About the Book.
For many kids growing up in the 2000s, there was no cultural touchstone more powerful than Disney Channel, the most-watched cable channel in primetime at its peak. Today, it might best be known for introducing the world to talents like Hilary Duff, Raven-Symoné, Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and Zendaya.
It wasn't always destined for greatness: when The Disney Channel launched in 1983, it was a forgotten stepchild within the Walt Disney Company, forever in the shadow of Disney’s more profitable movies and theme parks. But after letting the stars of their Mickey Mouse Club revival—among them Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling—slip through their fingers, Disney Channel reinvented itself as a powerhouse tween network. In the new millennium, it churned out billions of dollars in original content and triple-threat stars whose careers were almost entirely controlled by the corporation. Suddenly, everyone wanted a piece of the pie—and there were constant clashes between the studio, network, labels, and creatives as Disney Channel became a pressure cooker of perfection for its stars.
From private feuds and on-set disasters, to fanfare that swept the nation and the realities of child stardom, culture journalist Ashley Spencer offers the inside story of the heyday of TV’s House of Mouse, featuring hundreds of exclusive new interviews with former Disney executives, creatives, and celebrities to explore the highs, lows, and everything in between.
About the Author.
ASHLEY SPENCER is a culture writer and reporter whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, Vice, Vulture, and elsewhere. Disney High is her first book.
About the Moderator.
Arianna Davis is the Editorial Director of TODAY.com, the website for the TODAY Show. She is also the author of "What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly," inspired by the life of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo. In 2018, she launched and was the founding Digital Director of OprahDaily.com. She has also worked at Refinery29 and Us Weekly, and began her career at O, The Oprah Magazine. She lives in New York City, where she can be found working on her upcoming novel and planning her next travel adventure with her dog, Leo.