Chapek’s Insecurity & Trump’s Fresh Anxiety

Disney Shakeup, Biden-Harris Blues, The Jan. 6 Effect

Happy Friday. You’re reading the Daily Courant, our afternoon guide to the newest and most provocative journalism at Puck.

Today, we lead with Matt Belloni’s mesmerizing behind-the-scenes reporting on the power struggle that led Disney C.E.O. Bob Chapek to oust Peter Rice, one of Hollywood’s most powerful executives. (Watch your inbox for more on the Rice defenestration from Dylan Byers later this afternoon.)

Plus, below the fold, Tara Palmeri opens her notebook on Kamala’s fundraising struggles, Pelosi’s potential third act, and why G.O.P. insiders worry that Donald Trump’s recent missteps could be damaging his credibility with party leaders and activists ahead of 2024.

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Bob Chapek’s Empire of Insecurity

The abrupt firing of beloved Disney executive Peter Rice was widely interpreted inside Hollywood as a move by Chapek to eliminate a prospective rival. Instead it has exposed just how weak his position really is.

MATTHEW BELLONI

Let’s say you’re Peter Rice. You’ve been running Disney’s general entertainment operation for a few years now, the past two under C.E.O. Bob Chapek, and things are going pretty well. Hulu, ABC, Disney+, the news division—with exceptions, the shows are getting better and more frequent, and your judgment and taste are helping grow subscribers. You supported Chapek’s controversial restructuring of the organization, even though it arguably diminished your power, and you get along fine with Kareem Daniel, Chapek’s right-hand-man. Your talent relationships are great, and you’re one of the few content executives who can credibly talk to filmmakers, actors, advertisers, journalists, showrunners, shareholders, and owners. You’re in a good place.

So you think it’s nothing when you’re asked to meet with Chapek on a random Wednesday in Burbank. After all, if the new boss didn’t want you on his team, the professional thing to do would have been to say so before you re-upped your deal for three years last summer, right? Or if there was a problem since then, Chapek definitely would have told you at least once that he’d like things done differently. And he certainly would have offered constructive criticism, like all good managers do. If, God forbid, Chapek did want you gone for some reason, maybe as a fall guy for a Disney stock chart that looks like the final drop on Splash Mountain, or because of the industry chatter that you might do a better job as C.E.O. than him, he’ll certainly respect you enough to let you exit on your own terms—either for another gig or for a Disney producing deal, with all the usual nice things said about you in a press release. That’s just how things are done...

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