INNOCENCE DEPARTED: DISNEY AND MICHAEL MOORE

Iconoclast ^ | May 12, 2003 | Paul Walfield

[ChemistCat]

There are actually liberals here who manage to stay around and express themselves--and don't get banned. They do it by having just a bit of respect for the forum and what it stands for. A little deft, well-mannered behavior can go a long way when you wish to challenge some weakness in a conservative argument. That IS what you hope to do, right? Not just attack us all for being mostly Republicans?

We're not cut of one cloth here--we have a variety of opinions, and sometimes have quite hot disagreements. If you'd stay on topic and express a rational, specific point, without broadly attacking all of us, you could stay and be a part of the discussion.

As far as your point about censorship goes, try to post a pro-Bush argument, however subtle, on DU, and then come back and tell us how it went.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Then you need to tell all the kids who believe it spells out SEX. And that's what it looked like to me.

Care to comment on the Aladdin movie?

Disney is a cesspool.

[Golan Trevize]

Dissent implies thought and rationality.

Spouting of rote non-sequiturs straight out of the "How to keep reliving the 2000 election" handbook is not dissent. Just as repititiously saying "no it isn't", "yes it is" is not an argument.

See, I'm not only not angry, but I have a sense of humor.

Now go away little one.

[Ga Rob]

Also, I fail to see how the first amendment has anything to do with this? The Goverment is not boycotting Moore or Disney or Miramax...private citizens are. Maybe you should brush up on your civics a bit before trying to argue a point around here. I myself don't agree with organized boycotts...they remind me too much of the bedwetter tactics of the left....."If you don't do what we want...we'll...we'll....we'll do something...."

[Helms]

Michael Moore

Author, filmmaker, and political activist Michael Moore has developed a trademark style of tackling major issues with a sharp sense of humor while maintaining a regular-guy attitude, an approach that has helped him secure a reputation as both a razor-sharp humorist and one of America's most fearless political commentators. Michael Moore was born in 1954 in Davison, MI, a suburb of Flint, then home to one of General Motors' biggest manufacturing plants, where Moore's father and grandfather both worked. Born to an Irish-Catholic family, Moore attended parochial school until he was 14, when he transferred to Davison High School. Moore soon developed an interest in student politics as well as larger issues: He won a merit badge as an Eagle Scout by creating a slide show exposing environmentally unfriendly businesses in Flint, and in 1972, when 18-year-olds were granted the right to vote, he ran for a seat on the Flint school board, soon becoming one of the youngest people in the United States to win an election for public office. While Moore was briefly a student at University of Michigan-Flint, he dropped out to focus on activism, and began a career as a journalist by working for the Flint Voice, an alternative weekly newspaper. In time, Moore became the editor, and under his leadership the paper expanded into the Michigan Voice, one of the most respected alternative political publications in the Midwest. Moore's success at the Michigan Voice eventually led to a job offer from Mother Jones magazine, where he became editor in 1986.

[DPB101]

I don't see the big deal here. Political commentary is still legal in this country.

Doesn't bother me one whit if idiot Americans want to buy into Moore's paranoid fantasies.

What is of concern is this film will be released worldwild. Disney is producing anti-American propaganda for enemies of our country. How do you think this will play in Malaysia? Jakarta? The Phillipines? China? Is this what you think American film makers should be shipping overseas?

[Cap'n Crunch]

Hey, what happened to what's his name????

[New Girl]

Folks, I have news for you, this is not the first bad venture that Disney has been involved in. Disney has many, many subsidiaries which operate under completely different names and are not ever associated with the wholesome Disney parent company. This list needs to be updated but here is a sampling of Disney-owned companies:

DISNEY OWNED

Walt Disney Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Hollywood Pictures
Caravan Pictures
Miramax Films
Film distribution rights for independent production companies Cinergi Pictures Entertainment,
Interscope Communications and Merchant-Ivory Productions
Walt Disney Home Video
Buena Vista Television
Touchstone Television
Walt Disney Television
The Disney Channel
Walt Disney Theatrical Productions
Hollywood Records
Wonderland Music
Walt Disney Music Co.
Lyric Street Records

