The Walt Disney Company in 2024. Let’s just say that if you wish upon a star, that wish will only be granted if you’re not white.
Former Project Veritas founder and founder of the new O’Keefe Media Group (OMG), James O’Keefe, released undercover footage on Thursday showing a Disney executive saying that Disney hires based on race, essentially that the company won’t hire or promote you if you’re white — specifically a white male.
The subject recorded undercover is “Senior Vice President and Team Lead” for “20th Television - The Walt Disney Company,” Michael Giordano. The OMG video shows Giordano telling the undercover reporter that Disney strictly adheres to DEI for their hiring practices.
“You know, we have a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion department, who is very involved in setting standards, to make sure that shows have diversity,” Giordano said.
In another clip, Giordano even admits that Disney CEO Bob Iger “gives the directive” when it comes to diversity hiring.
“Do you think Bob has a say in the diversity stuff when they’re casting people?” the undercover reporter asks Giordano.
“100 percent,” Giordano responded. “He gives the directive.”
In yet another clip, Giordano claims that a large portion of the writers at Disney “happen to be gay” — as if it’s an accident.
“A relatively large percentage of our top writer creators happen to be gay,” Giordano said. “I mean like, just like, if you say whatever, I don’t know, whatever 10 or 15 percent of the population is gay, I would guess that 30 or 35 percent of our top writers happen to be, you know, gay. And so I think a lot of them lean into trans stories more than the average straight writer would.”
But perhaps the most egregious hiring practice, which I mentioned earlier, comes in the form of discriminating against white males for open positions or promotions.
Related: Star & Creator of New 'Star Wars' Spinoff Celebrate Series Being 'the Gayest Star Wars'
When asked what think about his position within the company and his possibility for advancement, Giordano doesn’t like his prospects.
“I’m not sure to be honest with you,” Giordano replied. “I think I’m sort of well prepared for it. I’m well positioned for it. But, as far as Disney’s concerned, I’m a white male, and that’s not who they’re looking to promote at the moment.”
After a little flow of conversation, Giordano expanded on not only how he feels he was discriminated against, but that he was told him being a white male was the reason he was passed over.
“I mean, I’ve been up for jobs internally against people who have less experience than me, and you know, I haven’t gotten them,” Giordano said.
“Do you think it had something to do with their [race]?” the undercover reporter inquired.
“In one or two cases, you know, I was told very explicitly that it did,” Giordano answered.
“Explicitly how? What did they tell you?” the reporter asked, following up.
“I mean, I’ve been at the company for 11 years now, so I have friends in HR and I have friends in those divisions,” said Giordano. “And they’re like, ‘Look, nobody else is going to tell you this, Mike. But, they’re not considering any white males for this job. They’re just not. Like, that not who they want.’”
Giordano also went into how those in charge of hiring use “buzzwords” instead of straight up saying they don’t want to hire white people for certain acting or background roles.
For the complete undercover report, watch below:
Follow Us On X
California pharmacists are now required to receive DEI training to get their licenses renewed.
— MRCTV (@mrctv) June 20, 2024
https://t.co/Gyhz6WfEo2