People Are Questioning Disney’s Inconsistent Values: James Gunn Was Fired Over Tweets, John Lasseter Is Still Employed

Large swaths of people on social media are calling out the the Disney Company’s values and ethics (or lack thereof), and its inconsistent code of conduct for employees.

Last Friday, the Walt Disney Company fired Guardians of the Galaxy franchise director James Gunn over a series of offensive tweets that he had posted in recent years about topics like pedophilia and rape.

“The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him,” said Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn in a statement.

Though Gunn was fired within a day of a Fox News story about his offensive tweets, the Walt Disney Company continues to currently employ John Lasseter, eight months after he apologized for “missteps” that made his employees “feel disrespected or uncomfortable.”

Subsequent interviews with Pixar and Disney employees revealed that Lasseter’s “missteps” were far more serious and continued on for far longer than any sensible company should have tolerated. It was further revealed that Disney Company executives were well aware of Lasseter’s behavior, and even assigned him handlers at corporate events to prevent him from physically harassing and touching women.

Allegations of Lasseter’s behavior include physical touching and rubbing of women below the waist during meetings and other studio gatherings, making inappropriate sexual remarks to female employees, and planting unwanted kisses on the lips and mouths of women. As more details have continued to emerge about the toxic work environment at Pixar, it’s become clear that Lasseter behaved the way he did because his immediate superiors – Ed Catmull and Jim Morris – created an environment that was “designed to protect male leads at all costs.”

The hypocrisy of the Walt Disney Company in firing one person over tweets, while keeping employed (and making executive producer of Incredibles 2) another person with numerous accusations of physically assaulting women, is causing a lot of people online to speak out and question the failure of leadership at the company.

Here’s a look at what some of the people are saying:

I think Cernovich is bad and the tweets are bad but not a firable offense and Disney is bad for not firing John Lasseter or Johnny Depp for actually firable offenses while also not paying Disneyland workers a living wage where’s my franchise

— Molly Lambert 🎷 (@mollylambert) July 21, 2018

Disney: James Gunn is fired immediately for old very very very offensive joke tweets

Also Disney: John Lasseter went on sabbatical for six months and is currently still with Disney/PIXAR as a temporary consultant while actually sexually harassing and touching Women.

— Oregon I.T. not IT ⚾ (@OregonJOBS2) July 20, 2018

In response to Disney firing James Gunn… They fire him, but they’ll keep toxic, sexist predators and abusers in positions of power? John Lasseter? Johnny Depp? Sound familiar?

— i dont know who i am anymore (@b0basaur) July 20, 2018

Either way… Disney does not give a fuck about morality or accountability. Honestly, they probably just fired him to avoid being involved in the dialogue and outrage. Disney’s so-called “values” aren’t consistent and they’ll protect abusers who haven’t even changed at all.

— i dont know who i am anymore (@b0basaur) July 21, 2018

If you think Disney really cares about the conduct of it's employees remember John Lasseter still works there

— David Shimomura (@DHShimomura) July 21, 2018

SO John Lasseter can stay but James Gunn gotta go? OK DISNEY WE KNOW HOW IT IS

— Jess, feminazgûl (@spacejessss) July 20, 2018

Disney legit hired people to reign in John Lasseter from sexually harrasing his female coworkers and still kept him on after his ass was exposed and for some reason fired James Gunn for tweets he was called out on and apologized for years ago? #rehirejamesgunn

— SirCelxius (@davidSandong) July 20, 2018

So, @Disney, if you're going to fire James Gunn for old tweets, how about you also get rid of John Lasseter like RIGHT NOW, stop giving any royalties to Johhny Depp, and maybe change your company's name and entire brand for consistency.

— Bustin' Depp stans makes me feel good (@Insomnia1995) July 20, 2018

Well it goes without saying the @JamesGunn thing is fucking bullshit, but why were they so quick to this decision when it took them months to let John Lasseter go?? #JamesGunn

— TomGyroid (@TomGyroid) July 20, 2018

an entire career of sexual misconduct and workplace abuse? gotta get that dude UP. IN. THIS.

tweets what nazis dont like? adios motherfucker

— 👨‍🏭🔥🐌🚚 (@ADAMATOMIC) July 20, 2018

Hey @Disney, why'd you fire James Gunn for offensive tweets he wrote ten years ago, while John Lasseter sexually assaulted his coworkers and still works with your company?

— Milkshake Party (@lucas_smoochus) July 20, 2018

I guess I'd be a bit more accepting of James Gunn's firing if Disney had Johnny Depp and John Lasseter's heads on sticks displayed in the Magic Kingdom.

— Lewie Procter (@LewieP) July 21, 2018

Why wasn't John Lasseter treated the same way James Gunn was?

Gunn was sacked after hours, Lasseter was given a 6 month break then given a consulting job, and is still employed now after actual accusations of sexual assault, not tweeting "jokes".

— Chris Wilson (@CrisMovieCorner) July 20, 2018

Disney Cut ties with Gunn immediately yet employed John Lasseter for like a year after his allegations came out.

— Lindsay (@Steele131) July 20, 2018

Hey @disney if you're gonna immediately sever ties with James Gunn over his inexcusable words how about we add John Lasseter and Johnny Depp to the list for their inexcusable actions

— Gage (@MartyMcWhack) July 20, 2018

Disney: We decided to fire James Gunn over tweets he's made in the past. Please understand that we don't accept that kind of behavior.

Also Disney: Hey let's keep John Lasseter and not address the fact that we knew of his sexual harassment and sexism lmao. pic.twitter.com/G8FBgW2gMf

— 忍者 (@TheApacheNinja) July 23, 2018

Johnny Depp beats his wife doesn't apologize and still works for #Disney

John Lasseter gets accused of sexual assualt and is still employed by Disney#JamesGunn makes edgy jokes on Twitter years ago and also apologizes years ago but gets fired in like 6 hours

— Prabhdeep Samra 🇨🇦 (@S1Prabhdeep) July 20, 2018

Disney is the same company, along with Pixar, that is allowing CCO John Lasseter to finish out 2018 after current and former employee accused him of unwanted physical contact and creating a sexist and misogynistic environment. Even gave him producer cred. on Incredibles 2.

— Craig Shoup (@CraigShoupNH) July 23, 2018

Reminder: John Lasseter is still employed. Just saying.

— Alan Cerny (@AlanCernyCS) July 20, 2018

Taking immediate action against someone who made awful jokes a decade ago because a rapist/literal nazi wants him punished for criticizing Trump while dragging your feet on John Lasseter and maintaining a working relationship with Johnny Depp is not a good look, Disney.

— Brogan Luke Bouwhuis (@roboteatsdino) July 21, 2018

(Photos at top: James Gunn pic via personal Twitter; John Lasseter pic via Shutterstock.com)