The Dark Side of Mickey Mouse

Summary

This video explores the dark side of Mickey Mouse, tracing his origins from a character in minstrel shows to his impact on American copyright law. It also delves into Disney's controversial history, including alleged animal abuse and a mysterious disappearance on a Disney cruise ship, questioning whether Mickey truly represents the 'happiest place on Earth.'

Takeaways

• 🎬 The slogan 'the happiest place on Earth' is associated with Disney theme parks and their brand, but the reality behind the company and its characters might not always reflect this image.
• 🐰 Disney's first successful animated character was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but rights were taken over by distributor Charles Mintz, leading to Disney creating Mickey Mouse.
• 🚂 The idea for Mickey Mouse came to Walt Disney on a train journey, and his wife Lillian suggested the name 'Mickey' instead of 'Mortimer'.
• 🎬 Mickey Mouse's first appearance was in the silent cartoon 'Plane Crazy', but his breakthrough came with 'Steamboat Willie', which utilized sound and became a major hit.
• 👴 Early Mickey Mouse and other early animation characters were influenced by minstrel shows, a form of entertainment with racist roots.
• 👎 The original Mickey Mouse character was mischievous and devious, reflecting some racist stereotypes about black people played up in blackface minstrel shows.
• 📚 Disney has been involved in altering copyright laws, extending the protection period for their works, which has delayed new content from entering the public domain.
• 📉 The Copyright Act of 1976 and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 were influenced by Disney, extending copyright protections and impacting creativity and the public domain.
• 🐦 Disney has faced criticism for alleged animal abuse, such as the staged scenes in 'White Wilderness' and mistreatment of vultures at Discovery Island.
• 🚢 The disappearance of Rebecca Coriam on a Disney cruise ship raised questions about Disney's transparency and handling of serious incidents, potentially covering up negative events to protect their image.
• 🏰 Disney's proposed theme park in Virginia, which included a recreated Underground Railroad, was scrapped due to controversy, highlighting the company's sometimes problematic approach to historical representation.

Q & A

What slogan is often associated with Disney's theme parks and brand image?

The slogan 'the happiest place on Earth' is often associated with Disney's theme parks and brand image, promising smiles, sunshine, and cheeriness.

What was the inspiration behind the creation of Mickey Mouse?

The inspiration for Mickey Mouse came to Walt Disney on a cross-country train from Manhattan to Los Angeles. He initially wanted to name the character Mortimer, but his wife Lillian suggested the name Mickey.

What was Mickey Mouse's first appearance in and what was the significance of the film?

Mickey Mouse's first appearance was in the silent cartoon 'Plane Crazy' in 1928. However, his big hit came with 'Steamboat Willie', which utilized sound and was a sensational hit, leading to the birth of one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world.

How has the legacy of Mickey Mouse impacted American copyright law?

The legacy of Mickey Mouse has impacted American copyright law by leading to extensions in copyright protections. Disney Corporation lobbied to change copyright laws with the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, extending corporate copyright protections from 56 to 95 years.

What is the connection between Mickey Mouse and Minstrel shows?

According to Professor Nicholas Salmon, Mickey Mouse and other early animation characters were in themselves minstrels. The cartoon structures mimic the structure of minstrel shows with music, dance, and humor, and the characteristics of the characters stemmed from racist practices.

What was the controversy surrounding the 1958 Disney film 'White Wilderness'?

The controversy surrounding 'White Wilderness' was that the film falsely depicted lemmings jumping off cliffs to their death in mass suicide. This was later revealed to be staged, with lemmings being thrown or pushed off a cliff for the film.

What is the significance of the Rebecca Coriam case in relation to Disney?

The Rebecca Coriam case is significant as it raised questions about Disney's transparency and handling of incidents. Coriam disappeared from a Disney cruise ship, and her family claimed that Disney was not fully transparent about all they knew of her disappearance, potentially covering up details to protect their brand.

How has the popularity of Mickey Mouse helped Disney shield from criticism?

The immense popularity of Mickey Mouse has helped Disney maintain an image of being 'the happiest place on Earth', which in turn has shielded them from valid criticism of their actions over the years, such as missing person cases, animal abuse, and allegations of racism.

What was the proposed theme park by Disney in Virginia that was eventually scrapped?

The proposed theme park in Virginia was to be based around times in American history, particularly the Civil War era, including battle reenactments and a Civil War era Village. One of the proposed attractions was a recreated Underground Railroad. The project was scrapped less than a year after its announcement.

What impact have the extensions to copyright laws, led by Disney, had on creativity and the public domain?

