There has been a lot of talk of Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, in the news lately.
©Disney
Iger recently commented on Disney’s “woke agenda,” causing some stir in the news. He also recently confirmed his 2026 exit from the company. But what really has started to make waves was his decision to pull advertising from X (formerly Twitter), and Elon Musk fired back. There has been a lot said, so we’re here to summarize what Musk has said about Iger.
The conflict began with Musk endorsing a post with comments that were deemed anti-Semitic. As a result, Disney, along with Comcast/NBC Universal, Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery, Apple, Lionsgate, and other companies pulled advertising from the site.
©Getty Images via The Hollywood Reporter
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Elon Musk then commented on the mass exodus of advertisers, specifically addressing Iger. “Don’t advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f**k yourself,” Musk said. “Go f**k yourself, is that clear? Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience. That’s how I feel, don’t advertise.”
©Getty Images via The Hollywood Reporter
Now, Musk has said the Disney chief executive, Bob Iger, should be “fired immediately.” He also continued with, “Walt Disney is turning in his grave over what Bob has done to his company,” Musk said in a series of tweets. “He should be fired immediately.”
He should be fired immediately.
Walt Disney is turning in his grave over what Bob has done to his company.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 7, 2023
Musk continued his attack on Iger and Disney, writing in another tweet, “Bob Eiger thinks it’s cool to advertise next to child exploitation material. Real stand-up guy.” Here, Musk was referring to a report by CNBC regarding a new lawsuit against Instagram and Facebook.
©Reuters | Disney CEO Bob Iger
Musk has since tried to clarify the controversial tweet saying, “I mean, look, I’m sorry for that … post,” he said. “It was foolish of me. Of the 30,000 it might be literally the worst and dumbest post I’ve ever done.” Before Musk’s recent comments, Iget stated, “I have a lot of respect for Elon and what he’s accomplished,” adding, “by him taking the position that he took in quite a public manner, we just felt that the association with that position and Elon Musk and X was not necessarily a positive one for us. And we decided we would pull our advertising.”
©Disney
As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news.
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Musk should be fired from every organization he is connected to. He may be a visionary is some ways, but an absolutely horrible leader and an even lesser person. Complete lack of class and professionalism on his part.
Why we as a society continue to idolize billionaires, especially ones who seem to be horrible human beings, escapes me.
Musk has proven that despite his billions he is morally bankrupt. He is a joke albeit not a funny or even humerus one. I wouldn’t drive a Tesla were it to be given to me for free.
It’s funny to see these comments are only directed towards Musk while Iger has the benefit of his shortcomings being overlooked. Musk is correct to point out that Iger and Disney cherry pick their grandstanding. “Morally bankrupt” and “lack of class and professionalism”? These could easily be used to describe many executives within Disney. So quick we are to point the finger at Musk and label him all kinds of absurdities without stopping to think about what he is actually saying.
Rest assured, Walt himself would be more aligned with Musk than Iger and the rest of the current board at Disney.