In the latest development of the ongoing clash between tech mogul Elon Musk and entertainment giant Walt Disney Co DIS, Musk has intensified his criticism of Disney’s diversity standards, alleging “institutionalized racism and sexism” within the company.
What Happened: The controversy began when Musk shared what he claimed to be Disney’s “General Entertainment Content Inclusion Standards” document from “an anonymous source” on X, revealing detailed diversity criteria for various roles in Disney productions. Musk characterized these criteria as discriminatory, sparking a heated debate online.
The Mouse House supposedly has rules requiring at least 50% of the main written characters and actors to be from “Underrepresented Groups.”
Disney has not yet officially responded to either Musk’s company funding Carano or his post about the inclusion memo on X. The company did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Adding fuel to the fire, an online user suggested that Musk should “buy Disney and fix it.” Musk’s response, a thinking emoji, hinted at the possibility of such a bold move, further igniting speculation about his intentions.
In another interaction, Musk responded to a user sharing an old video of Karey Burke, president of Disney-owned 20th Television, advocating for increased LGBTQIA representation in Disney’s content. Musk’s comment, “Don't bring your kids up in LA!” raised eyebrows and intensified the conversation.
Musk reshared his post after it gained some traction, saying, “If you were discriminated against by Disney or its subsidiaries (ABC, ESPN, Marvel, etc), just reply to this post to receive legal support.”
Why It Matters: Musk’s criticism of Disney comes shortly after his corporation partnered to support actor Gina Carano in her legal battle against Disney and Lucasfilm over her termination from the Star Wars franchise.
The backdrop of the feud also includes Disney’s decision to suspend advertising on X last year after Musk interacted with an antisemitic post. While Musk has since apologized for the interaction, he has also expressed disdain for companies that suspended advertising, declaring, “If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go f*** yourself.”
Musk’s critique of Disney extends beyond diversity standards. He has openly criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger and predicted a “meaningful decline” in Disney’s future, citing concerns about the company’s market cap and performance across its streaming and theatrical divisions.
In a recent interview with Ben Shapiro, Musk criticized the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) agenda, branding it as "extremely anti-Semitic" and "dangerous."
He has also lashed out against such hiring standards in the airline industry as well in big tech companies such as IBM, calling such standards “obviously illegal.”
Incidentally, last year, the Department of Justice sued Musk-owned SpaceX for allegedly discriminating against asylees and refugees in hiring.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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