CAPITAL CITIES/ABC OWNED

ABC Television Network
ABC News
ABC Sports
ABC Radio Network
ESPN
Lifetime (jointly owned with Hearst)
A&E Network (jointly owned with Hearst and NBC)
WASC- AM, New York, NY
KABC-AM, Los Angeles, CA
KMPC- AM, Los Angeles, CA
WLS-AM, Chicago, IL
KGO - AM, San Francisco, CA
WJR - AM, Detroit, MI
WBAP - AM, Arlington, TX
WMAL- AM, Washington, DC
WKHX - AM, Atlanta, GA
KQRS - AM, Minneapolis- St. Paul, MN
WPLJ-FM, New York, NY
KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WLS-FM, Chicago, IL
WHYT-FM, Detroit, Ml
KSCS-FM, Arlington, TX
WRQX-FM, Washington, DC
WABC-TV, New York, NY
KABC-TV, Los Angeles, CA
WLS-TV, Chicago, IL
WPVI-TV, Philadelphia, PA
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA
KTRK-TV, Houston, TX
WTVD-TV, Raleigh-Durham, NC
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA

THEME- PARKS AND RESORTS

DISNEY OWNED

Waft Disney World, Orlando, FL (consists of 3 theme parks, 12 resort hotels, RV/camping park, 5 golf courses, 3 water parks)
Disneyland, Anaheim, CA (theme park and 1100 room hotel)
Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan
Euro-Disney, Paris, France

VACATION PLANNING AND PROVIDER SERVICES

DISNEY OWNED

Disney Vacation Club-Orlando, FL
Disney Vacation Club-Vero Beach FL
Disney Vacation Club-Hilton Head Island, SC
Disney Coronado Springs Resort
Disney Cruise Lines
Walt Disney Travel

MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN SERVICES

DISNEY OWNED

Walt Disney Imagineering
Disney Development Company

REAL ESTATE

DISNEY OWNED

Celebration Florida, a planned community designed and developed by Disney

PUBLISHING

DISNEY OWNED

Mouse Works Publishing
Disney press
Hyperion Press
Hyperion Press for Kids
Disney Hachette Editions
Disney Adventures magazine
Discover magazine
FamilyFun magazine
Family PC magazine

CAPITAL CITIES/ABC OWNED

TRADE JOURNALS

Childrens Business
Daily News Record
Footwear News
Home Furnishings Daily
Home Fashions
SportsStyle
Supermarket News
Womens Wear Daily
American Metal Market
Assembly
Automotive Body Repair News
Automotive Industries
Automotive Marketing
CED
Cablevision
Commercial Carrier Journal
Convergance
Distribution
Electronic Industry Telephone
Directory
Energy User News
Expansion
Feedstuffs
Food Engineering
Food engineering International
Food Formulating
Food Master
Hardware Age
HazMat Shipping
Industrial Maintenance& Plant
Operation
Industrial Paint & Powder
Industrial Safety & Hygiene
Jewelers Circular-Keystone
Manufacturing Systems
Metal Center News
Motor Age
Multichannel News
New Steel
Obras
Owner Operator
Product Design and development
Quality
Review
Tacks 'n Togs Merchandising
Selling
Software Solutions
Video Business
Video Software Magazine
Warehousing Management
Wireless Week

MEDICAL JOURNALS

Review of Ophthalmology
Review of Optometry
Clinical Psychiatry News
Family Practice News
Internal Medicine News
Ob.Gyn News
Pediatric News
Skin & Allergy News

