Posted on 09/27/2005 8:46:45 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Eisner signs off with a low-key farewell Speech marks end of Mouse House tenure
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
Eisner spoke of the future, but not his own, at the HRTS luncheon.
Call Michael Eisner the anti-Cher: While most aging icons' farewell tours are loud, frenzied and never-ending, the Walt Disney CEO seems determined to go out like a lamb.
Of course, no one expected Eisner to turn his firstHollywood Radio and TV Society luncheon into a nostalgia fest, or for him to tell out-of-school tales about certain litigious ex-colleagues.
But addressing the crowd Tuesday at the HRTS' first Newsmaker Luncheon of the season, Eisner's final public address as Disney toppertopper was a subdued end to a noisy two-decade tenure.
The exec even began his speech slightly embarrassed by his introduction, in which ABC exec VP Andrea Wong recited his litany of achievements.
"In a flash of light, your power goes away," Eisner joked; he said he'd earlier asked Wong to simply present him by saying his name. "I've lost control of ABC."
Attendees expecting an exit interview were instead given a pep talk by the exec, who urged industry leaders to embrace change.
For Eisner, change includes letting go of the company he turned into a global giant. The exec remained mum on what he'll do next.
Toward the end of his remarks -- which received a standing ovation in the Regent Beverly Wilshire ballroom -- the iconic exec got a little more personal, summing up his 21 years at Disney, calling it the most "gratifying experience in my life."
"The culture of the company, the work ethic, the assets, the enthusiasm there when I arrived in 1984, I'm proud to see they're still there today," he said.
Eisner is also departing on a symbolic high note, as Disney ended the weekend with the nation's No. 1 film, "Flightplan," and the company's ABC network won premiere week among adults 18-49 for the first time in a decade.
Eisner quipped that the ABC victory came "just in the nick of time -- next week, I couldn't take credit for it."
Eisner began by reading part of a speech he gave in 1981, coincidentally also given at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. He also recited lines from a 1936 speech by Joe Kennedy, noting how both excerpts, which discussed impending technological advances and their effects on the bizbiz, could have been delivered today.
His point: The industry's "current angst is nothing new ... It seems our industry has always felt itself on the brink of disaster," he said. "The reality is, on a whole, the American entertainment industry has thrived decade after decade. In spite of our constant cries that the sky is falling, it always stays right up there."
Eisner also took to task critics who believe that creativity has been sacrificed by the bottom line, arguing that Hollywood's "inventive genius can bring a phenomenal return on an investment."
In ending his speech, Eisner said he felt as optimistic about the future of the entertainment biz now as he did 25 years ago.
"Hollywood and its product are the only unifying element in this cornucopia of technology," he said. "Don't panic over the latest technological jargon. Embrace them, knowing that the only thing that gives it purpose is the kind of creative content we all produce."
Date in print: Wed., Sep. 28, 2005, Los Angeles
Bye buttboy.
You WON'T be missed.
So in other words, he was a boring old bastard. Good riddance.
Have you heard that Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are getting a divorce?
Yes, it's very sad, but Mickey went to see a divorce lawyer and explained what was
going on and why he wanted a divorce. The attorney was shocked and told Mickey
that he would have to do some checking and for Mickey to come back in a week.
The following week Mickey showed up and the attorney told him, "I've been
investigating your allegations and I don't think that you can prove that
Minnie is crazy."
"Crazy?" Mickey asked. "I didn't say she was crazy, I said she was f--king Goofy!"
The Cap'n is responsible for my favorite commercial EVER.
"Do you think it isn't a bonfire unless you can see it from space? Do you know how to treat a lady, and her cousin, and her best friend, and someone she kinda knows from the gym? Do you think aerobics is a sport . . . a spectator sport?"
Eisner turned the once great Disney into an anti-Christian, pro-PRO Gay company. Good riddance.
A perfect quote for everyone who understands the antiquated myth of the "hands-on CEO" as presented to us by the MSM in the '80s and '90s. Is there anyone who really believes Eisner is responsible for this "victory"? CEOs are like college presidents. They schmooze. Grunts on the ground do the work.
Ditch the superstar CEOS, hire good -- if non-telegenic -- managers, and you not only save bucks, you prevent your company being tainted by the chief's personal peccadillos.
Cults of personality are so 1992.
Walt would have dumped you years ago due to your values.
Is that post in response to the poster on #7 or to Eisner?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.