The extensions to copyright laws have stifled creativity by preventing new content from entering the public domain for 21 years. This has also kept many literary works out of the public domain, preventing them from being republished except by those who own the copyright, thus not benefiting the public or individual artists.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Dark Side of Mickey Mouse

This paragraph delves into the origins and evolution of Mickey Mouse, the iconic character of the Walt Disney Company. It discusses the company's image as the 'happiest place on Earth' and how this extends to their brand and entertainment. The narrative traces the inspiration for Mickey, from Walt Disney's first animated series character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, to the creation of Mickey Mouse after Disney lost the rights to Oswald. The paragraph also touches on the less-discussed aspects of Mickey's design, which has roots in America's history with minstrel shows and racist stereotypes. It raises questions about the character's legacy, cultural impact, and the influence on American copyright law, hinting at a darker side to the seemingly innocent mascot.

05:01

📚 Copyright Battles and the Public Domain

This paragraph explores the impact of Mickey Mouse on copyright law in the United States. It explains how the Disney Corporation has lobbied to extend copyright protections, preventing Mickey Mouse from entering the public domain and keeping the original black and white character under copyright until 2024. The discussion includes the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which extended corporate copyright protections from 56 to 95 years. The paragraph also highlights the consequences of these legal changes, such as a 21-year gap in the United States where no new content entered the public domain, and the criticism that these laws now serve corporate interests rather than fostering creativity and artistic expression.

10:01

🦊 The Controversies Behind the Disney Brand

The final paragraph uncovers various controversies associated with the Disney brand, which are often overshadowed by the popularity of characters like Mickey Mouse. It recounts the mysterious disappearance of Rebecca Coriam on a Disney cruise ship and the alleged lack of transparency in the investigation, suggesting a possible cover-up to protect the Disney brand. The paragraph also addresses allegations of animal abuse in Disney's wildlife documentaries, such as the staged 'lemming suicide' scene in 'White Wilderness' and the mistreatment of birds at Discovery Island. Additionally, it mentions the abandoned plan for a theme park near a Civil War battlefield that included controversial elements like a recreated Underground Railroad. The summary concludes by questioning whether Mickey Mouse truly represents happiness and joy, considering the darker aspects of the character's history and the company's actions.

Keywords

💡Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is a multinational entertainment conglomerate known for its theme parks and family-friendly entertainment. In the video script, it is portrayed as the entity that promotes the image of 'the happiest place on Earth', but also has a complex history that includes controversial aspects not typically associated with this image.

💡Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is a globally recognized character and the mascot of the Walt Disney Company. The script discusses the origins of Mickey, his evolution, and the impact he has had on American culture and copyright law. The character is also tied to darker aspects of Disney's history, including its roots in minstrel shows and controversial business practices.

💡Minstrel shows

Minstrel shows were a form of American entertainment in the 19th and early 20th centuries that often involved racist stereotypes and performances in blackface. The script suggests that early Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, were influenced by these shows, with their structure and some character traits reflecting minstrel traditions.

💡Copyright law

Copyright law is the legal framework that protects the rights of creators over their works. The script highlights how the Walt Disney Company has influenced changes in American copyright law to extend the protection period for Mickey Mouse and other creations, impacting the public domain and the ability of others to create derivative works.

💡Public domain

The public domain refers to creative works that are not protected by intellectual property laws and are free for anyone to use. The script discusses the delayed entry of Disney's early works into the public domain due to copyright law extensions, which has implications for cultural creativity and access to classic works.

💡Racial stereotypes

Racial stereotypes are generalized and often derogatory beliefs or characterizations about a particular race. The script points out that early depictions of Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters contained elements of racial stereotypes, reflecting the influence of minstrel shows and the broader cultural context of the time.

💡Cultural impact

The cultural impact of Mickey Mouse and Disney's creations is vast, as discussed in the script. This includes shaping perceptions of animation, influencing copyright law, and affecting the way people engage with and understand popular culture.

💡Controversies

The script mentions several controversies associated with the Walt Disney Company, such as the alleged mistreatment of animals in documentaries, the disappearance of a crew member on a Disney cruise ship, and the company's past involvement with racially insensitive content. These controversies contrast with Disney's public image and raise questions about its corporate practices.

💡Steamboat Willie

Steamboat Willie is the first synchronized sound cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse and is highlighted in the script as the film that launched Mickey to stardom and the Disney Company's success. It represents a significant milestone in the history of animation and the beginning of Mickey's enduring legacy.

💡Disney's image

Disney's image as 'the happiest place on Earth' is a central theme in the script. It refers to the company's carefully cultivated brand and the experience it aims to provide in its theme parks and entertainment. However, the script challenges this image by discussing the darker aspects of Disney's history and current practices.