GENERAL INTEREST AND ADVERTISING NEWSPAPERS

CAPITAL CITIES/ABC OWNED

The Advertiser-Branford CT
Abington-Rockland Mariner-Rockland, MA
Albany Democrat-Herald- Albany, OR
Armada Times- Armada, MI
Braintree Forum- Braintree, MA
Branford Review - Branford, CT
Brown City Banner- Brown City, MI
Canton News - Canton, CT
Clinton Recorder- Clinton, CT
Cohassett Mariner, Cohassett, MA
Cottage Grove Sentinel- Cottage Grove, OR
Daily Tidings - Ashland, OR
Gresham Outlook- Gresham, OR
The Oakland Press- Pontiac, MI
Hamden Chronicle- Hamden CT
Hanover Mariner - Hanover MA
Highland News -Leader- Highland, IL
Hingham Mariner - Hingham, MA
Holbrook Sun - Holbrook, MA
Kingston Independent Voice - Kingston, MA
Lebanon Express - Lebanon, OR
Little Nickel Want Ads - Lynnwood WA
Marshfield Mariner - Marshfield, MA
Milford Citizen - Milford, CT
Narragansett Times - Wakefield, RI
Newport News-Times- Newport OR
Niantic News - Niantic, CT
Nickel Ads - Portland OR
Nickel Nik - Spokane, WA
Norwell Mariner - Norwell, MA
O'Fallon Progress - O'Fallon, IL
Pembroke Mariner - Pembroke, MA
The Pendelum - East Greenwich, CT
Cape Cod Pennysaver - Cape Cod, MA
Pictorial Gazette - Old Lyme, CT
Prarie Farmer - Lombard, IL
Randolph Mariner - Randolph, MA
Regional Standard - Colchester, CT
Sandy Post - Sandy, OR
Scituate Mariner - Scituate, MA
Shore Line Times - Guilford, CT
Springfield News - Springfield, OR
Standard Times - North Kingstown, RI
St. Louis Countian - Clayton, MO
St. Louis Daily Record - St, Louis, MO
Weymouth News - Weymouth, MA
Sparta News-Plaindealer - Sparta, IL

MAGAZINES

Los Angeles Magazine
Institutional Investor

PUBLISHING COMPANIES

Diversified Publishing Group
Fairchild Publications
Financial Services Publishing Group
Agricultural Publishing Group
Chilton Enterprises
Farm Progress Publications
Imprint, Inc.
NILS Publishing Company
Chilton Book Company
Chilton Datalog
Miller Publishing Company
Hitchcock Publishing Company
Wilson Publishing Company

RETAIL

DISNEY OWNED

The Disney Store
UNOCO

EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS

DISNEY OWNED

Childcraft Education Corporation
Disney Educational Productions

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FRANCHISES

DISNEY OWNED

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Professional Hockey Team
The Anaheim Angels Baseball Club

MISCELLANEOUS ENTERPRISES

DISNEY OWNED

Reedy Creek Energy Services
Vista Insurance Services
WCO Port Properties

CAPITAL CITIES/ABC OWNED

Chilton Research Services
Chilton Management Information Systems
Chilton Direct Marketing & List Management Company
Professional Exposition Management Company
Legal-Communications Corp.

The companies on this list were compiled from documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Disney and Capital Cities/ABC and from the 1995 edition of the Directory of Corporate Affiliations.

This list is provided as a public service only. We are unable to vouch for the complete accuracy of the list as some corporations may have been sold or otherwise liquidated out of the Disney Company portfolio.

I believe that Disney was also responsible for bringing us Natural Born Killers...

[ChemistCat]

Explain to me again why nonequity up there was raving about ClearChannel? Good grief. I had no idea. Thanks.

[Golan Trevize]

He's gone.

He did outlive my prediction by a few minutes, however.

[Golan Trevize]

Explain to me again why nonequity up there was raving about ClearChannel? Good grief. I had no idea. Thanks.

Allow me, if I may.

ClearChannel syndicates Rush Limbaugh. This is obviously equivalent to a federal statute banishing Michael Moore to Siberia. ;-)

New Girl: While it's true that this is not Disney's first controversial endeavor, it is it's most blatant, in your face, electioneering.

[weegee]

My issue with PIXAR (I don't know their current position and as I say, the way the websites were designed, "abortion ban" and PIXAR came up a lot but not necessarily in context) is that someone in control withheld their product from citizens in states that they did not agree with. I feel it appropriate to continue their own ban to their product. If it were merely a funding issue, I might not be as irked.

I'll admit that I've seen some of their feature work (I saw Toy Story at the Dollar Theater but skipped II, A Bug's Life, and Monster's Inc.). Other computer animated features (hint, even the 2-D films are done on computers these days, especially backgrounds, shadows, coloring, and inbetweening) I've seen were Shrek and Antz.

I'm a fan of animation (the whole history) but the "modern Disney" formula (a musical with modern adult contempo rock with a standard villain) doesn't do much for me.

[weegee]

Exactly. Mr. Moore is trying to drop his pantload on the end stretch of the 2004 election. Countering the tinfoil will derail the campaign message. Not countering it will be taken as a confirmation.

[Wil H]

Tell Disney why you will not visit them this year at http://psc.disney.go.com/guestservices/contactus/email8489.html