Michael Eisner was set to launch a series of major collaborations with Dunn, and word of this had already spread throughout Disney.
The board was all in favor!
Disney had a wealth of distribution channels, but the reason they were facing so many challenges lately was due to issues in their content production.
And as luck would have it, Dunn Films was a trailblazer in content creation!
Hit movies, hit TV dramas, hit reality shows… If Disney could team up with Dunn Films, it would surely boost Disney's stock price.
Businesspeople don't care about sentimentality. They couldn't give a damn about Disney's brand image or its standing in Hollywood. All they wanted was one thing—rising stock prices! Constantly rising stock prices!
Under these circumstances, Michael Eisner's strategy quickly won the board's support.
But Roy Disney, Stanley Gold, and a group of old-timers with passion and ideals? They were strongly against it!
After the Oscars, Hollywood was buzzing with excitement and no shortage of big drama.
No one expected that a column in The New York Times that day would stir the pot even more, sending Hollywood's tensions into overdrive.
It was a piece by Bernard Weinraub, the entertainment section editor, titled "Hollywood Sees Disney's Tense Standoff"—
"Mr. Eisner operates in the shadows; he doesn't have many real friends, and his style is blunt and aggressive…"
"In contrast, Mr. Roy Disney is open and honorable, with a wide network of acquaintances and connections…"
"Roy has always been Disney's anchor, the nephew of founder Walt Disney. Sadly, Eisner sees him more as an employee than a friend…"
When Michael Eisner read this, he was furious. He was convinced this was Roy Disney throwing a tantrum and breaking everything in sight.
His right-hand man, Disney's president and COO Robert Iger, called Roy Disney and said sternly, "You've got to stop this! Michael's about to lose it!"
Roy Disney replied, "It wasn't me. It was Stanley."
"Then stop him!" Robert Iger's tone grew sharper. "You've got to rein him in!"
Roy Disney held firm. "I can't stop him. I can't control him."
When Robert Iger reported back, Michael Eisner was livid. He wrote a letter to Disney's major shareholders and then called one of the biggest, Sid Bass. "I'm trying my hardest to save Disney, but Roy's holding me back!"
Sid Bass knew Eisner was negotiating with Dunn. They were co-planning a reality show called Brain and Brawn Challenge, and if things went well with Dunn, the second season of American Idol might even move to ABC next year.
This was a big deal!
Though Sid Bass had sold off most of his shares, the Bass family still held significant sway on the board. He voiced his support for Michael Eisner.
After some thought, Eisner called Roy Disney directly. "That article of yours was wrong, ill-timed, and downright stupid! More importantly, I'm not dealing with you for the next few weeks. You're making my life miserable, and you're holding Disney back!"
Finally, he made up his mind.
He'd lead Disney into a full-on strategic partnership with Dunn Films!
---
Nestled in Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Country Club is California's most prestigious hotspot, a gathering place for the elite.
At that moment, Dunn was swinging clubs on the North Golf Course alongside Greg Hunter, the acting president and executive vice president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Dunn was getting more comfortable with the sport.
His skills weren't top-notch, but his form was spot-on.
The curvy, stunning female coach beside him—great figure, gorgeous face—kept showering him with praise and flattery.
Dunn smiled faintly, waved her off, and sent her away.
He and Greg Hunter were hitting it off, both eager to smooth over their differences with genuine attitudes. It was time to talk about something concrete.
"I was actually planning to issue a statement," Dunn said casually. "From now on, all movies and TV shows from Dunn Films and its studios would boycott the Golden Globes." He wasn't kidding around.
Greg Hunter's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a smile. "No need for that now, right?"
He was quietly relieved.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association had made the right call—bowing to Dunn.
If Dunn had gone through with it, rallying a boycott of the Golden Globes and leveraging Natalie Portman's massive clout as the newly crowned Oscar Best Actress, the awards would've been toast.
No stars, no film awards—simple as that!
Dunn chuckled. "Of course, since you've promised to clean up your act, I don't see the point in pushing it. The Golden Globes are a historic, prestigious award. I've benefited from them myself—I'd hate to see them fall apart."
