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‘Talking To Kids About Gay Stuff Is Actually Crucial’: Meet The LGBTQ Content Creators And Companies Indoctrinating Your Kids 

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IMDb changed the way it reports <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audience scores</a> for the new live-action version of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney’s</a> “The Little Mermaid,” according to its website. 
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">film</a> currently has a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5971474/ratings/?ref_=tt_ov_rt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7.0/10 rating</a> out of 43,000 votes on the popular movie database. This rating comes with a small disclaimer that says, “Our rating mechanism has detected unusual voting activity on this title. To preserve the reliability of our rating system, an alternate weighting calculation has been applied.” 
The note appeared on the US, Canadian, U.K., Brazilian, and Mexican “Little Mermaid” pages.
“Although we accept and consider all votes received by users, not all votes have the same impact (or ‘weight’) on the final rating,” it says on the IMDb <a href="https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/track-movies-tv/weighted-average-ratings/GWT2DSBYVT2F25SK?ref_=ttrt_wtavg#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAQ page</a>. “When unusual voting activity is detected, an alternate weighting calculation may be applied in order to preserve the reliability of our system. To ensure that our rating mechanism remains effective, we do not disclose the exact method used to generate the rating.”
Despite mixed reviews from critics, some industry insiders believe “The Little Mermaid” is being “review bombed,” which happens when a large number of people or a few people with multiple accounts post negative user reviews online even if they haven’t seen the work in question.
Even with negative reviews, “The Little Mermaid” cleared more than $117 million at the box office over Memorial Day weekend. Viewers praised lead actress Halle Bailey’s performance but said several parts of the film felt unnecessary, especially the unsettling live-action versions of Ariel’s sidekicks Scuttle, Sebastian, and Flounder.
The film has a 68% critic score and a 95% audience score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_little_mermaid_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
“Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy save an otherwise BLAND Disney retread,” one reviewer wrote.
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“Meh. I was SO looking forward to this and while it brought moments of laughter and joy, it fell a little flat. Loved Ursula though, thought she was awesome!” another person wrote. 
“Overall it didn&#8217;t stray from the original story line, but there were moments I would&#8217;ve savored more and others that felt too slow for what was going on. I&#8217;m glad I saw it, but won&#8217;t care to own it or probably ever watch it again.”
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

“The Little Mermaid”

IMDb Changes Rating Scale For ‘The Little Mermaid’ Following Suspected ‘Review Bombing’

IMDb Changes Rating Scale For 'The Little Mermaid' Following Suspected 'Review Bombing'

Movies

U.S.

Reviews about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney</a>’s new live-action version of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Little Mermaid</a>” are mixed, but one aspect of the movie that’s mainly drawing negative attention is one of the new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music" target="_blank" rel="noopener">songs</a>, “Scuttlebutt.”
Clips of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">song</a> featuring Ariel’s (Halle Bailey) sidekick bird pal Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina) rapping have been circulating online, with many deeming it obnoxious and unnecessary.
“Listening to it makes me want to throw myself into the sea,” Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshShow/status/1663628848162799619" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “Words cannot capture just how terrible it is. If I heard this song, and then over the next 12 hours my house burned down, and I lost my job, and I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, the song would still be the worst thing that happened to me that day.”
The Daily Wire&#8217;s Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro had a similar take. “If ever you want to get information out of a terrorist and time is running out, violate the Geneva Conventions by strapping him to a chair and playing this at full volume,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1662903962524086273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> of “Scuttlebutt.”
“This is incredible. I didn&#8217;t know music could get much worse than it has been since 2010-ish. But this just hit a low point I didn&#8217;t even know exists,” one commenter wrote on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKlQu_p97KI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a> audio version.
“Bravo, Disney, bravo. This song. This song right here. It has made me want to drown myself in the bottom of the ocean. This truly is the real &#8216;The Little Mermaid&#8217; experience,” another person said.
“This song is so beautiful,” a third person wrote. “It makes me contemplate all of my life choices and realize that no matter how many mistakes I have made, listening to this truly will forever be the biggest one of my life.”
The song involves Scuttle relaying information about Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) to Sebastian (Daveed Diggs). It was written by “Hamilton” composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and features a fast-paced rap sequence.
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Besides the award-winning musical about America’s founding fathers, Miranda is known for contributing massive hits to other animated Disney films, including composing Moana’s &#8220;You&#8217;re Welcome,” and Encanto&#8217;s &#8220;We Don&#8217;t Talk About Bruno.&#8221;
According to the Disney blog <a href="https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/awkwafina-are-you-sure-the-scuttlebutt-little-mermaid-mw1/">Inside the Magic</a>, Awkwafina initially hesitated about the song’s inclusion in &#8220;The Little Mermaid.&#8221;
“It was so cool to perform a song that [Manuel-Miranda] wrote for the character. It’s an honor. It’s like, ‘Are you sure even want to do this?” But then I was like, ‘At the end of the day, if it doesn’t work, you don’t have to use it,’” she said. 
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.

