The newly ousted president of Disney-owned Marvel Entertainment said he once contacted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to voice his support for the Republican in his public feud with Mouse House.
Ike Perlmutter, an 80-year-old billionaire managing director who was ousted in the primary wave of Disney’s recent layoffs, says he was fired by the corporate due to his combative relationship with top authorities.
The notoriously outspoken Perlmutter also revealed that he called DeSantis to voice his opposition to Disney’s decision last 12 months to publicly lobby against the DeSantis-backed Education Parental Rights Bill, branded by critics because the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
“Ron, you are right. Disney has no right to meddle in politics,” Perlmutter said in a phone call with DeSantis. Wall Street Journalreport published on Wednesday.
Perlmutter reportedly was “frustrated” by Disney’s involvement in a dispute with DeSantis over a law that forbids teachers within the state from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with students under fourth grade.
The businessman said he told Disney executives “to not get entangled in politics.”
“You will hurt yourself.” It is a no-win situation,” Perlmutter said.
![Ron DeSantis](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000009002912.jpg?w=1024)
DeSantis launched an aggressive crackdown on Disney’s Florida business after the corporate stepped into local politics. These efforts culminated in a move to dissolve the Disney-controlled board that governs the corporate’s special tax district and replace it with governor-elected officials.
Earlier this week, DeSantis ordered a state investigation after his latest board discovered that their predecessors had approved a development deal for Disney that effectively undermined their power.
Disney CEO Bob Iger fired back at DeSantis, accusing the governor of taking an “anti-business” and “anti-Florida” stance while attacking the corporate.
![Ike Perlmutter](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000006346898-1.jpg?w=1024)
The Post reached out to the DeSantis office and Disney for comment.
Perlmutter said he was pushed out the door partly because he lobbied company leaders to chop spending on Marvel feature movies, which he says are too expensive to supply.
“I even have little doubt that my termination was based on fundamental business differences between my pondering and Disney’s leadership, as I’m committed to return on investment,” Perlmutter said.
Prior to his departure, Perlmutter had enormous influence inside Disney as a result of his status as one in every of the entertainment giant’s largest individual shareholders. In keeping with the each day, he owns shares price about $ 3 billion.
Perlmutter will keep control of his shares despite losing his performance, Reuters reported this week.
Perlmutter oversaw Marvel’s publishing business of publishing comic books and licensing merchandise.
A Disney official told the Every day Mail that the corporate’s general counsel, Horacio Gutierrez, called Perlmutter to tell him that his job had been laid off as a part of a company-wide austerity drive.
Perlmutter rejected the corporate’s claim.
![Disney](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000008961771-1.jpg?w=1024)
“It was only a convenient excuse to eliminate a longtime executive who dared to query the best way the corporate was run,” he said.
Disney plans to chop about 7,000 jobs as a part of an effort to cut back spending by $5.5 billion across its operations.
Along with complaining about Marvel’s expenses, Perlmutter supported his friend, well-known activist-investor Nelson Peltz, in his high-profile campaign to realize a seat on Disney’s board of directors and make changes to its operations.
![Bob Iger](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000006623030.jpg?w=731)
Peltz later declined the offer after Iger announced layoffs and other cost-cutting measures.
“My experience with any major corporation, after they’re in trouble they usually do not have free money or whatever it’s, often people like Nelson Peltz know how one can get it back on target,” Perlmutter told the Journal.
“One thing I’ve learned all my life about creative people is that you may’t give them an open bank card,” he added.