💡White Wilderness

White Wilderness is a 1958 Disney film mentioned in the script for its controversial portrayal of lemmings supposedly committing mass suicide, which was later revealed to be staged. This example illustrates the script's broader point about the complexities and potential misrepresentations in Disney's portrayal of nature and wildlife.

Highlights

The Walt Disney Company's slogan 'the happiest place on Earth' is associated with their theme parks and family-friendly entertainment.

The inspiration for Mickey Mouse came from Walt Disney's idea to transform his successful rabbit character into a mouse named Mortimer, later changed to Mickey.

Mickey Mouse first appeared in the silent cartoon 'Plane Crazy' in 1928, inspired by Charles Lindbergh's historic flight.

Mickey's big hit was 'Steamboat Willie' in 1928, which utilized sound and led to the birth of one of the biggest entertainment companies.

Mickey Mouse's design and early animation characters were influenced by minstrel shows and blackface, reflecting racist practices.

The original Mickey Mouse character was mischievous and devious, similar to racist stereotypes about black people.

Mickey Mouse and friends' gloves are a component of blackface minstrelsy, mimicking exaggerated lips and eyes of blackface makeup.

The 1941 film 'Dumbo' originally included a Jim Crow Minstrel scene, which has since been edited out.

Mickey Mouse's copyright was set to expire in 1984, but Disney lobbied to change copyright laws, extending protections.

The Copyright Act of 1976 and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 extended corporate copyright protections, delaying Mickey Mouse's entry into the public domain.

Disney's constant battle to extend copyright laws has resulted in a dearth of new content entering the public domain in the United States.

Many of Disney's beloved films are adaptations of works in the public domain, such as 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Cinderella'.

Critics argue that copyright law extensions serve corporate profits rather than individual artists, stifling creativity.

Mickey Mouse's popularity has helped shield Disney from criticism, including incidents like the disappearance of Rebecca Coriam on a Disney cruise ship.

Disney has been accused of animal abuse, such as in the 1958 film 'White Wilderness' where lemmings were falsely shown committing mass suicide.

In 1989, Disney faced charges for mistreatment of vultures and other birds at their Discovery Island, resulting in a settlement without admitting wrongdoing.

Disney's proposed theme park in Virginia, which included a recreated Underground Railroad, was scrapped due to controversy.

Despite Mickey Mouse's cheery image, his history and Disney's actions reveal a darker side that contrasts with their 'happiest place on Earth' image.

Transcripts

the happiest place on Earth

this slogan describes the image the Walt

Disney Company likes to promote from

their theme parks promising Smiles

sunshine and cheeriness

the mental image this slogan conjures

also applies to their brand at large

encompassing family-friendly broad

entertainment but the face of the slogan

and the company behind it might not

embody this idea as much as Disney would

like where did the inspiration come from

for this globally recognized character

how has their association with the

happiest place on Earth helped bury some

less than desirable aspects about the

company they represent and how is the

longevity of this character changed the

landscape of American copyright law

today we ask if there's a dark side of

Mickey Mouse

in 1927 the star of Walt Disney's first

series of fully animated films was a

character known as Oswald the Lucky

Rabbit

[Music]

however Disney's Success With The Bunny

was short-lived as the distributor

Charles Mintz took over the rights and

pushed Disney out

left without his successful character

Walt was back at the drawing board

according to Walt later in life the idea

for his new character would come to him

on a cross-country train from Manhattan

to Los Angeles

Disney would morph his successful rabbit

into a mouse and give him the name

Mortimer

however his wife Lillian urged him to

name him Mickey instead and thus Mickey

Mouse was born

[Music]

Mickey's first appearance came in the

silent cartoon plain crazy in 1928 which

was inspired by Charles Lindbergh's

historic flight across the Atlantic

Ocean in 1927.