Awkwafina

‘The Worst Thing’: Fans React To New ‘Little Mermaid’ Song ‘Scuttlebutt’ With Mockery

Fans React To New 'Little Mermaid' Song 'Scuttlebutt' With Mockery

Hollywood

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tiktok">TikTok</a> clip of a man in a dress welcoming small <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/children">children</a> into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney">Disneyland</a> boutique full of princess costumes has gone viral on social media.
The original <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kourtnifaber/video/7237564436070812974?lang=en">video</a>, which has racked up more than 7.1 million views as of Tuesday, was posted by self-described dental hygienist and mom of three Kourtni Faber’s account over the weekend. In it, a man with a mustache wearing a gown waves enthusiastically to a child and introduces himself as Nick as the customer enters the store.
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This is reportedly happening at Disneyland.
Grooming Exhibitionism or Trans Rights? <a href="https://t.co/6l72kT8BfW">pic.twitter.com/6l72kT8BfW</a>
&mdash; Bree A Dail (@breeadail) <a href="https://twitter.com/breeadail/status/1663452775580065792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“I’m here to shop you around and make all your selections for the day,” the employee says. The video pans around the store full of princess costumes on mannequins and states that price captions ranging from &#8220;$250&#8221; to &#8220;$450.&#8221;
The video goes on to show a female store employee in the same uniform helping a young girl get a princess makeover. The original poster included the caption, “A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep #disneyland #bibbidibobbidiboutique #corememory.”
Many commenters on TikTok professed that they “love” Nick and said he’s been working at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a while. 
“This is insane,” one Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/lax_miami/status/1663500860364660736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
“Absolutely grooming. That is a moment for little girls. Mustache has no business there,” another account <a href="https://twitter.com/TheChrisMoreno/status/1663504890084163586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed</a>. 
“Disney is just an LGBT activist organization at this point,” another commenter <a href="https://twitter.com/dekach1n/status/1663525260254416898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “Any sane company would have backed down by now. Disney keeps doubling down because it would rather engage in political activism than return value.”
Another viewer <a href="https://twitter.com/afewcrayons/status/1663511430857932802" target="_blank" rel="noopener">echoed</a>, “This is disturbing and sick. You are vile.”
Disney Parks updated its uniform policy in 2021 to allow employees, or as they’re referred to in the park, “cast members,” to wear gendered clothing of their preference regardless of their biological sex.
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&#8220;We want our guests to see their own backgrounds and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney,&#8221; a Disney official said in a <a href="https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/04/a-place-where-everyone-is-welcome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> at the time. &#8220;And we want our cast members — and future cast members — to feel a sense of belonging at work.&#8221;
Other changes to the dress code included that cast members no longer had to cover their tattoos if appropriate, and men were permitted to wear nail polish.
“Inclusion is essential to our culture and leads us forward as we continue to realize our rich legacy of engaging storytelling, exceptional service, and Disney magic,” the statement continued. 
“Our new approach provides greater flexibility with respect to forms of personal expression surrounding gender-inclusive hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles, and costume choices; and allowing appropriate visible tattoos. We’re updating them to not only remain relevant in today’s workplace, but also enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work.”
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.

