The Josh D’Amaro Coronation Olympics: A Week of Gold-Medal Butt-Kissing
Far from Cortina, a choice we’re told was so obvious... it took years to make
Given the time of year, you might be confused into thinking that the trade press has just invented a new Olympic sport.
But no, you’re not watching the live feed from Milano of the Freestyle Josh D’Amaro Butt Kissing finals. It’s just the industry media welcoming a new titan to this throne — in the critical, probing, relentless, un-dictated show of journalism on which they made their name.
A lot of folks filed “How Josh Did It” stories this week, and from this fearless reporting, the journalists who looked deep and hard at the question, turning over every rock, came to an iron-clad conclusion that… he did it by being probably the greatest executive who has ever walked the earth.
If not the greatest human period.
Maybe the only person on the planet who could even consider walking in the footsteps of Mr. Robert Iger.
For many journalists, the coronation of a new king is the moment to begin ingratiating themselves with the new leader and winning over sources and friends in the new regime.
So how much do we love Josh D’Amaro, a man so perfect for the job that it entailed a years-long bakeoff? Let us count the ways.
Here are the events in which media competed in the various “we’ll take down your talking points without question” competitions:
🥇Double Luge: Dana and Josh, Happy Forever!
If there’s one big takeaway you get from this week’s coverage, one message that the company seemed to want to beat into the ground over and over — lest anyone make any mistake about it — it’s a variation of this thought:
“This isn’t just Josh ascending. They are both moving up, he and Dana. Both of them. Together, as God intended it.”
This story serves a few purposes, particularly targeted toward the industry readership. It dampens the disappointment that yet another company, once again, passed over the strong female contender for yet another 50-something white man. And it speaks to concerns that a non-creative executive has been put in charge of a company where creativity is the fuel that powers everything. Because we all remember how well that went last time they tried it.
But neither of those things happened! Josh D’Amaro and Dana Walden are both rising up the ladder! Two people taking charge together, and they couldn’t be happier about it — so why aren’t you?
The finalists in this very competitive event:
“She and Josh get along fabulously, so that’s going to work great,” Mr. Gorman said on the telephone interview. “This long process either brings you together or tears you apart,” he added, referencing the board’s lengthy succession planning effort. “They’re true professionals.” — New York Times
“And in running the sprawling Disney empire, D’Amaro and Walden will have a kind of left-brain/right-brain division of labor….Now Disney has two seasoned execs to lead the media conglomerate in partnership.” — Variety
“Attendees said D’Amaro came across as charming and he and Walden, who joined halfway through, had a nice rapport, with both looking happy and excited. The two executives are, in fact, said to have a close working relationship that appears to have overcome a long and grueling audition for the top job.” — Deadline
Note that there was also a side competition to this one: Extraordinary Achievement in Dana and Alan Journalism. There, it was suggested that Alan Bergman, Disney Entertainment’s co-chair and film boss, is a winner in all this, too:
“Studio insiders go on to add that Walden and Bergman already have strong ties after sharing the Co-Chairman title for the past couple years and that relationship will help strengthen the film side of the company.” — Deadline
🥇Ice Dancing: Josh Loves Technology!
Did we mention that he loves technology?
Loves it like a brother!