Jimmy Kimmel has been embroiled in controversy lately. His show picked up in the ratings for a day or two and then promptly plummeted back down to the low numbers he was facing before, and now he thinks it’s a good time to back Dana Walden as the next Disney CEO?
Dana Walden is currently co-chair of Disney Entertainment, handling the television side of the business. She was involved in Kimmel’s removal and then return. Kimmel, like most late-night TV hosts, has seen sinking viewership numbers for years. Yet somehow he was still on the air (even before his controversial comments).
Currently, Walden and Disney’s Experiences chairman, Josh D’Amaro, are the front-runners for the CEO position. D’Amaro has been with the company for 22 years, while Walden came in with Disney’s Fox acquisition in 2019.
What did Jimmy Kimmel say?
Kimmel was taking part in a Screentime event interview in LA when he was asked who he thought the next CEO of Disney would be and he said,
“I happen to love Dana Walden very much, and I think she’s done a great job,” but admits it would be “foolish” to say otherwise as she heads up Disney and ABC television.
He continues by acknowledging that Walden was indeed part of the crew that suspended his show, but says he doesn’t blame the executives who were in an “unfair” situation.
“I think what has happened over the last like three weeks was very unfair to my bosses at Disney. I don’t think anyone should ever be put in a position like this. It is insane, and I hope that we drew a really, really bold red line as Americans about what we will and will not accept, and really hope that that’s what comes out of all of it.”
People debate whether the show should have been suspended to begin with, but Disney canceled the show after affiliates refused to air it. Those affiliates deny any FCC involvement.
Is a Jimmy Kimmel endorsement even helpful right now?
Given the way Hollywood behaved and pushed for the cancellation of Disney+ over the suspension (allegedly causing over a million cancellations), they are unlikely to encourage investor and Walt Disney Board confidence in Walden.
Since Kimmel’s ratings have once again plummeted after Disney put “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” back on air, this may not reflect favorably on him, Bob Iger, or Dana Walden. Investors could see the situation as something that could have been avoided if Iger and Walden hadn’t immediately reacted in the way they did and if Kimmel hadn’t made the comments in the first place.
Walden seemingly has Bob Iger on her side.
Reports indicate that Iger got angry when someone suggested that D’Amaro would be a good CEO. It has also been said that Walden was a key figure in returning Bob Iger to the CEO position in the first place. He may have some personal feelings favoring Walden.
Ultimately, who gets chosen as a replacement is up to the Walt Disney Board.
Many investors and park fans favor D’Amaro (myself included) due to his years of experience and his leadership of Disney’s most profitable and largest division. Walden has years of Hollywood experience, and their entertainment division has been failing to impress as of late.
It will probably come down to who the board thinks is best suited to fix the company’s reputation and bring back the warm feelings people had for the House of Mouse.
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
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