Disneyland

‘Disturbing’: Man In A Dress Welcoming Children To Disneyland Princess Boutique Sparks Outrage On Twitter

Man In A Dress Welcoming Children To Disneyland Princess Boutique Sparks Outrage On Twitter

California

Social Issues

TikTok

viral video

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">makeup artist</a> responsible for Ursula’s look in the new live-action version of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Little Mermaid</a>” responded to criticism that he’s not “queer” and shouldn’t have recreated the infamous villain’s look.
Peter Smith King is a British hair and makeup designer with 42 years of experience doing makeup for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">films</a>, theater, and opera. He’s worked on major projects such as &#8220;The Lord of the Rings” and &#8220;Mary Poppins” before committing to transform actress Melissa McCarthy into the evil sea witch in Disney’s “Little Mermaid.”
King said he loved working on the movie set. &#8220;It was lovely. A lovely crew, lovely cast,&#8221; the makeup artist told <a href="https://www.insider.com/ursula-little-mermaid-mua-responds-to-criticism-disney-queer-artist-2023-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider</a>, adding that when deciding on a look for Ursula, he “discussed everything” with McCarthy.
The 1989 animated version showed Ursula with exaggerated eye makeup, inspired by the late popular drag performer Divine. Animator Rob Minkoff told Vogue that Divine inspired the original look for Ursula. 
&#8220;Divine seemed like such a great, larger than life character, and it just seemed like a funny and quirky idea to take [Ursula] and treat her more like a drag queen,&#8221; he told <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/ursula-little-mermaid-drag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a> in a May 2023 interview. 
But some, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag enthusiasts,</a> were not impressed with King&#8217;s version of Ursula.
&#8220;Now when we said Ursula was inspired by a drag queen we didn&#8217;t mean one who had only been doing it for 3 months bc-,&#8221; media personality Sierra La Puerta tweeted on May 17 with a <a href="https://twitter.com/_SierraLaPuerta/status/1658826127446618117" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photo</a> of the actress in full makeup.
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Now when we said Ursula was inspired by a drag queen we didn’t mean one who had only been doing it for 3 months bc- <a href="https://t.co/gOODRvVT4l">https://t.co/gOODRvVT4l</a> <a href="https://t.co/BvNSf4wdp4">pic.twitter.com/BvNSf4wdp4</a>
&mdash; Sierra La Puerta (@_SierraLaPuerta) <a href="https://twitter.com/_SierraLaPuerta/status/1658826127446618117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Two former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” participants also weighed in on the look. 
“When you lie on your resume and end up with the job,&#8221; Art Simone joked. 
Kerri Colby wrote that the look proved “absolutely why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often. Yes I agree, this is that.&#8221;
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King said he was “offended” by the backlash from the drag community. &#8220;I find that very offensive,&#8221; he told Insider. &#8220;Why can&#8217;t I do as good a job as a queer makeup artist? That&#8217;s ridiculous. That&#8217;s trying to claim it and that&#8217;s fine, if that&#8217;s what they wanna do, but don&#8217;t put people down because they&#8217;re not what they want it to be,&#8221; he said. 
King claims he used original ideas for McCarthy.
&#8220;No, no. It was me. I didn&#8217;t really draw on anything. I played around quite a lot with different colors, different shapes, and stuff,&#8221; he told the publication. &#8220;It just was sort of Melissa and I talking and creating. So I didn&#8217;t really draw on anything at all.&#8221;
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

Melissa McCarthy

‘Very Offensive’: ‘The Little Mermaid’ Makeup Artist Responds To Backlash From Drag Performers Over Ursula’s Look

'The Little Mermaid' Makeup Artist Responds To Backlash From Drag Performers Over Ursula's Look

Drag Queens

Reviews of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney">Disney</a>’s remake of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">The Little Mermaid</a>” were mixed, with even the most generous viewers wondering if the film was necessary. But the review from movie critic Wesley Morris for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-times">The New York Times</a> is getting attention for wondering about the lack of “kink” in the children’s movie.
&#8220;The new, live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’ is everything nobody should want in a movie: dutiful and defensive, yet desperate for approval,&#8221; Morris wrote in his review. 
&#8220;It reeks of obligation and noble intentions. Joy, fun, mystery, risk, flavor, kink — they’re missing,&#8221; he continued.
People immediately noticed that Morris chose to use the word “kink” for a PG-rated movie that was advertised for children and families. While the word has multiple meanings, it’s frequently used in pop culture to refer to offbeat sexual preferences.
&#8220;The New York Times just put up a review of the Little Mermaid where the reviewer complains that KINK was missing from the film. The definition of kink: a person’s unusual sexual preferences. Same media denies the left sexualizes kids. The reviewer needs his hard drives reviewed,&#8221; conservative social media influencer Robby Starbuck <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1662623248532619266">wrote</a> on Twitter.
“The New York Times complaining about the lack of “kink” in The Little Mermaid pretty much sums up where we’re at.  Corrupt perverts in charge, abject degeneracy proud on full display, their contempt for traditional values transformed into a seething hatred for ordinary people,” the host of The Martyr Made Podcast <a href="https://twitter.com/martyrmade/status/1662846265166807041">shared</a>. 
While many critics praised the film’s lead, Halle Bailey, the rest of the movie left a lot of viewers disappointed. 
The NPR reviewer called the live-action remake “an artistic dead end” that “may make commercial sense” but is ultimately “unnecessary.”  
“Like a lot of its fellow Disney remakes, this Little Mermaid too often feels like a dutiful cover version rather than an inspired reimagining,” the review says. 
“There is nothing innovative or reformist about what happens in this movie,” the Huffington Post reviewer wrote.
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“While the original ‘The Little Mermaid’ dazzled with its beautifully imaginative underwater kingdom and talking sea creatures, Rob Marshall’s remake is a soulless cash grab utterly devoid of any hint of charm of visual whimsy,” another review said.
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