Greg Hunter nodded, visibly relieved, and grinned. "Exactly! We all despise underhanded tactics. Good thing you caught it in time, and we acted fast with an investigation team to fix the problem."
Both knew this was just polished nonsense to cover the ugly truth.
But that's how socializing works—ugly or pretty doesn't matter.
Interests do!
Negotiation is the art of compromise.
Dunn took another hefty swing, watching the golf ball arc perfectly through the air. Satisfied, he gave a slight nod. "Mistakes aren't a big deal—as long as they're fixed. The Golden Globes will still be the Golden Globes, and Dunn Films… will keep supporting them like always."
"Of course! The whole association has deeply reflected on past errors," Greg Hunter said, his tone a bit submissive. After all, Dunn held the upper hand. He added meaningfully, "The Golden Globes used to get swayed by some shady characters. That won't happen anymore."
Dunn frowned and shot him a look.
Greg Hunter, in his fifties, felt a jolt of panic.
Dunn's calm authority was something else!
"Greg, do you know the Golden Globes' biggest weakness?" Dunn tossed his club aside and leaned back in a nearby lounge chair.
Greg Hunter set his club down too, sat across from him, and mulled over the question. "The weakness… it's that it lacks the official credibility of the Oscars."
Dunn gave an approving glance. "Exactly. The Oscars are run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, judged by the world's top filmmakers, so they're fair and authoritative enough. The Golden Globes have been around for 60 years, but problems keep popping up, mostly because they lack professional oversight."
"Professional oversight?" Greg Hunter raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Dunn squinted, lounging back. "Someone like Kirk Douglas has the expertise. Letting him guide the Golden Globes wouldn't be a bad idea."
"What?"
Greg Hunter's eyes widened.
Dunn shook his head. "But he's too self-serving—couldn't handle the job. The last president, Lorenzo Soria, picked the wrong partner, snubbed Nat from the Best Actress list, and caused this whole mess."
Greg Hunter sucked in a breath, his face paling!
Dunn caught his reaction from the corner of his eye and added, "Greg, let's cut the crap. Talk of 'rigging' is just fluff for the clueless public. Truth is, I agreed with Soria's move—he just bet on the wrong horse."
Greg Hunter opened his mouth, struggling to respond. "Y-Yeah… Kirk Douglas was too selfish. He used the Golden Globes as a weapon against you. That was way out of line."
Dunn continued, "The Golden Globes' judges are journalists. From a professional standpoint, they don't have the depth of knowledge or artistic insight. That's why the nominations and wins often lack credibility and spark controversy."
Greg Hunter's expression shifted, and after a long pause, he said slowly, "Mr. Walker, I'd like to represent the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and ask for your help—offering some professional advice and guidance for the Golden Globes' nominations and awards."
He was just the acting president now. To win the upcoming election smoothly, winning Dunn over was the key.
Dunn smiled, pleased, but feigned hesitation. "Is that okay? Wouldn't that look like I'm influencing the Golden Globes?"
Greg Hunter jumped in, "Not at all! The Golden Globes are voted on by our internal journalists—outside input doesn't touch that. Your suggestions would just be a reference for the judges, not sway their votes. And we trust you've got higher integrity than Kirk Douglas!"
Dunn sighed dramatically and waved a hand. "Fine, then! Guess I'll step up and lend a small hand. Who else is going to help after I publicly trashed the Golden Globes' reputation? Here's the deal: during awards season, I'll share some personal opinions with you."
"Of course, my time's limited—I can't cover everything. At most, I'll weigh in on stuff like Best Director or Best Actress. The rest of the awards? That's up to you and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to figure out. It's a tough job, but I'm confident under your leadership, the association's revenue will grow, and the Golden Globes will keep getting better!"
Greg Hunter nodded eagerly. "No problem! I'm sure… the Golden Globes and Dunn Films can collaborate even more broadly in the future."
Dunn smiled faintly and shook his head. "Not Dunn Films—Dick Clark Productions."
Greg Hunter faltered, a bit embarrassed. Because of Dunn's attack on the Golden Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had already cut ties with Dick Clark Productions for the awards.
"Of course, we've worked together for decades," Greg Hunter assured quickly. "I'm confident that partnership can continue."