Actress Gina Carano has won a “major victory” against Disney. Almost no one sues The Mouse and wins. But now, a discovery motion has been granted in the former “Mandalorian” star’s wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney. So, Glenn speaks with another woman who sued Disney and won, former ESPN host Sage Steele. Sage explains why this is such a big deal, what it’s like to sue one of the nastiest legal giants in the world, and what she and Gina have bonded over. Plus, Sage comments on Disney’s decision to NOT fire “Snow White” star Rachel Zegler, who tanked the movie with her political statements: “The double standard is what must be called out.”
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Also, did you see, Stu, that Gina Carano, has just won a lawsuit against Disney?STU: Yeah. That's a big -- that doesn't normally happen, does it? They have big lawyers.
GLENN: No. No. And there's a reason for that. Walt Disney learned his lesson in about 19, I think, '29 or '30 something. He had Oswald the Rabbit. And he leaves them. He leaves Universal. And he's like, I don't know.
Don't worry. And Universal is like, all right. Go ahead.
And he's like, we're not afraid. Because I got Oswald the Rabbit.
They're like, no, actually, we have Oswald the Rabbit. And he had already quit. He had already put the gears in motion. And he had nothing. He had no idea.
So he gets on a train, and his brother is freaking out on the West Coast.
He's like, wait a minute. What? And he's like, yeah. Well, don't worry. I got something else.
He had nothing. He gets on the train, and he starts doodling. And on the napkin, he draws Mickey Mouse.
STU: This is why you love him so much. This story. He risked everything, and he actually had nothing.
But he made it up after his. And it all worked out. Anyway.
He was saying -- so he's -- he -- he was bound and determined.
I will never be behind the eight ball ever again!
So he created the nastiest attorney firm in the history of the world!
I don't think there's any corporation that is more nasty than, you know -- than the Disney corporation.
Here we have two stories now.
We have Gina Carano.
And the last time I saw somebody win.
Was Sage Steele. That's two women that have beaten Disney.
STU: Yeah. That's right.
GLENN: I think that's remarkable. I wanted to call our good friend Sage Steele, get her on. Sage, how are you?
SAGE: Hello, Glenn. I'm great. And I'm so happy for Gina. It's not over yet! But this is a major battle that she won.
GLENN: I know. Right. Right. She actually, now, Disney has to turn over information about how everybody is paid on the Mandalorian and any other Star Wars shows.
And they didn't want to do that. But would you agree with me, Sage, that that's just -- just that's a remarkable win?
SAGE: Absolutely. It's a huge win.
And also, I mean, Disney's delay tactics have just been ongoing.
And they lost that too, a couple of months ago. And they were trying to get this lawsuit thrown out altogether.
They said, let's go. Quit procrastinating. And so this is massive. Because when you look at how they paid other stars on these projects. And other people.
Basically, this is about Disney trying to hide what they've been paying those people, this whole time.
While allowing them to go off on social media. And Pedro Pascal, you know, comparing Donald Trump to Hitler, one of those, and that's fine to do on your social media. But Gina Carano gets fired. So now that they have to reveal these financial records, this goes to show what Gina would have made had they not wrongly terminated her. And this is a major, major victory.
GLENN: What is it like, when you realize, oh, Good Lord, they're sending the mouse with the briefcase my way? What is it like when you realize, you're in a lawsuit against Disney?
SAGE: Well, first of all, filing the lawsuit against Disney is not fun.
GLENN: Right. Did everybody in the room, when you said that, did everybody go, what did you just say, you're going to do?
SAGE: Yeah. You, idiot.
GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.
SAGE: I mean, David versus Goliath for sure.
I had Disney -- last summer. I hadn't met her.
Of course, I followed her story.
We met. We hugged.
It was an emotional episode.
Because we both understood, in a very unique way, that I hope many don't have to understand.
The fear that comes with it.
At some point, you get pushed around enough.
And you say, no. This is wrong.
And if I stay silent, then it's on me.
And I know, personally. I will look at myself in the mirror. And Gina felt the same way.
And she has worked so hard, and done so, professionally.
You know, to the nth degree, for all those years. Gina, one thing I didn't have in my attorney is the best in the business. Bryan Freedman, who represented Megyn Kelly, who represented Tucker Carlson, who represented Justin Baldoni against crazy Blake Lively right now. My attorney is the best, and he is a dear friend of mine too. Gina has Elon Musk on her side.
GLENN: Wait.
SAGE: Financially, she's in a little different situation than me because Elon Musk is splitting the bill for her. Because he's standing up for what's right, and the First Amendment.
GLENN: Wow. So you look at Gina. What do you think you have -- what was it that you bonded with on that episode that you did?
SAGE: Initially, I think it was the idea of, hey.
Wow. Two people that stood up to Disney. Two women.
What happened?
Who are we? What happened to our lives.
That obvious bond. Because it was such a big deal. And people going, whoa!
But more so. It was the betrayal.
That we felt coming from what we once thought was the best company on earth.
GLENN: Hmm.
SAGE: And under which is an honor to work with them. And for them.
And then when you realize that you are just cast aside, because you didn't believe what they wanted us to believe. Which goes against everything they preach. Diversity of thought and acceptance. And inclusion. And all of those things.
You realize that they were full of it. And people that you looked up to. People that you weren't alongside for years and years and years.
And what they said about you, publicly and privately.
Certainly, never to your face.
There is just a real sense of loss, for relationships.
Because Gina is as tough as they get. I realize, I'm tougher than I thought and ever wanted to be. But Gina is as tough as they get, and she was hurt. I think that's kind of -- and this is not, oh, woe is me. We never -- Gina does not want sympathy. This is about what's right.