New York Times Review Of ‘The Little Mermaid’ Laments Lack Of ‘Kink’ In Kids Movie

New York Times Review Of 'The Little Mermaid' Laments Lack Of 'Kink' In Kids Movie

New York Times

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">The Little Mermaid</a>” is projected to pull in around $120 million during its opening weekend despite mixed reviews of the live action <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney">Disney</a> film.
The movie will also earn an estimated $80 million overseas between Friday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/little-mermaid-box-office-memorial-day-opening-1235500751/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
If the $120 million projection is accurate, that would mean “The Little Mermaid” would have the fifth biggest domestic start for Memorial Day weekend. That title currently belongs to Disney’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">live-action</a> version of “Aladdin,” which earned $116.8 million during the holiday weekend in 2019.
This updated version of the classic 1989 animated film stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the sea witch, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. Daveed Diggs voices Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay appears as Flounder, and Javier Bardem plays King Triton. 
Like so many live-action remakes from Disney, “The Little Mermaid” follows basically the same storyline as the original film with a few updates, which is one of the primary reasons it’s being criticized. 
The <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/05/26/1177917346/the-little-mermaid-review-remake-disney-halle-bailey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR</a> reviewer echoed what others were saying by calling it “an artistic dead end” that “may make commercial sense” but is ultimately “unnecessary.”  
“Like a lot of its fellow Disney remakes, this Little Mermaid too often feels like a dutiful cover version rather than an inspired reimagining,” the review says. While Bailey’s performance is hailed as one of the best parts of the movie, the reviewer describes her beloved sidekick friends Flounder and Sebastian as “creepy and dead-eyed” in the new version.
“There is nothing innovative or reformist about what happens in this movie,” Huffington Post <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-little-mermaid-review_n_646e1f23e4b03557393a5123" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> about the remake.
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“While the original ‘The Little Mermaid’ dazzled with its beautifully imaginative underwater kingdom and talking sea creatures, Rob Marshall&#8217;s remake is a soulless cash grab utterly devoid of any hint of charm of visual whimsy,” another reviewer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-the-little-mermaid-review-disneys-live-action-remake-fails-to-make-a-splash-596751" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. 
There were other moviegoers who disagreed with the criticism, however, saying the new “Little Mermaid” is worth seeing.
“For the most part, I had a good time at ‘The Little Mermaid.’ The film is buoyed by its actors and some of its visuals,” the reviewer at <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/22/arts/halle-bailey-makes-little-mermaid-her-own/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Globe</a> wrote. Another reviewer insisted it was, “an entertaining adaptation that deserves to make a big splash at the box office.”
“The Little Mermaid” premiered nationwide on May 26.
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

The Little Mermaid

‘The Little Mermaid’ Expected To Earn $120M Opening Weekend Despite Ho-Hum Reviews

'The Little Mermaid' Expected To Earn $120M Opening Weekend Despite Ho-Hum Reviews

