I’m having a hard time figuring out what’s come over Disney. I realize it’s been decades in the making, but they always hid their latent Machiavellian tendencies behind a veneer of creepy family friendliness as guardians of the wholesome and right. For example, ever make the mistake of wearing something that could be misconstrued as drug-culture related to a park in the 80s?

In my own personal experience, it was DisneyLAND, circa late 1987. Recently returned from a WestPac deployment, I was escorting an elderly friend from Scotland and taking her for a day at the Magic Kingdom. I was also wearing a t-shirt earned at an ages old Japanese dive bar in Iwakuni named “Doobies.” We’d already sweltered in the ticket line for about half an hour and were third from the booth when a frankly automaton looking, smiling young woman approached and asked me if I was planning on going in the park that day. Considering the heat rising off the California tarmac in shimmering waves, where we were in line at that point, and my low tolerance for irritation stretched to the breaking already, only my dear companion’s presence saved an explosion. I managed a “One would think so.”

I was informed I would not be allowed to enter said hallowed grounds wearing what they’d determined to be unsuitable attire…as I’m looking at gang members, etc, go by me. I had the option of turning my shirt inside out – the parking ladies’ port-a-potties were helpfully gestured at – I could purchase a new shirt at a convenient kiosk for such miscreants or…go home.

Needless to say, less than graciously, I handed off the admission money to my wee precious, 72 year old gray haired gnome, tried to explain what tickets she had to buy, and, fuming, stalked off to get soaked by the Mouse morality money men.

CHA-CHING.

And noticed inside-out shirts the whole rest of the time we were there.

I have despised them ever since, even as I tolerated them for Ebola’s sake, and through 100s of airings of “Baby, Mine” from Dumbo (chokes me up every time) when Disney classic VHSs became available.

At least back then they could still pretend they were all about kids and families.

Disney had their self inflicted rough patches over those decades, but they recovered, mostly because they had quality products that would rise to the surface and they knew how to merchandise the magic. They were experts at creating their own cult of groupies – even adults who cannot get enough of the make-believe world Disney sells.

I mean, there are plenty of Disney fanatics around, and then there are Disney fans who…well…there are just no words for, other than “they have too much money“. Or “Get a life, why doncha?”

The Disney-Obsessed Shell Out Millions for Homes Inside This Exclusive Florida Community
Buyers pay a premium for a spot in Golden Oak, which is located near the parks and features homes with flourishes like a blue-and-white ‘Frozen’ room and a ‘Star Wars’-themed home theater

Janis Scaramucci’s bedroom is decorated with paintings of Disney castles. In her office, a recessed ceiling in the shape of a Mickey Mouse head is painted in black glitter. The feet of her dining room table are made from coffee mugs featuring Mickey and Winnie the Pooh. And in her closet hangs a series of colorful Disney outfits, including a red skirt appliquéd with characters from the movie “Ratatouille.”

Welcome to Golden Oak, the only residential community in the world located on Walt Disney Co. resort property.

Ms. Scaramucci, a divorced 63-year-old Disney enthusiast and art collector, bought a $2.52 million home in the Orlando, Fla., community a few years ago after feeling dissatisfied with life in her suburban neighborhood in Edmond, Okla. Now, she spends her days riding roller coasters, attending nature conservation programs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, and traveling to destinations such as Antarctica on Disney cruises.

I guess that’s nice if you really want to live in fantasy world and can swing it.

But it seems to me that I would want the corporation running the fantasy to be more Ariel than Ursula if I were going to sink my life into a place, and that does not describe the Disney of today.

Disney is nothing but ugly sea hag.

From going into public conflict against the citizens, the Florida governor and state legislature on the side of child mutilation, to then choosing subterfuge in an attempt to circumvent the legislative consequences for losing that battle, and, again being crushed like bugs in the courts, it’s been one bad move after another.

Then, compounding the arrogance on the business side, the things that have always resurrected their fortunes – their beautiful, creative films and videos – have been turned into outright social messaging tools even as their production quality nosedives. The only creativity in evidence is how surreptitiously/blatantly they slip the message they want passed into what should be uplifting children’s fare.

“Once upon a time, if it was a Disney movie, you knew it was going to be safe for children,” Media Research Center (MRC) Founder and President Brent Bozell says at the beginning of a new documentary, “Walt’s Disenchanted Kingdom,” set to premiere next week on Monday, January 23.