And calling these companies out, and that's the other thing we bonded on is calling these companies out, the biggest companies in the world, if we don't, and exposes because we have the ability, based on platforms, that we -- you know, it's a blessing to have these platforms. Right? If we don't use them, to expose and therefore, hopefully maybe fingers crossed, prevent other companies from doing the same BS to these -- to women, men, anywhere.
It doesn't matter.
Black, white, green, blue, LGBT. I don't care.
Just treat us equally, and not punishing us, if we don't agree with what you say. Because, by the way, you will say, this today and that tomorrow.
Who can keep up?
Diversity of thought. First Amendment. And so we bonded over so much.
And I just -- I admire her, and her courage to continue this. Because she completely threw her career away as well, as people said I did.
But, look, she's standing up for what's right. And, Glenn, I told you, when we were together last month doing your show in Texas. The harder right versus the easier wrong.
Gina is doing the harder right, and that takes courage. I'm so honored to know her.
GLENN: You know, I tell you, I think you grow from this. You are seeing new success. She's seeing new success.
And you have become bigger than what you were, in many ways.
Because you're now, a human success story. You now have experienced strife and trouble.
And come out the other side, and realizing that didn't hurt so much.
I mean, it hurt, but it didn't hurt like I thought it was going to hurt.
I thought I was going to burn myself up. And I didn't. And so you become this -- this additional success story, that I think, you know, you look at -- you look at -- what's the woman who is now playing Snow White?
Whatever her name is. You know, they're not firing her. Which, A, must drive you nuts. They're not firing her.
And she -- I mean, next to Mickey Mouse, it is Snow White, that's the -- that's it movie that built that company.
SAGE: Yeah.
GLENN: And for her to go in and destroy the story of Snow White, all of that money -- because you guys weren't bleeding money on you, and your point of view. Or her point of view.
SAGE: Absolutely not.
GLENN: Right?
SAGE: Absolutely not. No matter who is in office, about half the country agrees with you, right? Which means half disagrees. It's usually right down the middle.
And they could have gotten out of that mess with Rachel, I think over a year ago, when she first started to mouth off.
And if nothing else, why don't you at least have a chat? Okay. Fine. Don't fire her. Like you did us. And I didn't get fired.
I mean, we settled my lawsuit, and I chose to leave. Gina was fired though. Rachel was allowed to say much worse, than I think Gina ever said. And I don't know who could disagree with them.
GLENN: And you could show the direct damages. You could show the damages --
SAGE: Look at the numbers. They chose to stick with her. And now look.
So you reap what you sow for sure. But the double standard is the reason, what must be called out.
And they could have at least pulled Rachel aside. And said, we need you to tamp down a little bit.
This isn't good for business.
Maybe they didn't listen. If so, that's a whole other story.
But to your point about what you gain, when you do stand up, I realize, it's just a lot bigger than you.
GLENN: Yeah.
SAGE: And when people come up to Gina. And come up to me.
And I've had fathers come up to me.
Because they've been afraid to stand up for their daughters. Because they're afraid to go to a school board meeting and get fired.
The fear is real. We know that. So I am so grateful, that I just stand up, and I know Gina is.
Because the people that you are affecting just by doing that, standing up, in her case for freedom of -- true freedom of speech, is everything that -- it's so much bigger than every career I could have dreamt of having, and same with her.
Disney is getting a comeuppance, and they need to. And they think -- it's so obvious. They do this to themselves.
And that is why some of the people were more than okay to say what's happening with the Snow White debacle. Shame on them.
GLENN: I'm going to switch subjects in just a second.
I'm doing something with the diesel brothers here in just a couple of months.
I'm taking one of my 1934 race car out.
And we're just going to open it up on a track.
And two other cars. And you were -- and you were leaving my studio. And you were going to the airport.
And you were like, I get an Uber. And I was like, no, no, no.
I'll you there. I'm going that way.
So I take you to the airport, and you are the biggest car hound, I have -- I mean -- I would be broke if I were married to you. Because you would let me buy all the cars. My wife is like, stop it. Stop.
SAGE: I would be like, what are we buying this weekend?
GLENN: I know.
SAGE: Listen, the one thing I regret. The biggest regret I have in life right now is I didn't ask you for a selfie that day, when Glenn Beck drove me to the airport. In what kind of car was that?
GLENN: It was a Continental GTC.
SAGE: Thank you. And it was stunning, and the top was down. And my wild hair was bigger than ever.
And I was like, no one will believe this.
I didn't want to be tacky and ask you for a selfie.
I know. So now the world knows.
GLENN: Well, I want to make sure when we come out when we do the Diesel Brother thing.
Stu will be there. I will be there.
And I would love to have you there.
SAGE: Okay. Is everybody listening?
Glenn says you drive -- me, right?
GLENN: For a second, how are you doing on accidents? Do you have many accidents?
SAGE: Give me that stick shift. Let's go.
No. No accidents. I do have a little bit of a led foot.
But I mean, what a waste, if we don't take those cars and open them up.
GLENN: I know. Do you like electric engines?
SAGE: I've driven it like twice. I don't know.
I appreciate how you barely tap it. And then it's like whiplash, and you're gone.
Like, I appreciate that. But I guess I'm old school. Give me that clutch. Let me do it. That's the real strength and power. You know, come on.
GLENN: I know. Sage, great talking to you. We'll talk again. Thanks for joining us. Sage Steele, host of the Sage Steele Show.
You can get that wherever you get your podcasts. And it's SageSteele.com.