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney">Disney</a> is planning to remove a significant amount of content from its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">streaming platforms</a> Disney+ and Hulu beginning May 26, per a report from <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/05/disney-remove-series-streaming-disney-plus-hulu-big-shot-willow-y-dollface-turner-hooch-pistol-1235372512/">Deadline</a>.
Projects being removed fell under the genres of short-lived <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">series</a>, specials, and direct-to-streaming movies, the outlet noted.
Some of the Disney+ titles slated for removal include “Willow,” “Big Shot,” “Turner &amp; Hooch,” “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “Just Beyond,” “Diary of a Future President,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society,&#8221; and &#8220;The World According to Jeff Goldblum.”
As for the Hulu removals, the publication said “Y: The Last Man,” “Dollface,” “The Hot Zone,” “Maggie,” “Pistol,” and “Little Demon” were all on the chopping block.
“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC (direct to customer) services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation,” CFO Christine McCarthy said of the news. 
Disney is not the only streaming platform removing titles as a potential cost-cutting measure. Warner Bros. Discover, Showtime, and AMC all did something similar recently. 
The complete list of axed titles includes: 
Big Shot [Disney+]
Turner &amp; Hooch [Disney+]
The Mysterious Benedict Society [Disney+]
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers [Disney+]
Willow [Disney+]
The Making Of Willow [Disney+]
Diary of a Future President [Disney+]
Just Beyond [Disney+]
The World According to Jeff Goldblum [Disney+]
Marvel’s Project Hero [Disney+]
The Right Stuff [Disney+]
The Real Right Stuff [Disney+]
Cheaper by the Dozen remake [Disney+]
The One and Only Ivan [Disney+]
Stargirl [Disney+]
Hollywood Stargirl [Disney+]
Flora &amp; Ulysses [Disney+]
Artemis Fowl [Disney+]
The Princess [Disney+]
Encore! [Disney+]
Black Beauty [Disney+]
Clouds [Disney+]
America the Beautiful [Disney+]
Better Nate Than Ever [Disney+]
Weird But True! [Disney+]
Timmy Failure [Disney+]
Be Our Chef [Disney+]
Magic Camp [Disney+]
Earth to Ned [Disney+]
Foodtastic [Disney+]
Stuntman [Disney+]
Disney Fairy Tale Weddings [Disney+]
Wolfgang [Disney+]
It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer [Disney+]
The Big Fib [Disney+]
Rogue Trip [Disney+]
More Than Robots [Disney+]
Shop Class [Disney+]
Pick the Litter [Disney+]
Own the Room [Disney+]
Among the Stars [Disney+]
Family Reboot [Disney+]
Gina Yei [Disney+]
Club Mickey Mouse (Malaysia) [Disney+]
Harmonious Live! [Disney+]
Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays [Disney+]
Y: The Last Man [FX/Hulu]
Pistol [FX/Hulu]
Little Demon [FX/Hulu]
Maggie [Hulu]
Dollface [Hulu]
The Hot Zone [Nat Geo/Hulu]
The Premise [Hulu]
Love in the Time of Corona [Hulu]
Everything’s Trash [Hulu]
Best in Snow [Hulu]
Best in Dough [Hulu]
Darby and the Dead [Hulu]
The Quest [Hulu]
Rosaline [Hulu]
Chefs vs. Wild [Hulu]
Fearless: The Inside Story of the AFLW [Hulu]
Life Below Zero: Next Generation [Nat Geo/Hulu]
National Geographic Investigates: LSD and Psychedelics [Nat Geo/Hulu]
9/11: One Day in America [Nat Geo/Hulu]
The Armstrong Tapes [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Buried Secrets of WWII [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Bin Laden’s Hard Drive [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Croc That Ate Jaws [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Drug Lords: The Next Generation [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Extreme Rescues [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Most Wanted Sharks [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Locked Up Abroad [Nat Geo/Hulu]
North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator [Nat Geo/Hulu]
To Catch A Smuggler Rome [Nat Geo/Hulu]
Ultimate Survival WWII [Nat Geo/Hulu]
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)

disney plus

Disney To Purge Content From Disney+ And Hulu Including ‘Big Shot’, ‘Willow’, ‘Little Demon,’ And More

Disney To Purge Content From Disney+ And Hulu Including ‘Big Shot’, ‘Willow’, 'Little Demon,' And More

