Disney boss slammed for his comments on writers’ strike: ‘Makes $45 million in two years and says this’

Disney boss Bob Iger’s comments on the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike have drawn sharp criticism from several quarters. During his recent interview with CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box,’ Iger said that the striking Hollywood writers and actors unions are not being realistic about their expectations. He was commenting on SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) joining the WGA.

Bob Iger said that the timing of the strike was the worst time in the world to increase disruption (pandemic). He was commenting on how the industry is struggling to recover from the shock of the Covid-19 lockdown. He further said that the union is exacerbating the challenges that the business is already facing.

Disney CEO Bob Iger says striking writers and actors in Hollywood aren’t “realistic” about their expectations: “It’s very troubling to me.” https://t.co/p5lTMJwrxW

— Diversity (@diversity) 13 July 2023

See also: Here’s what writers want, studios and more about the WGA strike in Hollywood

Here is how netizens are reacting to Bob Iger’s response to the ongoing writers and actors strike in Hollywood. A user quipped, “He is called a man with an unrealistic salary.” One user described the Disney boss’s comment as ‘the height of hypocrisy’. ‘Very clueless about that,’ commented another user. He remarks that he could not have expected any better from a capitalist like Iger. The Disney boss reportedly earns $27 million a year and has a net worth of $690 million.

Union is doing injustice to you please….
pic.twitter.com/1Tg3PkNiKZ

– Ronen @FloridaForChange 🔆 (@RonenForChange) 13 July 2023

pic.twitter.com/RjeGAdfnRT

— FredoLives (@FredoLives) 13 July 2023

You earn $27,000,000 per year.

I was #6 on the call sheet #bottle gourdand earned less than $1K in residuals.

– D. Russo (he/she) (@DRusso97) 13 July 2023

Says the man with the unrealistic salary.

— Roxana Karimi (@TalkwithRox) 13 July 2023

Imagine a studio run by cheap AI executives and all the savings go to the writers, actors, cinematographers and directors…

– Dude, really? (@JeffRicksDude) 13 July 2023

He is a little nervous considering that he is not the kind of person who is not getting a fair wage. Lord knows he makes sure the money is in his account before everyone else

– Emory Splash 💗 (@morb00tymori) 13 July 2023

Well …. pic.twitter.com/h28SdBk5t4

– Defender of Peter Rabbit “The One and Only” (@peterrabbit4eva) 13 July 2023

When millionaires talk like this, I open my empty wallet to stay healthy.

— Eric Pellinen (@EricPellinen) 13 July 2023

See also: Stan Twitter rallies behind the WGA as fans of the popular TV show show their support

It is very frivolous for him to say so. But I didn’t expect much from a capitalist like him.

— Sleeze♚☮︎Ω☥®™🪬 (@SleezeStreams) 13 July 2023

Boo Tomato Tomato 🍅

— Zayana (@TheZayana) 13 July 2023

Take a pay cut for doing nothing and taking all the credit, Bobby…

– Noivas. (@noivaswright) 13 July 2023

no bob. You are the annoying element here and your unrealistic salary. pic.twitter.com/aQ06ltfguN

— DeeDee Appleby (@deededott) 14 July 2023

You can’t have actors and writers who can barely make ends meet working on a multi-million dollar movie/TV project. Junk the rooms of smaller writers and give those writers top billing on shows that last the first season. I don’t think what they’re asking is too much

– Lala2Gunz 🌐 (@Lala2Gunz) 13 July 2023

Bob Iger lecturing everyone about what is realistic while his park employees live in cars and on food stamps because they get paid 27 million a year is the height of hypocrisy. Fuck every single one of these bloody fanged orcs. I can not stand it.

— Andrea Ciannavei (@AndreaCiannavei) 13 July 2023

Hollywood writers are paid an average of $69,510 per year.

Bob Iger is paid $74,175 per day.

This is “very troubling” to me, Bob. https://t.co/ISS8pqSBdt

— Tyler Evans (@tylerevansokay) 13 July 2023

Iger came out of retirement and made $54 million in two years and said this https://t.co/afi8D3uh4a

— Isaac Feldberg (@isaacfeldberg) 13 July 2023

The WGA has about 11,500 writers, while SAG-AFTRA represents about 160,000 film and television actors, and is the largest union in Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA last went on strike in 1960, along with the WGA. This is the first time in four decades that the actors union is going on strike. The actors’ unions are on strike and are supporting the writers’ demand for a hike in the base salary, which also includes an assurance that their jobs will not be replaced by generic AI. Several high-budget Hollywood productions, as well as many TV shows, have been shelved for the upcoming season due to the ongoing strike.

“The eyes of the world, and especially of labor, are on us,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. Leaders of the Hollywood union representing 160,000 television and film actors voted to strike Thursday, along with screenwriters. pic.twitter.com/E0Iq6ELAQ1

– New York Times (@nytimes) 13 July 2023

During the strike, SAG-AFTRA members cannot do the following

○ Excursions
○ Personal Appearance
○ interview
○ Convention
○ Fan Expos
○ Festivals
○ Events for your consideration
○ Panel
○ Premiere/Screening
○ Award Show
○ Junk
○ Podcast Appearance
○ Social…

— Diversity (@diversity) 13 July 2023

See also: It’s Official: SAG-AFTRA Is Going On Strike