Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Enjoyed reading your takes Lee and Spirit, and they validate my views from across the pond. What I find ironic is every year the Management Journal's Most Admired Company List has Disney in the top 3, and often in pole positions for things like innovation, management decisions, HR practices etc. Does this mean all the other companies are truly poor quality, or that Disney is better at portraying themsepves for those that are not in the know?
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Disney is better at portraying themsepves for those that are not in the know<< This.
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan >>Disney is better at portraying themsepves for those that are not in the know<< Agree.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>Since when did Laguna Niguel become a "nose in the air" city???? << <<I guess only us OC natives will know Newport Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach .......... only the most posh towns in all of Orange County!>> I love them all. I'm just speaking of a mindset and why certain people might be attracted to those places. I recall George's partner's reaction to a comment about living in Anaheim or Garden Grove ... the basic comment was he wouldn't go past the 7-11 at Harbor and Katella. I doubt Disney will be releasing that detail! ;-) <<Thanks Spirit for your very informative posts. First openly gay DLR president - that one is an eye-opening piece of information. Not that it has any bearing on his ability .. Just an interesting factoid.>> Thanks for reading them. I really don't care about anyone's sexual identity. I'm a very open-minded Spirit and don't believe that should ever be brought up. People are who they are and should be judged on what they bring to the table, not who they go to bed with. That's why admitedly, I was taken aback by Disney putting George out there on the heels of Rich Ross (also out) as head of the Studios. Who these dudes choose to love shouldn't have any import to their jobs. And, believe me, Disney never did this in the past. George may not have been in the closet, but his personal life wasn't advertised his last go around in Anaheim or in any of hisb roles in backwater, conservative Orlando. I can't help but wonder if something else is at play. Nina Jacobson a powerful lesbian was axed from Disney not all that long ago. Maybe she is suing. Maybe someone else who is gay is doing likewise. And by putting this out there, Disney can make a strong statement. It just seems so against all corporate culture to be making an issue of this otherwise. Gays have been prominent at Disney since Walt's days. And like you said, what relevance does it have on someone's ability?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Does this mean all the other companies are truly poor quality, or that Disney is better at portraying themsepves for those that are not in the know?>> I don't have much regard for corporate America anymore, Dave, so that's a tough one to answer. Obviously, Disney's marketing might/magic certainly makes it appear to be a great company to work for. In many ways, it can be. Yet, I can't help but notice how many people I know who work for Mickey (in roles from front-line CMs at parks and resorts to creatives in Glendale to folks at ABC to execs) who are absolutely miserable most of the time. Why is that? I guess only The Weatherman knows!
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>Thanks for reading them. I really don't care about anyone's sexual identity. I'm a very open-minded Spirit and don't believe that should ever be brought up. People are who they are and should be judged on what they bring to the table, not who they go to bed with.<< The reason I brought it up (speaking as someone who is also gay) ... I've found in my life experience ... many gay people have a unique sensitivity to the world of the Arts. A little more attributive to it, in certain ways. Not all the time .. but it's been in my own personal life experience that I've seen a correlation between some gay people and the Arts. And those who are .. sometime really excel at it. Depending on what they do exactly, of course. If that's the case with George, then perhaps that's a good thing in the creative, artistic world of the DLR. But I can be totally wrong at that too. Just a thought. I've also come in contact with the executive gay types who have that hidden "Bette Davis/Joan Crawford" side in them .. and can be more difficult than someone who is straight ... So, just take that with a grain of salt.
Originally Posted By oc_dean and further more ..... my advice for the rest of the gay Disney aficionados out there ... don't rally behind him just because he's gay .. when he could turn out to be the wrong choice for the DLR.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<I can't help but wonder if something else is at play. Nina Jacobson a powerful lesbian was axed from Disney not all that long ago. Maybe she is suing. Maybe someone else who is gay is doing likewise. And by putting this out there, Disney can make a strong statement.>> I had the same thought, Spirit. It seemed such a huge coincidence that Disney promoted two openly gay executives into high profile positions less than a month apart. That is not the standard MO for Burbank. Methinks the promotions might have been done as a preemptive strike against legal action from a disgruntled former exec who's blaming his/her known orientation for the firing or lack of advancement.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<I've also come in contact with the executive gay types who have that hidden "Bette Davis/Joan Crawford" side in them .. and can be more difficult than someone who is straight ... So, just take that with a grain of salt. >> Must... not... type... names... Must... sit... on... hands...
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "I recall George's partner's reaction to a comment about living in Anaheim or Garden Grove ... the basic comment was he wouldn't go past the 7-11 at Harbor and Katella. I doubt Disney will be releasing that detail! ;-)" I guess they won't be visiting any cast members' homes for dinner then... Anaheim has turned into a very nice city with a strong middle-class Hispanic core.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones ...despite what you read in the comments on the OCRegister web site.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The reason I brought it up (speaking as someone who is also gay) ... I've found in my life experience ... many gay people have a unique sensitivity to the world of the Arts. A little more attributive to it, in certain ways.>> As someone with deep ties to the industry, that's 100% accurate. <<Not all the time .. but it's been in my own personal life experience that I've seen a correlation between some gay people and the Arts. And those who are .. sometime really excel at it. Depending on what they do exactly, of course.>> Agreed. <<If that's the case with George, then perhaps that's a good thing in the creative, artistic world of the DLR. But I can be totally wrong at that too. Just a thought.>> George has never struck me as being creative in the least ... or even artsy. I do think he appreciates the product, though. As opposed to Jay Rasulo (I still can't get how someone with such little regard for the creative process winds up running Disney's theme park empire ... that's just so 21st century corporate USA!) But just appreciating the creative process and product aren't enough if you make financial decisions and operational decisions that compromise the artistic vision. George has done that at some of his stops before. Whether that's what he wanted to do may be another matter. <<I've also come in contact with the executive gay types who have that hidden "Bette Davis/Joan Crawford" side in them .. and can be more difficult than someone who is straight ... So, just take that with a grain of salt. >> Oh ... all I can say is ... YEP!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<and further more ..... my advice for the rest of the gay Disney aficionados out there ... don't rally behind him just because he's gay .. when he could turn out to be the wrong choice for the DLR.>> Yeah. I don't know if Disney thinks it will get mileage out of the gay fanbois as an added benefit of George (or Rich's) promos. But, if so, that's just dumb.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I guess they won't be visiting any cast members' homes for dinner then...>> Probably not! <<Anaheim has turned into a very nice city with a strong middle-class Hispanic core.>> I would agree. It can be rough around the edges, but these days the same thing could be said about many places after our economic meltdown. It certainly is much nicer than it was 20 years ago.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I don't know if Disney thinks it will get mileage out of the gay fanbois as an added benefit of George (or Rich's) promos. But, if so, that's just dumb." Did they get mileage from blacks and minorities because Grier was, you know, black?
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Anaheim has turned into a very nice city with a strong middle-class Hispanic core. >>> And I understand that they promote low-income housing these days.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Anaheim has turned into a very nice city with a strong middle-class Hispanic core. >>> And I understand that they promote low-income housing these days.
