They may still have fond memories of Walt's old nature programs and thoroughly American risk-taking ventures. But when people hear the name Disney these days, they're far more likely to think "gay activism" than "family."
The difficulty for Disney is they have to know that isn't sustainable. Even though a large sector of young people are embracing the social fad of claiming alternative genders and sexualities than ever, it's nowhere near enough to sustain the multi-billion dollar bottom line of the company should the Disney name become solely associated with gay identity politics. Making itself a niche company that dutifully caters to the "queer agenda" just isn't a feasible long-term corporate strategy.
That said, the dilemma emerges in that the vocal and active core of the company's employee base - from parks to movies - is disproportionally LGBT obsessed. They want it celebrated in every park, merchandise in every gift shop, promoted in every company press release, featured in every company movie, and they will regard it as an attack on their dignity if that doesn't happen.
Meanwhile, Clary is also right that the creative genius of Disney has been stunted. Innovation has given way to political considerations and activism. So on the one hand, they can't come up with any new ideas that appeal to their core demographic. On the other, they abuse their old material and ruin the one remaining shred of their legacy that does appeal to that core demographic.
I still think it's highly unlikely that Disney will ever actually die. But there will be a breaking point, and when it arrives there will have to be changes far more substantial than changing CEOs from one woke crusader to another.