Hulu

Media

Television

Jodi Benson, the actress who originally voiced Ariel in “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Little Mermaid</a>,” recently said she agrees with some of the changes made in the live-action version of the film.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney</a> remake made headlines earlier this year for changing the lyrics to the classic song “Kiss the Girl,” which was made popular in the animated version of “The Little Mermaid” (1989). <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-goes-woke-with-lyrics-in-new-little-mermaid-songs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to the composer, the words were changed to include consent so the audience knows Prince Eric would never “force himself on Ariel.”
The original song&#8217;s lyrics are: “Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you, too. There is one way to ask her. It don’t take a word. Not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl.”
The song “Poor Unfortunate Souls” also had lyric edits to make it more palatable for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/woke-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PC crowd</a>. The original version had the villain, Ursula, singing: “The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber. They think a girl who gossips is a bore! Yet on land it’s much preferred for ladies not to say a word. And after all dear, what is idle babble for?”
“We’re talking about starting our [voiceover] sessions in ’86 [for the original film],” Benson told <a href="https://ew.com/movies/the-little-mermaid-original-ariel-jodi-benson-story-changes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entertainment Weekly</a> just ahead of the movie’s Memorial Day weekend premiere. “It’s 2023, so we have to grow, we have to learn, we have to be aware of our surroundings.”
“We’ve got to be aware of our growth as humans and what’s important now and what maybe isn’t as important,” the voice actress said. “Things change. We’ve got to roll with that… But you’ve got to have growth. It’s very important to stay relevant with where we are, what’s going on around us. We need to be aware. So the adjustments and the fine-tuning that they needed to do, it was a must, but it was done in a beautiful way, and I’m very, very thrilled with it.”
Alan Menken wrote the music for the 1989 animated version of “The Little Mermaid” and was asked to work on new songs for the 2023 live-action remake. He explained some of the changes being made in April, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-goes-woke-with-lyrics-in-new-little-mermaid-songs">reported</a>.  
“There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” the composer said.
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“We have some revisions in ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ regarding lines that might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn, even though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel to give up her voice,” Menken also said while speaking with Vanity Fair.
Actress Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the newest film version, said there were shifts in the narrative which she fully supported. Bailey told <a href="https://editionml.com/halle-bailey-cover-story-interview-the-little-mermaid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edition magazine</a> in April that the film “definitely changed its perspective of [Ariel] just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy. It’s way bigger than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants.”
&#8220;The Little Mermaid&#8221; debuts in theaters on May 26.
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.)
Katie Jerkovich contributed to this report.

Jodi Benson

Original Ariel Voice Actor Defends New ‘Little Mermaid’ Changing Song Lyrics To Include Consent: ‘Things Change’

Original Ariel Voice Actor Defends New ‘Little Mermaid’ Changing Song Lyrics to Include Consent

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-goes-woke-with-lyrics-in-new-little-mermaid-songs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;The Little Mermaid</a>&#8221; pre-ticket sales are currently showing the movie could be the worst-performing Disney release in 2023 in China with current sales sitting at $13,000 after 3 days of presales ahead of the opening on May 25.
Chinese box officer observers like Luiz Fernando tweeted on Sunday that ticket sales for the live-action remake of the popular animated 1989 classic film suggested there&#8217;s a lack of interest in China from moviegoers, <a href="https://www.cbr.com/the-little-mermaid-box-office-china-prediction/#:~:text=According%20to%20Chinese%20box%20officer,of%20interest%20from%20China's%20moviegoers.">ComicBookResources.com</a> reported.
&#8220;Meanwhile in China&#8217;s BoxOffice, ticket pre-sales for TheLittleMermaid show no signs of reaction,&#8221; Fernando tweeted. &#8220;Disney liveaction finished SUN with a scary $13k total after 3 days of pre-sales, for the whole MAY 25-28 period.&#8221;
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Meanwhile in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a>’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoxOffice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoxOffice</a>, ticket pre-sales for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheLittleMermaid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheLittleMermaid</a> show no signs of reaction.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disney</a> liveaction finished SUN with a scary $13k total after 3 days of pre-sales, for the whole MAY 25-28 period. Could be the worst opening ever for Hollywood tentpole in China. <a href="https://t.co/EMCDjyDFYP">pic.twitter.com/EMCDjyDFYP</a>
&mdash; Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) <a href="https://twitter.com/Luiz_Fernando_J/status/1660318944920477696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Could be the worst opening ever for Hollywood tentpole in China,&#8221; he added.
Hollywood has struggled to get films released in China since the pandemic with a virtual ban on films from the West until the country lifted its stringent &#8220;Zero-COVID&#8221; policy and amid reports that theaters were on the verge of bankruptcy, the outlet noted.
The last live-action adaptation to hit Chinese theaters was Disney&#8217;s &#8220;Cruella&#8221; in 2021, the report noted. The film grossed $1.6 million on opening weekend and ended up making $24 million during its run in China.
At this point, it is still unclear how Disney&#8217;s mermaid film will do worldwide, but <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/the-little-mermaid-screening-rob-marshall-halle-bailey-1235601354/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early movie reviews</a> in the U.S. have been mixed.
Variety contributor Simon Thompson wrote, &#8220;Endearing but uneven, [&#8220;The Little Mermaid&#8221;] doesn&#8217;t deliver the magic of the animated classic, but there are plenty of creative touches from Rob Marshall to float the audience&#8217;s boats. Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy are great. Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina provide solid comic relief.&#8221;
Kirsten Acuna from Insider said the film is &#8220;filled with a few great performances from Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, but it&#8217;s a mostly paint-by-numbers remake that isn&#8217;t as good as the animated masterpiece.&#8221;
While Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_little_mermaid_2023/reviews?intcmp=rt-scorecard_tomatometer-reviews">critic</a> Justin Chang wrote, &#8220;What&#8217;s on-screen too often feels like wan, second-rate imitation, and the few differences seem motivated less by a spirit of imagination than one of joyless anxiety.&#8221;
&#8220;The Little Mermaid&#8221; hits theaters on May 26.
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/early-reviews-of-live-action-the-little-mermaid-arent-great-mostly-paint-by-numbers-remake">Early Reviews Of Live-Action &#8216;The Little Mermaid&#8217; Aren&#8217;t Great: &#8216;Mostly Paint-By-Numbers Remake&#8217;</a>

