Yoo Hoo, Y'All!

TiVo/VCR Alert!!!! Tell people you know who may be interested about this. Apparently a last minute booking.

AIRS: 9-10 p.m. ET Monday-Friday

Michael Eisner joins Larry King


Friday, February 20
Exclusive: Disney CEO Michael Eisner gives his first interview since Comcast Corp.'s hostile takeover bid. He joins Larry to discuss the battle over the Magic Kingdom.

Plus, Regis Philbin gives his "final answer" on the new show, "Super Millionaire." Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

On CNN, check your listings for channel.

I'd rather see Mr. Eisner enter Bill O'Reilly's The Factor "No Spin Zone" on Fox News Channel for this interview. ;-) I think Larry King will throw softballs tonight. ;-)

Heh, Bill O'Reilly would rip Mikey to shreds.

I'd pay to see that! :~D

-Demigod

It's on now. Oy. You guys wouldn't believe the soft-as-overripe-peaches "questions" Larry King is pitching ME... nor the predictable spin ME is putting on the answers.

Then again... maybe you guys would!

Is anyone else watching? What do you think?

I didn't look like Eisner was laughing when Larry King said " The Owner (or whatever) of the Walt Disney Company, today. "

It seemed to me, in a couple of questions by Larry about if Eisner thought he would still be in charge for the future, that Eisner was subtly working in a possible exit strategy. He cited health, and some other factors that were coming together to keep him able and willing to continue as CEO. That could be used for some kind of reasoning why he would leave.

It looks like he might be trying to soften the blow if he is outed, or decides to retire.

I was surprised when he referred to Mickey's Philharmagic as being located at Disneyland in Walt Disney World.

I wonder why Michael couldn't get his own employee Regis to show up as scheduled.

We were taping the show, and I missed the first 1/3 of the show, will have to see it all later. What I did see: Larry King obligingly asked some of the questions on everyone's minds (Muppets, ESPN contract with Cox and Charter cable, etc.) and Michael Eisner obligingly answered with spin. Listeners called in asking some questions (only one ride worth riding at DCA, for instance, or the park prices are too high for families) and Eisner slickly spun his way out of those. Some viewers called in with very soft questions (tell the story of when you're a Cast Member for a day and you had to sell hot dogs, or I support you as chairman now what are your favorite rides). When we first heard that Michael Eisner was to be on (in an online article from New York Times) my husband checked the TiVo listings and Regis Philbin was to be on and someone else entirely unrelated to Disney, leading us to believe that Michael Eisner was a last minute addition to Larry King's line up. We checked CNN's listings and there he was, but he was also supposed to be on with Regis Philbin. As aired, Eisner was on for the entire hour. Eisner side-stepped some questions while appearing to respond to King's points. Eisner as you would expect cheerleaded the Disney companies, says Feature Animation is consolodating and will make 3-D animation in Burbank in one house, but will continue to do cel animation and do things for the public in Florida (so the animation facility there isn't closing after all????????? Anyone?????). I'd have to watch the tape again in the morning. But it seemed tonight Mr. Eisner was in spin and positive public relations mode. Said the reason for having the shareholders' meeting in Philadelphia was that they liked to put those meetings in cities where Disney has substantial interests and cited their owned and operated TV affiliate there that's apparently doing great in the ratings or something. Left the door open for Comcast to increase its offer and Disney would consider it. That's all I can recall right now.

I came in when he was comparing Kermit to Mickey Mouse. I must of missed why. His first call was a complaint about the having to pay a second fee to get into DCA. He also mentioned the Aladdin show a lot. I found it very interested his answer to his favorite ride was Tower of Terror.

I also thought his suggestion that shareholders think they spend too much on park upkeep a bit off. As a shareholder I would love to see them spend more.

I was surprised when he spoke about the Xmas overlays at Small World and Pirates! Arrr maties, Merrrrrrry Christmas ye have! Arrrrgh!! :rolleyes:

Anyone catch the part where he said personally he would like to see Comcast have to pay more? Was he talking about the possible merge or cable cost of ESPN?

Yes-- his favorite ride was Tower Of Terror. He also mentioned IASW with the Xmas overlay. :rolleyes: Little PR there.

And while I'm at it, King brought up the history of IASW being transplanted from the NY World's Fair...then Eisner says "And Lincoln too." He conveniently left out COP.

