A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Smiddimizer]

No, it isn't that messed up. These are misdemeanors from 20 years ago. Far more messed up is the lifestyler stalking.

How many ti-no one is stalking. This is not about him.

 

[brb1006]

But, but,.....but he's Jim Hill. I mean, like, THE Jim Hill. Why wouldn't Disney capitulate in the face of that kind is media influence?

The guy's like a legand or something. Or so I'm told.

And I love lessening to his podcasts always looking forward to a new one coming over.

 

[brb1006]

The details are a bit unclear to me, but it appears to involve repeatedly using receipts to fraudulently return merchandise. And there's some battery in there, too. And trespassing. And probation violation...

The defense appears to involve a lack of "impulse control" or some such.

What's going to happen to the Podcast now and Len Testa?

 

[fabdisbabe]

I wasn't addressing you, I was busting @Lee's balls, jokingly, if you don't recognize humor. I actually love WDWMagic. I wasn't paying much attention to what you were saying. I apologize for any offence, and love the smell of your many leather-bound books.

 

[brb1006]

I'm not a fan of Mr Hill, as he comes off as arrogant any time I've heard him, but I need to ask, as I've not seen anything myself, but in what official capacity has he done anything for Disney? Obviously he has some contacts within the company, but I don't see him blogging for the Theme Parks blog or whatever. Far as I can tell, he's just another fanboi. Maybe he's gotten some quid pro quo junk, free lunch at California Grill after a remodel, maybe he's gotten a boat load more than that, but I don't see it. If he's not cashing a pay check signed by the mouse, how is his 20 year old criminal past a problem?

What about Lange Testa?

 

[*Q*]

But he wasn't selling coke on Main St.

But didn't Walt say, "People can buy coke, but they can't pee in the streets"?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Since I started all this, I should probably chime in here.

First, I applaud Jim for coming in and giving his side of the story. Gutsy move. I wonder if, had this not come out, would he have ever opened up abut it?

Second, as I have stated numerous times, this was about a lot more than just Jim and his past transgressions.
It was not meant to be seen as a "hit piece." Every interaction I've had with Jim over the year has been a pleasant one.
This is about Disney's curious relationship to the lifestyler/blogger corps. Jim was merely an example that was served up to me.

As other posters have stated above, some central questions remain:
-Who at today's Disney knew? Did Celebration Place know? Did D23? Universal? HuffPo?
-If they did know, do they care?
-Knowing now, how will that effect their (and Universal's, and Huffington Post's) relationship with Jim? Keeping them in the dark for 20 years could be a problem.
-Will it effect how they vet "media" from now on? Odds are, there are more (possibly even more troubling) secrets lurking out there.
-Does the perceived value to them outweigh the potential negatives?
-What effect does this have on Jim's credibility? How many readers will now have an extra "filter" when reading his stuff?

Wondering if you're going to ruin someone's careers over two decade old misdemeanors makes it a hit piece.

 

[michmousefan]

Starting Monday night (when the movie has its premiere in LA), using this graphic (Robert Meyer Burnett shared on Twitter) on all social media channels as the media blackout runs for me until Thursday night:

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Wondering if you're going to ruin someone's careers over two decade old misdemeanors makes it a hit piece.

Should someone get to keep their job if they fail to be forthright with their employer(s) about their past with the subject they cover? Jim's silence on that subject is much more concerning than his admission of guilt.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Should someone get to keep their job if they fail to be forthright with their employer about their past with the subject they cover? Jim's silence on that subject is much more concerning than his admission of guilt.

Most job applications ask about felonies, not misdemeanors. The hiring process is private, so you don't know what was disclosed. Do you expect him to start every article with a disclosure of his misdemeanor convictions? It has already been stated that this wasn't kept hidden when it happened and even now there was no denial. Just because you didn't know something doesn't mean there was an effort to hide the information.

 

[lentesta]

To folks like Len Testa at Unofficial Guide/Touring Plans, Jeremy Epstein at D23, and whoever Jim reports to at HuffPo, this is not a laughing matter.