Report: ‘The Little Mermaid’ Pre-Ticket Sales Showing Worst Performing Disney Release This Year In China

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Woke Culture

World

The reason <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney</a> canceled constructing a $1 billion office complex in Orlando has little to do with Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a>’ battle against the company’s woke priorities, Daily Wire editor emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-shapiro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Shapiro</a> said on his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1731-the-woke-disney-empire-strikes-back8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> Friday.
Disney actually scuttled the project because of economic blows it has taken unrelated to the state of Florida revoking special tax privileges from its Walt Disney World campus. In addition, the new office space planned for Florida received a wave of pushback internally from employees who did not want to relocate to the Sunshine State, according to Shapiro.
“Disney is spinning the fact that they are in a state of economic free-fall as a woke corporate stand,” Shapiro said.
In an email to Disney employees on Thursday, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro said the company was <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsGuyGreg/status/1659267897728933888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">canceling</a> the $1 billion proposed investment in Florida. The cancelation came after CEO Bob Iger in an earnings call last week upped his attacks on DeSantis for cracking down on the company for pushing the state to embrace transgender ideology.
“We have a huge opportunity to continue to invest in Florida. I noted that our plans were to invest $17 billion over the next 10 years, which is what the state should want us to do. We operate responsibly. We pay our fair share of taxes. We employ thousands of people there,” Iger <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/business/iger-desantis-disney-florida-feud/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes or not?” he asked.
Shapiro said that Iger and Disney are trying to hide the real reasons the business is faltering by placing the blame on DeSantis.
“Basically, what happened here is that Disney does not have the money or the wherewithal right now to build a $1 billion project in Orlando. How do we know this? Because it is perfectly obvious to everyone,” Shapiro said.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-45886">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The Daily Wire host pointed out that Disney’s streaming service has declined recently. The platform has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/may/11/disney-loses-4m-subscribers-amid-exodus-in-indian-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> around 4 million subscribers so far this year and had to cut thousands of jobs in cost-cutting measures. In addition, the office complex had been <a href="https://wdwnt.com/2022/11/bob-iger-addresses-lake-nona-relocation-at-cast-member-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delayed</a> for years since it was announced in 2021, and it was expected to be delayed years longer.
Iger was also not a fan of the project. He believed that building the office space and moving Disney’s Imagineering workforce, which works with Disney’s movie studios to develop theme park rides and attractions, to Florida when the movie studios are located in California made little sense, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/business/disney-ron-desantis-florida.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. The original proposal to move Imagineering to Florida was made under former Disney CEO Bob Chapek.
“This notion that this is something new, like it&#8217;s brand new that they&#8217;re deciding to do kill the project, that is not true,” Shapiro said.
“Disney is doing this because they are losing money. Disney has a problem,” Shapiro said, pointing out that the company’s stock price has cratered and lost about half its value since hitting a high in early 2021.
“Do you think that this was Bob Iger looking at the fact that they have been bleeding money and saying, ‘We’re not spending $1 billion on a campus that just moved some employees from one state to another?’ Do you think it’s that? The bleeding of money?” Shapiro asked. “Or do you think that he was just that invested in making sure that third graders could read Gender Queer at the library? Which one do you think it is?”
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids’ entertainment content.)

