Puck published a piece Friday by Matthew Belloni saying Bob Iger and Disney have gone on the offensive ahead of an upcoming unauthorized biography — and that Iger is “thin‑skinned” about media portrayals. The story reports that Disney has retained high‑profile litigator Charles Harder to press the publisher/author and has had Harder send letters to HarperCollins seeking information and more time for fact‑checking.
Key facts from the Puck article
- Puck says Disney retained Charles Harder (Harder Stonerock) to push back on Robbie Whelan’s unauthorized book, which Puck first reported in 2023 under the working title The House of Mouse: Bob Iger and the Fight for the Soul of Disney.
- According to Puck, Harder has sent multiple letters to HarperCollins seeking details about the book’s contents and pressing for time to “fact check” material; Puck describes the letters as threatening. Disney is the formal client, though Belloni reports Iger as a driving force behind the push.
- Belloni’s piece emphasizes that, despite Iger’s long ties to news organizations (ABC News, ESPN), he’s known within Hollywood as “thin‑skinned” about how the media portrays him — and that many at Disney are worried about unflattering material from former insiders.
- Puck notes that Harder’s résumé includes representing high‑profile clients (examples cited: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Hulk Hogan/Gawker matters, etc.), which is why Belloni calls him a surprising — and aggressive — choice for Disney.
This is a pre‑publication dispute made visible by legal letters and public reporting; such letters are often intended to pressure publishers or shape narratives before a book appears. Puck frames the move as Disney trying to blunt potentially damaging reporting rather than engaging with the author.