Disney, the State of Florida, his current wife, hell, even his ex-wife, have decided that the past is the past. Literally every single entity to whom this was once relevant, decided long ago it wasn't relevant anymore. I agree.

As for listening to our podcast, issues of "trust" etc., if folks don't want to listen as we go forward, I understand. Thanks for your support to this point.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Disney, the State of Florida, his current wife, hell, even his ex-wife, have decided that the past is the past. Literally every single entity to whom this was once relevant, decided long ago it wasn't relevant anymore. I agree.

As for listening to our podcast, issues of "trust" etc., if folks don't want to listen as we go forward, I understand. Thanks for your support to this point.

I for one have moved past this pretty fast. I simply do not care one way or the other.... Especially with Star Wars on Thursday.

 

[drew81]

It's not about a blogger, but I do have some juicy info on other stuff.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I for one have moved past this pretty fast. I simply do not care one way or the other.... Especially with Star Wars on Thursday.

I have it on good authority that Jim Hill passed himself off as a God to a group of Ewoks 30 years ago.

I demand an explanation for this Rebel scum-like behaviour!

 

[Eoghann]

Should someone get to keep their job if they fail to be forthright with their employer(s) about their past with the subject they cover? Jim's silence on that subject is much more concerning than his admission of guilt.

What makes you think it is any of your business?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

What makes you think it is any of your business?

Simple, Jim is a public figure with a well known Disney news site, a podcast with Touring Plans/Unofficial Guide which is amongst the most well trusted and popular Disney travel guide companies, and a beat at the Huffington Post covering Disney as a journalist.

 

[Nubs70]

Just look at Subway. They were able to drop Fogle and while it might be a joke in some comedians act years from now, Subway is more or less unscathed. Because the consumer is able to understand that a company may not be aware of their spokespersons secret evils, and so the two are separate entities. You can't blame Subway for what he did. IF this is the same Jim Hill (may not be) it's very easy for Disney to just cut him off and there's really no harm to them. Same thing is true about any lifestyler they work with. If Mongello does something crazy, cut him off and problem solved.
I guess personally I've always seen these guys as fans. They might get access but it's like a reporters access, they're not a part of the company and definitely not representatives. They are just brand advocates that are expendable. Dime a dozen.

Free footlongs for 17 years

 

[Eoghann]

Simple, Jim is a public figure with a well known Disney news site, a podcast with Touring Plans/Unofficial Guide which is amongst the most well trusted and popular Disney travel guide companies, and a beat at the Huffington Post covering Disney as a journalist.

LOL a public figure? Oh good lord. By that standard anyone who has ever posted to a blog would be a "public figure".

And even then their hiring practices and what he has or has not told them still wouldn't be any of your business. Unless you are alleging that the man is the recipient of some sort of quid pro quo form Disney, there's no conflict of interest.

 

[gmajew]

Some Questions:

1. Did your present employers, The Huffington Post and Touring Plans/Unofficial Guide, know about what had happened at WDW in 95 and 96 before hiring you? And for that matter did D23 or any of Disney arms with which you have worked alongside over the years know? To put it another way, did you tell these parties about what had happened?
2. Depending on how you answer the previous question; why should we trust you?

Why is that any of our business? Man people have a right to some form of privacy even in this day and age.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Wondering if you're going to ruin someone's careers over two decade old misdemeanors makes it a hit piece.

And that's where I always feel icky in S threads. I'm not into dirt, smear campaigns, hit pieces, career destruction. Whether it be targeted at 'Blondie', or miss Iger, or 'Jimmie I made mistakes twenty years ago, paid my dues and learned to take responsibility for my daughter instead'.

I'm all for bashing TWDC. And even for juicy goss. But I'm not into trying to damage lives and careers of people, some of whom ordinary hard-working people with kids to feed. And why for? (To use a Jim Hill phrase) Because they are distantly associated with a company some have an axe to grind with? Meh.