And putting Kermit on an equal with Mickey Mouse?:eek:

Hey was the chick from Irvine a mousepadder? Or maybe Roy's personal secretary? She let him HAVE it!!:)

EISNER!!! AUGHHHHHH!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

What a liar that man is!!! DLParis is doing fine? DCA cost lots of money to build? Disney Animation will "continue to lead the way"? He simply "disagrees" with Roy? ARGGGGHHH!

edited to add - no, I was not the chick from Irvine. :) Too bad she got the ride name wrong. I wish an actual APer had made it through screening.

Larry King gets repeated through the night. If you're on the West Coast or can stay up or if you want to program your VCR/TiVo to catch it again here's generally the pointer to all that if you're interested and missed the show. Michael Eisner is on the entire hour. In light of all that's going on, it's an important Disney hour of TV.

I'm gonna call in next time it airs. Give ol' Mike a piece of my mind, I will.

Originally posted by Andrew
I'm gonna call in next time it airs. Give ol' Mike a piece of my mind, I will. :confused:

Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
:confused: Did I forget my ;) :D again? Silly me.

Attention Disney shareholders:

Don't forget to vote your shares in time for the annual meeting.
Eisner obviously hasn't gotten the message.

Does anybody want to join me for the Pirates of the Caribbean Christmas overlay Eisner mentioned and find out why he likes it so much?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
[B]EISNER!!! AUGHHHHHH!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

What a liar that man is!!! DLParis is doing fine? DCA cost lots of money to build? Disney Animation will "continue to lead the way"? He simply "disagrees" with Roy? ARGGGGHHH!

DLParis is turning things around. 9/11 and the heat wave of last summer hit all of europe very hard. Tourists were not going there as ussual. Did you hear how many people died there last year because of the heat. I think going to a disney park was far from there minds. Disney will lead the way in animation it may take a while but it will happen and roy disney will say anything to oust Eisner. I don't like the guy but he speaks the truth.

Originally posted by happyhaunts999

DLParis is turning things around. 9/11 and the heat wave of last summer hit all of europe very hard. Tourists were not going there as ussual. Did you hear how many people died there last year because of the heat. I think going to a disney park was far from there minds. Disney will lead the way in animation it may take a while but it will happen and roy disney will say anything to oust Eisner. I don't like the guy but he speaks the truth.

you're joking right? just last month there was talk of DLP closing. if disney is going to lead the way in animation they are going to need to rehire some animators. if anyone speaks the truth out of the two it's roy.

CP - i couldn't agree more! that interview drove me crazy! i was so hoping that someone that actually knew something about disney would get to ask a question. i can't believe he called the magic kingdom disneyland in disneyworld!

was anybody else pissed off that when he talked about walt's grave he said that walt wanted it kept a secret, but that he talked his way into seeing it? the lack of respect for walt just keeps popping up over and over again.

Originally posted by happyhaunts999
I don't like the guy but he speaks the truth.
http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23839

What we're seeing is that numbers are finally going back up since dropping after 9/11, but they are still at the same levels as when the park opened, and that year was a disaster for them.

Originally posted by happyhaunts999
DLParis is turning things around. 9/11 and the heat wave of last summer hit all of europe very hard. Tourists were not going there as ussual. Did you hear how many people died there last year because of the heat. I think going to a disney park was far from there minds. Disney will lead the way in animation it may take a while but it will happen and roy disney will say anything to oust Eisner. I don't like the guy but he speaks the truth.
No he doesn't. You and Eisner are wrong about Euro Disney. Their tourism went down after the terrorist attacks and never went back up. Prior to the attacks, Euro Disneyland was attracting 12 million guests. After, they've been attracting 10 million guests, the same number as the opening year when attendance was considered low. No new rides have come into that park or have been approved since 1995. The studio park is a flop, attracting just under 3 million guests and no new rides are being built or approved ( even their Tower Of Terror is being delayed til 2007 or later due to lack of funds to build it ). Euro Disney lost approx $60 million last year. Add to this, the inflation of the Euro currency and the banks wanting payment on the start up loans ( approx $3 billion ). Euro Disney is once again in danger of closing unless a resolution can be found before the end of March.

I love Euro Disneyland, but it's still has serious financial problems. Let's not be delusional.



Speaking of delusions, since when did the Walt Disney Company have anything to do with the creation of the Pixar films ? :rolleyes:

I was very surprised that Eisner didn't go onto national television and say what a lousy job he is doing and how the company is going to hell in a handbasket. I mean, I really expected that he would do that.

I also noticed that he failed to name all seven dwarves in height order. Oh the humanity!