Ben Shapiro Explains The Real Story Behind Latest DeSantis-Disney Battle

Ben Shapiro

Florida

General

Ron DeSantis

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harrison-ford-says-new-indiana-jones-film-will-be-his-last" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harrison Ford</a> got emotional at the Cannes Film Festival following the screening of his latest &#8220;Indiana Jones&#8221; film, &#8220;Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.&#8221;
At the Palais in France on Thursday night, the star-studded audience gave the 80-year-old actor a five-minute standing ovation after the final credits rolled on the film, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/indiana-jones-cannes-premiere-harrison-ford-phoebe-waller-bridge-1235494757/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
During the ovation, video showed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/al-pacino-talks-about-that-role-he-regrets-turning-down-takes-dig-at-harrison-ford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford&#8217;s</a> eyes watering up as he blew kisses and gave a thumbs-up to the group.
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Harrison Ford with tears in his eyes during the standing ovation for ‘INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY’. <a href="https://t.co/mJtRv4wLKk">pic.twitter.com/mJtRv4wLKk</a>
&mdash; DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1659294979485757486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ahead of the screening, a highlight reel of Ford&#8217;s extensive career in Hollywood was shown that included clips from such films as &#8220;Star Wars,&#8221; &#8220;Blade Runner,&#8221; &#8220;Working Girl,&#8221; and the other &#8220;Indiana Jones&#8221; movies. It brought another round of applause from the audience.
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Huge ovation following a surprise clips reel featuring Fords career &#8211;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cannes2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cannes2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/bMhNW05WHW">pic.twitter.com/bMhNW05WHW</a>
&mdash; Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrissgardner/status/1659293436573282325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Speaking to the room afterward, Ford said, &#8220;They say when you&#8217;re about to die you see your life flash before your eyes, and I just saw my life flash before my eyes — a great part of my life but not all of my life.&#8221;
&#8220;My life has been enabled by my lovely wife, who has supported my passion and my dreams, and I&#8217;m grateful,&#8221; he added, recognizing his wife actress Calista Flockhart.
He then turned his focus on the audience and said, &#8220;I love you, too.&#8221;
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Surprise ahead of the premiere as Thierry presents Harrison Ford a golden Palm of honor. Ford says he’s “deeply moved” and humbled as he’s visibly emotional (and nearly in tears.) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cannes2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cannes2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/qdAHSSouYT">pic.twitter.com/qdAHSSouYT</a>
&mdash; Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrissgardner/status/1659292860229775372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; he added. &#8220;You&#8217;ve given my life purpose and meaning, and I&#8217;m grateful for that. So grateful to have the opportunity to work with artists like Jim, Phoebe, even Mads.&#8221;
Technology was used in the film to de-age <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-little-spooky-harrison-ford-80-reacts-to-de-aging-scene-in-new-indiana-jones-5-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford</a> for the opening scene, a move the actor recently called &#8220;a little spooky&#8221; because of how realistic it looks.
&#8220;They have this artificial intelligence program that can go through every foot of film that Lucasfilm owns,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ai-has-keanu-reeves-harrison-ford-elon-musks-ex-girlfriend-grimes-at-odds-over-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford said</a>. &#8220;I did a bunch of movies for them. They have all this footage, including film that wasn&#8217;t printed. So they can mine it from where the light is coming from, from the expression. I don&#8217;t know how they do it. But that&#8217;s my actual face. Then I put little dots on my face, and I say the words, and they make [it]. It&#8217;s fantastic.&#8221;
&#8220;Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny&#8221; will release in the U.S. on Friday, June 30.
Ford and Flockhart tied the knot in 2010, and they share a son together. The &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; star has four other kids from two previous marriages.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/han-solos-gun-from-original-star-wars-movie-sells-for-ridiculous-amount-at-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Han Solo&#8217;s Gun From Original &#8216;Star Wars&#8217; Movie Sells For Ridiculous Amount At Auction</a>

D23 Expo 2022

‘You’ve Given My Life Purpose’: Harrison Ford Gets Emotional At Screening Of Latest ‘Indiana Jones’ Film

'You’ve Given My Life Purpose’: Harrison Ford Gets Emotional At Screening Of Final ‘Indiana Jones’ Film

Harrison Ford

Indiana Jones

Star Wars

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