but plain crazy in another silent

cartoon called gallop and Gaucho would

not receive distribution Mickey's big

hit would come in 1928 with a film

called Steamboat Willie which utilized

sound the film was a sensational hit and

would lead to the birth of one of the

biggest entertainment companies in the

world that's still going strong in

nearly 100 years later but as we near

that 100 Year Milestone we can look back

and ask what the legacy of Mickey Mouse

truly is how has this iconic creature

altered both culture at large and even

the American legal system has the

lasting Legacy of this Mouse mascot done

more harm than good

to start we can look at the underlying

inspiration behind Mickey's design and

how it connects to America's history

with Minstrel shows according to

Nicholas salmon a professor of Cinema

studies at the University of Toronto

Mickey Mouse and other early animation

characters were in themselves minstrels

the cartoon structures mimic the

structure of minstrel shows with its use

of music dance and humor and the

audience at the time would recognize the

cartoons as menstrual shows and it's not

just the format that mimicked Minstrel

shows the characteristics of the

characters themselves stemmed from the

racist practice the original Mickey

Mouse character was not as benevolent as

he has seen today the original Mickey

was seen as mischievous and devious

similar to some racist stereotypes about

black people played up in blackface

Minstrel shows characters being able to

endure painful and harmful actions in

the cartoons stems from the physical

dehumanation of black people in Minstrel

shows with the depiction of black people

enduring extreme violence which was

often played as slapstick comedy

even the gloves Mickey and Friends wear

are a component of blackface minstrelsy

early cartoon faces also often mimic the

exaggerated lips and eyes of blackface

makeup used in these menstrual shows and

it wasn't just Mickey there was

originally a Jim Crow Minstrel scene in

the 1941 film Dumbo which has since been

edited out according to Salmon people

have such a Sentimental or emotional

attachment to Mickey Mouse that to

recognize that he's of racist Origins

really stirs strong reactions from

people it's hard for people to come to

terms with the fact that this beloved

childhood character could have such a

disturbing beginning it should also be

noted that the connection to Minstrel C

and blackface is not limited to Mickey

Mouse there are many cartoons who

mimicked Vaudeville and Mitchell acts

from that era

nearly 100 years out from Mickey's

creation it's logical to think that the

character has entered the public domain

with current legislation in place the

original black and white Mickey Mouse

from Steamboat Willie is set to enter

the public domain with copyright

protections expire in 2024 however this

isn't the first time the Beloved

character has faced losing his

protections based on Mickey Mouse's

debut in 1928 his copyright protections

would have only lasted 56 years set to

expire in 1984. to prevent this from

happening the Disney Corporation lobbied

to change copyright laws with the

Copyright Act of 1976 with this act

corporations could hold on to copyrights

for 75 years instead of 56 this would

keep the original Mickey Mouse in their

possession until 2003 then in 1998 the

Disney Corporation once again

successfully changed the laws with the

copyright term extension Act of 1998

which extended copyright protections for

corporations by another 20 years for a

total of 95 years bringing Mickey's

entrance into the public domain to

January 1st 2024.

