Did Saudi Investors Pressure Disney to Drop Michael Moore's Film on 9/11?

[Sandpiper]

<snip>

Disney executives were quoted in the New York Times as saying that when Michael Eisner was the company’s top executive, he “expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where President Bush's brother, Jeb, is governor."

But the media watchgroup FAIR released a statement giving another potential motive. FAIR said, “Disney may have another reason, not mentioned by the Times, to reject a film that might offend the Saudi royal family: A powerful member of the family, Al-Walid bin Talal, owns a major stake in Eurodisney and has been instrumental in the past in bailing out the financially troubled amusement park. The project is facing a new cash crunch, and Al-Walid has been mentioned as a potential rescuer.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/11/1341206

[sadiesworld]

1. Wouldn't it be nice if we owned our country?

[Dogmudgeon]

2. You know what THAT'S called, don't you?

When the people who live in a country actually own it, it's SOCIALISM!

--bkl

[sadiesworld]

3. Heeeeeyyyyy....

You might be on to something there. :7

[Sequoia]

4. Why don't all just avoid all things Disney if possible

Especially Disney World. No buying or renting their movies either. What else is Disney?

[RedEagle]

5. House of Bush, House of Saud, House of Disney?

Perhaps the title of that book needs lengthening.

[underpants]

6. They are opening afraid of retribution? Yep Michael Moore says so too

http://www.michaelmoore.com/

A month later, after shooting started, Michael Eisner insisted on meeting with my agent, Ari Emanuel. Eisner was furious that Miramax signed this deal with me. According to Mr. Emanuel, Eisner said he would never let my film be distributed through Disney even though Mr. Eisner had not seen any footage or even read the outline of the film. Eisner told my agent that he did not want to anger Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida. The movie, he believed, would complicate an already complicated situation with current and future Disney projects in Florida, and that many millions of dollars of tax breaks and incentives were at stake.