Former Disney employee slams company's woke turn, praises DeSantis for revoking self-governing status
Former Disney employee and America First PACT founder Corey Gibson tells Fox News Digital his take on Disney's liberal values and DeSantis' move to revoke the company's self-governing power.
Ex-Disney employee, America First P.A.C.T. founder, former Washington U.S. House candidate and now communications director for one of the state's current GOP gubernatorial candidates Semi Bird, it's obvious Corey Gibson's resume is full.
Last July, he told Fox News Digital about his "anti-'Squad'" P.A.C.T. (Protecting America's Constitution and Traditions) that has since grown, describing the hope of first-time candidates, including himself, an openly gay Republican from one of Washington State's reddest districts, calling for unity and the common cause of putting America first.
With the ongoing Disney-DeSantis saga dominating the news cycle of late, Fox News Digital caught up with the former on-air and live event host for the Walt Disney Company to hear his thoughts about the debacle.
DESANTIS SIGNS BILL REVOKING DISNEY'S SELF-GOVERNING POWER
Corey Gibson, former Disney Employee, founder of the America First PACT and communications director for Semi bird for Governor, told Fox News Digital his opinion about Disney's woke turn and DeSantis' move to revoke their self-governing status. (Fox News Digital/Taylor Penley)
"I think it [revoking Disney's self-governing status] makes total sense. I think that some people are looking at it in a different way than I look at it, and a lot of people are looking at it as there's danger in the state, in the government taking retribution against a company for maybe not having beliefs that the elected official doesn't agree with. However, this isn't that sort of situation," he said.
Gibson pointed to Disney's special privileges from the state of Florida, privileges once exclusive to the company itself.
"When the company makes a decision to go to get political and turn itself from being an entertainment company into a woke activist company, it defies the voters who clearly just voted for somebody that does not represent those views, so I think this is a different type of situation, and I would love to see more of it, honestly. I would love to see more people taking a stand as voters against these companies that are pushing woke agendas…"
"It's an entertainment company, and it was a great entertainment company. I think we'd all love to see us get back to that place with Disney."
GAY GOP HOUSE CANDIDATE INSISTS ‘NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY’ MORE ACCEPTING, WORKING TO UNITE AMERICANS
A view of the entrance of Walt Disney World on March 22, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
Gibson, who worked for the company from 1999 until approximately 2010, described it as a childhood dream come true, but is working for the company a nightmare for conservatives like some have claimed before?
"I want to say this about Disney. Disney is a really amazing company to work for. They used to be at least. It creates a family. It creates a dynamic that is supportive... You feel like you're a part of something great. You feel like you're a part of history. You feel like you're a part of doing positive things, and, when you work there, you make friends for life," he said.
He elaborated, delving into how many friends he has kept who are now either executives within the company or have since left due to Disney's "woke" turn in recent years.
"One thing that I have gotten a massive amount of feedback from them on is many of them are quitting," he added.
DISNEY EMPLOYEE ENCOURAGES ‘SILENT MAJORITY’ WHO SUPPORT FLORIDA LAW TO ‘STAND UP’
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a law on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, that gives the state control of Disney World's Reedy Creek Improvement District, stripping the resort of its self-governing powers. (Ricardo Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Gibson said he never personally received any backlash for his political views while working for the company, adding that the "woke agenda" push is a fairly "recent development," but said others tell him a different story about their own experiences.
"They're quitting because of this woke ideology, and it's because they're conservatives and, frankly, they have to hide their own values in order to feel like they have a chance of moving up in the company or in even staying with the company itself…
"The way that they're [Disney is] treating conservatives is the same way that so many woke companies are treating conservatives. If you're silent, and you go with the flow and oftentimes against your own morals and beliefs in order to keep your job, you're okay, but if you speak out, then you're labeled as a hateful person."
He also said the company's views do not reflect the views of many on its payroll and described Disney's take on the Parental Rights in Education law as a "complete farce."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, declared an end to the "corporate kingdom" when signing a bill late last month to effectively end the company's self-governing power and put it under control of a state board.
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"Since the 1960s, they’ve enjoyed privileges unlike any company or individual in the state of Florida has ever enjoyed," he said, adding, "They had exemptions from laws that everyone else had to follow. They were able to get huge amounts of benefits without paying their fair share of taxes… How do you give one theme park its own government and then treat all of the other theme parks differently?"
Fox News' Kassy Dillon contributed to this report.
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