Disney owes fans apology for `Bad Santa' ad (outs Eisner as proselytizing hater)

Chicago Tribune ^ | November 21, 2003 | John Kass

[Liz]

I sure hope Michael Eisner--the boss of Disney--likes what we're having tomorrow for dinner at our house, because he's invited.

And after dinner, it sure would be nice if he'd personally explain to my 8-year-old twins about "Bad Santa"--the new movie from Disney-owned Miramax studios, starring Billy Bob Thornton.

"Maybe I'll make some patsah (tripe soup)," said my wife, who's never made it and hates the idea, though years ago my Aunt Sandra was the queen of tripe soup and made it once a year for the men in the family.

"So how about tripe soup?" she said. "He could wear it on his head. Just don't quote me."

She didn't mean it. Eisner has nothing to fear from my wife. She treats every guest to our home with hospitality and respect. And after dinner, we could have coffee and talk.

I'm inviting Eisner to talk to my family, to look my boys in the eye and explain his new Christmas movie.

Because our family was in the living room Sunday afternoon, watching the Bears game on Fox when the "Bad Santa" commercial came on.

I could barely discuss the commercial with women editors and I won't quote from it directly here. A child asks the Santa why his beard is so thin. The Santa responds with a veiled reference to oral sex and an unmistakable reference to feminine hygiene. I couldn't find the remote quickly enough.

--SNIP--

[Liz]

Ever since Eisner took over Disney the company's output has drastically changed from the ebullient, pro-family pro-America view espoused by flag-waving American Walt Disney......to Eisner's dank, dark anti-family, anti-American assault that is destructive of all the values we hold dear.

Eisner's output to date is proof-positive that he wields Hollywarped's Big Stick..... proselytizing audiences, particularly children -- brainwashing them without their knowledge or consent.

Eisner's arrogance is such that he thinks Americans can't figure out what he's up to. It would be interesting to have been at the pitch for "Bad Santa." Mikey must have been ecstatic about Santa's reference to oral sex. Hey, maybe it was Mikey's idea (/sarcasm).

Eisner is calculatedly chipping away at our culture that was once the bulwark of Western civilization. Reasonable people can conclude that this hate-filled individual Eisner loathes humanity and is taking out his pernicious hatred on America's children.

More than that, we need to know exactly what Eisner's hidden agenda is and what it will take to stop his juggernaut to destroy American values.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The minute the Board of Directors dumps Eisner, buy as much Disney stock as you can afford. It will go up like a rocket.

[veronica]

Eisner serves at the pleasure of Roy Disney, Walt's brother, and Disney shareholders etc.

Why do you place all this at Eisner's feet? What "hidden" agenda does Eisner have?

What was the box office? Are people going to see the movie? I am not defending the movie, I haven't seen it and I won't. But everything in Hollywood is about money. Don't fill Disney's coffers and Eisner will gone.

[Liz]

Yeah, sure, but when will they dump Eisner? He has the board stacked with his minions. In fact shareholders filed suit b/c of Eisner's stranglehold on the board.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

What's the movie rated?

[Mr. Bird]

The author's beef should be with Fox, not Disney. Hollywood routinely produces movies that offend all sorts of people. Luckily, we can choose not to see them if we so desire. But, the author's kids were exposed to a clip of the movie that he found distasteful. He should be complaining to Fox for showing the clip during the NFL broadcast.

As for me, I don't care.

[Liz]

Rated R but with distribution linked to Disney how many parents will innocently take kids to see this monstrosity?

[gaspar]

Eisner. Hollywood's George Soros.

[Liz]

FR is not a debating forum. I frankly could care less that you yourself don't care but if you are posting on FR you should know that we abide by a protocal that FR posters care about the destruction of America's values by Hollywarped weirdos.

[Liz]

Eisner. Hollywood's George Soros.

Heheh.....nice linkage.

[T.Smith]

"Rated R but with distribution linked to Disney how many parents will innocently take kids to see this monstrosity?"

Any parent who would take their children to see an R rated movie just because distribution is linked to Disney probably isn't smart enough to raise children anyway. That's just this man's opinion

[theDentist]

Wait a minute. First off, the 8-year old couldn't get in to see it: It's an R rated movie. Second, it's a comedy. COMEDY. That means it's intentionally twisted. Just as Scary Movie was a comedy. Airplane. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Meaning of Life, Life of Brian. etc etc etc....

Jeez, simmer down.

[AppyPappy]

The commercial was on during a football game.

[San Jacinto]

He should be complaining to Fox for showing the clip during the NFL broadcast.

Oh, I suppose, at least in theory, Fox could preview and censor each commercial it runs, but to imply there is no beef with Disney who (1) made the movie, (2) produced the commercial, and (3) purchased the airtime during NFL football is absurd.

And I do care about some reprobate in a Santa suit making jokes about oral sex to an audience including kids watching TV in their own home.

I guess it's no wonder that the Hollywood libs give so much money to the clintons. They are their kind of people.

[Sabertooth]

Eisner serves at the pleasure of Roy Disney, Walt's brother, and Disney shareholders etc.

Why do you place all this at Eisner's feet? What "hidden" agenda does Eisner have?

It's actually Roy Jr., Walt's nephew, and he doesn't rule by fiat. Eisner is entrenched, and the power struggle at Disney is ongoing.

[Liz]

First off, the 8-year old couldn't get in to see it: It's an R rated movie.

LOL .......if you believe that I got a bridge I can sell you....cheap....it's in Brooklyn.

[Mr. Bird]

Thanks for the Free Republic lesson, but I've been here long enough to understand "protocol". Sorry you took my comment as something other than it was: My intent was to convey the fact that such commercials don't offend me.

Any comment on the substance of my post, that the author's complaints should be directed at Fox? After all, porn is produced daily (including films depicting Santa in a deleterious state of being) and that would be worse than this trash. But the author's kids aren't exposed to those. Fox broadcast the trailer, Disney didn't.

[Sloth]

Rated R but with distribution linked to Disney how many parents will innocently take kids to see this monstrosity?

Uh, none. I'm sure a fair number will take their kids, but none innocently.

[San Jacinto]

FR is not a debating forum.

That is certainly debatable.

[theDentist]

Sorry Appy, but I really don't think it's that big a crisis in the scheme of things. I know, it's not just 1 scene, but the same ad showed over and over along with all the other crap on TV. But that is on every channel every hour of the day, in reruns, on the News, on cable etc.