Bob Iger Lambasted For CNBC Comments About Strike
Striking writers now have a new punching bag: Bob Iger.
After telling CNBC’s David Faber Thursday that the labor situation is “very disturbing” and how the Hollywood unions aren’t being realistic about the current financial climate, WGA picketers went postal on social media by pointing out the massive pay disparity between the Disney CEO and most working writers today.
In a lengthy sit-down with CNBC from Sun Valley, Idaho, Iger addressed the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and his ongoing feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Though his digs at DeSantis were lauded — he called the governor’s claims that Disney is sexualizing children “preposterous and inaccurate”— he lost the Tinseltown rank and file when he said “this is the worst time in the world” to walk off the job.
“I understand any labor organization’s desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver,” Iger said. “We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business. We wanted to do the same thing with the writers, and we’d like to do the same thing with the actors. There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.”
Iger’s comments came a few days before the start of quarterly earnings season, when dozens of public companies will interact with Wall Street analysts and undoubtedly be asked about the labor impasse. Netflix reports its earnings next Wednesday and a number of major media and tech players will follow later this month. While companies exert a great deal of control over earnings calls and can hand-pick analysts to ask certain kinds of questions during Q&A periods, there are often moments for picketing guild members to scrutinize.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who has become a prime target of many picket signs during the WGA walkout, talked to CNBC on the morning of WBD’s last earnings report that “a love of working” shared by both the WGA and AMPTP would ultimately end the strike. The topic of labor, though, did not surface during the official earnings call.
Iger, however, jumped head first into the fray — and was met with extreme vitriol. Check out this tweet from Abigail Disney, the documentary producer who is also the daughter of Roy E. Disney. “You can only call your workers and partners “unrealistic” if you cannot see beyond the confines of the very narrow and morally bankrupt business ideology that has set your company on this long track toward exploitation and injustice,” she wrote.
Here are other reactions to Iger’s comments, which include swipes at Zaslav and how he must be enjoying his moment out of the limelight for once. (Disney had no comment on reactions when contacted by Deadline.)
The hold my beer competition is really a tight race this year — Erik Anderson (@awards_watch) July 13, 2023
Well this extension Bob Iger signed yesterday is very disturbing to me https://t.co/N4KTrjD9nf pic.twitter.com/ieI78px00r — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) July 13, 2023
There’s barely any pathway for support staff to rise up because shrinking episode orders and smaller writers rooms/mini rooms have decimated lower level job oops and freelance script opps. That’s why pre-wga have been on the line with us en masse. #wgastrong https://t.co/mmUgGtkfU0 — Judalina Neira (@TheJudalina) July 13, 2023
Somehow, even with SAG joining the WGA on strike (once the actors’ national board meets at 9am to approve the negotiating committee’s unanimous recommendation), today’s main character of the strike is Bob Iger, who woke up and decided to be David Zaslav pic.twitter.com/sCEGu3le2R — Rob Forman WGA Board Candidate & Uni Lot Coord (@robsforman) July 13, 2023
Bob Iger lecturing everyone about what is realistic while his park employees live in cars and are on food stamps as he gets paid 27 million a fucking year is the height of hypocrisy. Fuck every single one of these bloody fanged orcs. I cannot stand it. — Andrea Ciannavei (@AndreaCiannavei) July 13, 2023
Love that this interview was given at the Sun Valley Conference of billionaires where they all flew in on their private jets. Yeah, we're the unreasonable ones for demanding fair compensation for our work. #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAstrong #Solidarity https://t.co/67vuk46P5b — Susan Hurwitz Arneson – Sony AM Lot Coordinator ✊ (@batdorkgirl) July 13, 2023
Well if nothing else, Bob Iger giving this quote to CNBC’s Squawk Box from Sun Valley is putting Hollywood satire writers out of business. https://t.co/SBc3VsvZ40 — Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) July 13, 2023
Isn't Bob Iger currently at a Billionaire Summer Camp talking about SAG-AFTRA & the WGA are being unrealistic https://t.co/WDOtBJlSeL pic.twitter.com/sCOsvits4v — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) July 13, 2023
Quick, somebody ask Bob Iger how much Disney pays showrunner assistants. https://t.co/ba7I0sZYD5 — Lila Byock (@LByock) July 13, 2023
You can only call your workers and partners "unrealistic" if you cannot see beyond the confines of the very narrow and morally bankrupt business ideology that has set your company on this long track toward exploitation and injustice. #Disney #Iger #WritersStrike #SAGAFTRA https://t.co/SDtrLzflB8 — Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) July 13, 2023
Disney CEO Bob Iger—who makes $27M/year—complains that writers & actors aren't realistic in their demands, refuses to answer what’s unrealistic, & admits a strike will be devastating.
Yes—that’s how strikes work. That’s why they’re effective.
Pay Workerspic.twitter.com/DNw1T6SNft — Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) July 13, 2023
I've been quoting this scene for the last three weeks. But it is the perfect bit of morning sunshine today. From Baltimore to Sun Valley: Fuck you, Bob Iger https://t.co/c5PL1dqsYL — David Simon (@AoDespair) July 13, 2023
I know Zazlav dgaf about anything beyond his own money and ego, but it is funny to think of his breathing a sigh of relief today because Iger decided to run his mouth. — Gennifer Hutchison (@GennHutchison) July 13, 2023
"Honey, what should we watch tonight?"
"Disney+? I'm hearing great things about Bob Iger's vision for corporate synergy."
"Sure, but let's finish up Max first. I can't get enough of David Zaslav's boardroom style!" — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) July 13, 2023
Bob Iger, Zaslav and other titans are showing you exactly who they are. This is how they think. You are peasants and they are the ones chosen by fate and God to live the gilded life. At least Mary Antoinette offered cake. These folks won't even give crumbs. Modern day villains. — Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) July 13, 2023
Bob Iger makes $27 million a year. — roxane gay (@rgay) July 13, 2023
Won't somebody please think of the suits???https://t.co/IFwkTL07FW — Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) July 13, 2023
Iger’s effort to infantilize writers & portray them as too-unsophisticated-in-business to understand the issues is right out of the studio’s moth-eaten playbook.
I don’t have an MBA. But I own a calculator. Most problems could be solved by not taking $46 million in compensation pic.twitter.com/tFi51dqYiZ — Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) July 13, 2023
Hollywood writers, on average, are paid $69,510 a year.
Bob Iger is paid $74,175 a DAY.
That is "very disturbing" to me, Bob. https://t.co/ISS8pqSBdt — Tyler Evans (@tylerevansokay) July 13, 2023
Iger came out of retirement to make $54 million in two years and say this https://t.co/afi8D3uh4a — Isaac Feldberg (@isaacfeldberg) July 13, 2023
Zaslav and Iger competing to be the main character of the first combined strike in 60 years is an interesting development — Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) July 13, 2023
Bruh I got a $61 residual check for 3 episodes of a tv show. SHUT THE WHOLE FUCK UP!! https://t.co/BDH22OXreN — Jay Washington (@MrJayWashington) July 13, 2023
Dominic Patten contributed to this report.
Source: Deadline
