Disney’s Recent Racial Controversies

Disney might be considered a family-friendly company, but that doesn’t mean it’s free from all controversy.  When it comes to its own properties, Disney is far from perfect, and there have been some big examples in the past year. The first has to do with “Princess Sofia,” and it’s not over whether or not she’s teaching princess obsession to toddlers.  I didn’t comment on the story for a while because the details kept changing, but things have seemed to settle down.  In the fall, promotional images of the film were released.  They revealed that Sofia’s mother had darker skin, eyes, … Continue reading

“Boy Meets World” Sequel to Air on Disney Channel

Heads up, children of the 90s: according to Entertainment Weekly, the Disney Channel is planning a “Boy Meets World” sequel. The teen sitcom, which aired in the 1990s as part of ABC’S “TGIF” Friday night lineup, starred Ben Savage as Cory Matthews, a kid growing up in suburban Philadelphia. I was a kid growing up in suburban Philadelphia, just a bit younger than Cory. Of all the childhood shows that had a strong influence on my development, “Boy Meets World” wasn’t one of them. But it’s a show that I enjoyed and watched faithfully from beginning to end, so the … Continue reading

Girl vs. Monster: Disney’s Answer to Buffy?

As I was poking around on the refurbished Disney.com site (it’s very pretty and well-organized now, I’ll have to do an overview of it later) I noticed something called “Girl vs. Monster.” Immediately my hackles rose. I know I should give Disney the benefit of the doubt, but I guess I was just jumpy after the premiere of “Once Upon A Time,” where Belle stays with Rumple again to “change him with the power of love,” or some other terrible abusive-vibe thing like that. I’m glad I followed the link to learn more about it, though, because “Girl vs. Monster” … Continue reading

Disney Ditches Junk Food

The House of Mouse is going healthy… what’s a parent to do? Now where I am going to find out which toys are being featured in McDonald’s Happy Meals? Apparently, not the the Disney Channel. Newsflash: Walt Disney is banning all junk food ads on programs that target children. According to reports, Disney has become the first major media company to nix ads for unhealthy food and beverages on Disney XD and during Saturday morning programs on Disney-owned ABC television stations. The company’s push to support nutritional options for kids will also be implemented on Disney Channel and Disney Junior, … Continue reading

What Is the Disney Mom’s Panel?

Over my past 2.5 years as a Disney blogger I’ve frequently seen reference to the Disney Moms Panel. Each time I learned about it I was in the middle of researching for a different article, so even though I always meant to visit it someday it took me a long time to actually get around to it. But finally I’m here to answer: what is the Moms Panel? Just going by name alone I imagine the Moms Panel as a group of Disney-loving mothers ready to answer questions, likely posed by other moms, or at least parents, about Walt Disney … Continue reading

Disney Website for New and Expecting Parents

Remember Our365? I don’t expect you do. Almost a year ago I posted about how Disney had teamed up with the organization that helps companies market to expectant parents. Our365 can actually get its partner companies’ representatives into maternity wards to try to sell their wares. For all I know either the company or its partnership is now defunct. But Disney hasn’t stopped sniffing around its coveted new market. On Monday January 17 the House of Mouse launched disneybaby.com. Disney Baby works just like other sites in the Disney Go family, although strangely its URL doesn’t contain the word “go” … Continue reading

Disney Junior to Become A Channel

On March 23 Disney will debut a brand new channel: Disney Junior. The announcement, in this case pulled from Disney fan magazine website DisZine, doesn’t come as that much of a surprise. In some of its marketing for new shows Disney has mentioned Disney Junior, though before this notice on the new channel I’m sure many, like me, just assumed that any relevant shows would air during Disney Junior (formerly known as Playhouse Disney) hours on its parent channel. Up until this point, Disney Junior has just existed as a scheduling block on the Disney Channel, one meant to indicate … Continue reading

Doc McStuffins: A Revolutionary Role Model

For once Disney seems to be doing something right. Its primary role models for girls have, for years, been princesses. Sure, the ones created in the past couple years have been more dynamic, with more in their lives than just wishing that “someday my prince will come,” but at the end of the day, they’re princesses. That’s usually the notes on which their movies end. They’ve found men or are living in a castle: that’s the happily ever after. The princesses are also all so very “white as snow.” Most of the princesses are white, and everyone else just gets … Continue reading

Princess Sofia the First: Let’s Hope She’s the Last

Next year Princess Sofia the First, the newest and youngest of Disney’s royalty, will make her debut. She’s going to star in a movie that will air sometime in the next few months on both the Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Her royal highness is only still just a child, with her main peer group (i.e., the ages at which Sofia is directed) being children between the ages of 2 and 7. Sofia’s a true Disney original; unlike any of her predecessors she’s not based on a pre-existing character from a fairy tale, myth, or historical event. She’s going to … Continue reading

Get a Clue (2002)

First a Disney Original Movie aired exclusively on the Disney Channel, “Get a Clue” is now available on DVD to enjoy anytime. Lindsay Lohan stars as Alex Gold, a reporter for her high school newspaper. Right now she does the advice column, but someday she wants to cover the hard news, like her father does. The editor of the school paper, a boy her age named Jack (Bug Hall) thinks that her stories are fluff, and she’s determined that someday, she’s going to break a major story and become a real reporter. She’s already on her way – she discovered … Continue reading