what's interesting is that despite

Disney's constant battle to extend

copyright laws many of their most

beloved films are adaptations of works

that are in the public domain such as

The Little Mermaid Cinderella The Jungle

Book and the Hunchback of Notre Dame

because of these changes to copyright

law headed by Disney there was a dearth

of 21 years in the United States where

no new content entered the public domain

The Works of 1922 entered the public

domain in 1998 and there was nothing

until 2019 because of the copyright term

extension Act of 1998. because of these

extensions to copyright laws today's

generations have been prohibited from

creating their own Works inspired by

others published in the 20th century a

privilege that many before us got to

experience and benefit from especially

Walt Disney

as Jennifer Jenkins director of the

center for the study of the public

domain at Duke University States we all

build upon the past creative Works

entering the public domain allows people

to build upon that creativity and add to

it these laws have also kept many

literary works out of the public domain

which prevents them from being

republished except by those who own the

copyright because of this one study

found that there are many more books

from the 1880s available for purchase on

Amazon than there are books from the

1980s opponents to the extensions in the

past pointed to the creators who were

meant to be protected by the copyright

and allowed exclusive rights to create

more from their own work the original

intention of copyright laws were long

dead and therefore not making more art

additionally some critics argue that the

laws are no longer serving individual

artists but rather creating a corporate

ecosystem that does not benefit the

public they state that the extensions

were not granted in the interest of

artistic expression but rather corporate

profits

the immense popularity of Mickey Mouse

has also aided in shielding Disney from

valid criticism of their actions over

the years ranging from missing person

cases to animal abuse to blatant racism

the power of the veneer that Mickey

Mouse has allows Disney to maintain the

image that their famous theme park

slogan supports as the happiest place on

earth

for example it's likely that you have

not heard of The Disappearance of

Rebecca corium on Tuesday March 22 2011

24 year old English crew member Rebecca

corium disappeared on the Disney Wonder

cruise ship while it sailed from Puerto

Vallarta to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico

CCTV footage shows the young woman in a

crew Corridor looking distraught while

talking on the phone in the early

morning hours a nearby crew member

notices her distress and comes to check

on her she appears to assure him

everything is okay takes a moment and

then walks out of frame

when corium didn't report for work at

9am alarms were raised and the ship was

searched and the Mexican Navy contacted

according to coryam's parents only one

police officer from the Bahamas due to

where the ship was registered despite

lots of other factors was assigned to

investigate their daughter's

disappearance they also claimed the

officer only spent about two days on the

ship investigating before he returned to

the Bahamas when it docked in Los

Angeles they state that he only

interviewed some of the crew and did not

interview any of the guests the police

ultimately reported no signs of Foul

Play the Bahamian police would decide

that she must have been swept overboard

by a wave a result of Disney stood by

when guardian reporter John Ronson

booked a trip on the same ship several

months later to do some of his own

digging he asked a waiter if he was

aboard the ship when coryam vanished the

waiter's answer was chilling it didn't

happen you know that's the answer I have

to give

according to Ronson most of the crew

members who knew of corium's

disappearance said that she jumped

overboard on Deck 5 near the crew pool

her flip-flops were found there but a

friend of corium told Ronson that the

flip-flops found where she supposedly

jumped did not belong to corium some

crew members believed that Disney wasn't

transparent about all they knew of

corium's disappearance according to her

friend aquarium disappeared sometime

after 5 45 in the morning if she did in

fact go overboard around the crew pool

at the time there should have been

people around to have witnessed it or it

should have been caught on CCTV the

friend states to Ronson that this

potential cover-up must have been done

in order to protect the Disney brand

when the ship docked in Los Angeles

corium's parents were brought on board

and met with several Disney Executives

as well as the woman on the other side

of the phone call she made in the CCTV

footage they were taken to her cabin to

collect her things missing amongst her

things was her credit card but her

passport was still on board in 2015

coryam's Member of Parliament Chris

Matheson stated that the fact that

corium's credit card was used after her

disappearance amongst other evidence

points to the possibility that she was

murdered because the incident occurred

heard outside of UK's jurisdiction UK

authorities were not allowed to

investigate despite corium being a UK

citizen a settlement was reached between

Disney and the corium family out of

court in 2015. the amount of the

settlement is not disclosed but it does

prevent the family from speaking on the

case

during Ronson's investigation the

guardian reporter spoke with other

workers who knew corium and noted she

was a nice person but said

there's nothing dark or Sinister going

on this is Disney

Disney's alleged abuse of animals has

also been shielded behind their animal

mascot in 1958 Disney released a film

called White wilderness

in it Lemmings are seen seemingly

jumping off a cliff to their death on

Mass

it seems that Disney's Wildlife

documentary was quite influential in

spreading the myth that Lemmings

participate in mass suicide off of

cliffs the thought being that something

biologically forces them to

self-regulate their populations when

they grew too big via suicide lemming

has even become a term to describe a

person who follows the crowd without

questioning however a 1982 investigation

by the Canadian Broadcasting Company

found that the footage of the Lemmings

committing suicide in the Disney

documentary was actually completely

faked the scene was fabricated Lemmings

were purchased from Inuit children

because Lemmings don't exist where they

filmed the documentary in Alberta and

then they were thrown or pushed off a

cliff into a river in order to make the

film in 1989 Disney along with five

employees were slammed with 16 state and

federal charges regarding the killing

and abuse of wild birds at their

Discovery Island investigators claimed

that Disney employees beat vultures to

death shot at Hawks and destroyed eggs

and nests belonging to egrets and ibises

most of the charges against Disney

related to the mistreatment of vultures

which were kept with limited food and

water in a hot cramped shed for days on

end Disney reached a settlement in

January 1990 of 95 000 without admitting

wrongdoing while pleading guilty to One

Federal misdemeanor charge of capturing

more wild vultures that allowed

finally the mouse that stemmed from

racist Mutual shows would go on to Aid

in the bearing of other racist actions

committed by the company in the early

1990s Disney announced the plans for a

new theme park the park was to be

located in Virginia just miles from a

Civil War battlefield

taking inspiration from its location the

park was to be based around times in

American history particularly the Civil

War era including battle reenactments

and a Civil War era Village one of the

proposed attractions was a recreated

Underground Railroad in which Park

guests would try to escape slavery

during the first press conference for

the newly proposed Park Senior vice

president Bob Weiss stated that the park

would make you a civil war soldier and

make you feel what it was like to be a

slave the project was scrapped less than

a year after its announcement

so does Mickey Mouse truly represent the

happiest place on earth

while the legacy of the character can't

be disputed it's worth remembering where

he comes from and what he currently

represents

as well as understanding the massive

impact he's had on pop culture at large

both through revolutionizing animation

but also by stifling creativity through

altering of copyright laws because

despite his cheery outward appearance if

you peek behind the iconic Mouse ears

you'll see a dark history Disney would

rather you forget

because to quote the cruise ship workers

again

there's nothing darker Sinister going on

this is Disney

[Music]