…It explains how huge asset management companies have succeeded in pressuring companies like Disney to push a radical environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda to and support subjecting young children to age-inappropriate sexual subjects without parental consent or knowledge.

The hypocrisy of Disney’s censorship practices is also exposed in the documentary, which details how the company is deleting content that might offend those in the Chinese and Middle East markets – but, including the offensive material in the U.S., in the name of “free speech.”

The film describes how Disney is promoting LGBTQ sexuality, publicly opposing Florida’s parental-rights law, rejecting the nuclear family, and even producing a streaming show called “Little Demon” – about a teenage girl who is the child of Satan.

This is 180° out for the company that had to shield children’s delicate eyes from a t-shirt that said “Doobies” on it.

Tim Allen, the comic known for “Home Improvement” and conservative views, has been the voice of beloved children’s character Buzz Lightyear from the “Toy Story” franchise since is inception. But, somehow, some way, Allen suddenly became too toxically right wing extremist for Disney for a stand-alone project. And they replaced him. Plus added some progressive touches.

How’d that go?

I think the term is “bombed.”

Tim Allen has taken another swipe at Chris Evans taking over his iconic role as Buzz Lightyear in ‘confusing’ 2022 box office bomb, Lightyear.

The Home Improvement actor, 69, who has voiced Buzz in four Toy Story movies since the mid 1990s – was sensationally replaced by Evans, 41, for the standalone movie – amid speculation his support of the Republican party and conservative politics had swayed the decision.

…Lightyear flopped in its first weekend in theaters, with the new Toy Story spin-off film earning only $51.7 million in North America – and has lost the studio an estimated $106 million.

The movie was also pulled from 14 countries for including a gay kissing scene that Disney refused to pull.

Welp. If that was their only misstep, but it wasn’t. It’s been a litany of failures lately.

And now the live action remake (and WHY?!) of “The Little Mermaid,” the cartoon that brought Disney back from the dead in 1989?

Well, of course, they had to shake things up and cast a young black girl in the role. Hey. If she can sing and act as well as the cartoon Ariel did, who cares. It’s a fairy tale, not a documentary. Everyone knows Disney was just looking for the outraged buzz so they could virtue signal harder.

But, then they changed the score, added a badly done rap and “updated” beloved songs because they can’t have people being triggered by an overly masculine Eric the Prince, being advised by a MALE crab he should just “Kiss the Girl.”

ZOMG THE PATRIARCHY

NTM the crab’s SO frickin’ creepy, you probably want the French chef to whack him with the cleaver.

I don't want to be one of these reactionary Disney guys or whatever but Sebastian the horrid crab in the new Little Mermaid is an abomination that must be destroyed pic.twitter.com/qLNggqnoQq

— Rob (@robrousseau) May 18, 2023

As if the movie weren’t horrible enough – badly made, miserably woke and rewritten – one other thing has come to light.

Remake of #TheLittleMermaid does include what appears to be a dig at the Princess of Wales, I can confirm after a preview today. How pathetic that a great company like @Disney should try to burnish its 'woke' credentials at the expense of Catherine. #Disney #royal

— Richard Eden (@richardaeden) May 21, 2023

They take a shot at Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, IN the movie. Vurt da furk?!

…One reviewer explained the scene to Page Six, which comes after Ariel has traded her voice in exchange for legs to get to the surface and find her prince: “Ariel has sacrificed her voice in order to get to the surface and [meet] Prince Eric.

“She can’t speak so he tries to guess her name.”

The reviewer continued: “His first guess is Diana. His second guess is Catherine, but after [Ariel gives a disgusted] reaction, he [concludes] ‘OK, definitely not Catherine.'”

Some have interpreted her reaction as a swipe against the Princess of Wales, with the name Diana likely referring to her late mother-in-law.

Has Disney LOST THEIR CORPORATE COTTON PICKIN’ MINDS?!

They had to have.

This movie was underwater already from all wet reviews, and now THIS little nasty bit of wholly inappropriate political snark about a truly lovely person is included in a rebooted – and apparently pretty lousy – children’s fairy tale?

Total mean girl, sea hag move.

Whatever dope they’re smoking – or whatever smoking dope is running the production side of the house – dude. Put out the blunt and wave goodbye to the box-office.