Disney chief executive Robert Iger, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey and Disney/ABC Television Group president Ben Sherwood did the right thing last week — and then showed how to handle the whiny, self-pitying president of the United States. After Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet, the three executives moved swiftly to banish her from their network, at some immediate and substantial cost to their company. They figured out that in the long run, both morally and financially, their company’s best interests were served by canning the sitcom star.
That in turn provoked President Trump to stamp his foot, demanding an apology from ABC. The Disney/ABC executives did the smart thing — nothing. The president was demonstrating once more he is a petulant man-child who attempts to make every real-world catastrophe and controversy about himself.
Not happy to be ignored, Trump carried on. He then inadvertently revealed the difference between his sycophantic TV supporters and real news organizations. The Post recounted:
Trump on Thursday repeated his complaint that Disney chief Bob Iger has not apologized to him for anti-Trump comments made by ABC personalities, something he believes is a double standard since Iger got in touch with Valerie Jarrett, the former top aide to President Barack Obama who was the target of Barr’s racist comments. Jarrett said Iger called her on Tuesday before announcing that ABC, which is owned by Disney, was pulling the plug on “Roseanne.”
“Iger, where is my call of apology?” Trump tweeted. “You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. How is Brian Ross doing? He tanked the market with an ABC lie, yet no apology. Double Standard!”
Ross had incorrectly reported last year that Trump as president directed the later-fired national security adviser Michael Flynn to contact Russia. But here is the thing: Ross and ABC did apologize, and Ross was suspended. That is what a responsible news organization does.
Making himself look even more petty, Trump sent his press secretary out to whine on his behalf. “The president is pointing to the hypocrisy in the media saying the most horrible things about this president and nobody addresses it,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Well, many of the horrible things said are accurate accounts of Trump’s words and deeds. In any event, Trump removed any doubt that he is the thinnest-skinned man to occupy the Oval Office.
In sum, the Disney/ABC execs handled this incident just right. They did the correct thing for themselves and their company — and then shut up. Trump managed to embarrass himself and show that he lacks the graciousness, decency and temperamental steadiness of Hollywood executives.