If you follow the news closely, you may have heard that Classic Media was bought by a British company, Entertainment Rights, PLC, this past January. Classic and Entertainment Rights were competitors and very similar companies, both in the business of buying and managing existing children's properties. Almost all of Classic's business was in the U.S., while almost all of Entertainment Right's business was in the U.K. and Europe. So the owners of the two companies decided they were complimentary, and should be put together. The joined companies will be run by Entertainment Right's management out of London. Classic Media's management – the fellows that bought VeggieTales out of bankruptcy – are no longer involved.
So what's it all mean? Well, there is the potential for some interesting changes at Big Idea. I had breakfast with the head of Entertainment Rights a couple of months ago to discuss Big Idea's direction and my future involvement. It was a good meeting, but he decided shortly thereafter that he needed to bring in someone new to oversee Classic and Big Idea, so my conversation would have to wait until that new person was onboard.
Well, as of yesterday, that new person is onboard. Deborah Dugan is now in charge of Classic Media and Big Idea, Inc. She was formerly the head of Disney Publishing Worldwide, and before that involved in the music business. Beyond that, we don't know much about her. Supposedly she was already a fan of VeggieTales and Big Idea Productions.
So what does this mean? We don't know yet. I assume at some point she'll want to sit down and hear my thoughts on the current state of Bob and Larry. Could be interesting!
Stay tuned…
Hey Phil,
Yes, I agree this has the potential to be quite interesting for all things Veggie-Tale-able…
Did a quick search on Deborah Dugan and based upon an interview with her, she comes across as intelligent, funny and seems to know her stuff around the children’s entertainment industry…consequently don’t be surprised if she wants your autograph! (I’d like one too, thank you very much.)
Keep us posted on how this plays out.
-Sabrina
Yeh I heard ER brought Classic and Big Idea, now us Brits own Bob and Larry! But I think it will be good and hopefully they will want you more involved, and exciting news about Penguins…
and maybe just maybe VeggieTales will have more exposure in the UK? Its exciting times.
Hm… interesting. Hope everything turns out well.
I’m still praying for Big Idea. You too, Phil. 🙂
Keep us updated!
*gulp* Praying!
Wow! That IS interesting news. Hopefully this change is a good one for everyone involved. So, will Bob and Larry have to start signing off with ,”God save the Queen”?? 😉
interesting, I was kind of excited to see how Big Idea was going to develop with Classic Media in relation to the terms of your new “deal” that you mentioned here a few months ago, you sounded as if your involvement with the company was going to be much more active, I was looking forward to seeing what happened with that…
I imagine that this doesn’t affect what will happen with the Pirate’s movie?
I wonder if this had anything to do with the abrupt closing of VeggieTales Moms, Big Idea’s direct sales venture that was just started last fall. After only 7 months, and two weeks after our new spring catalog came out, we all suddenly got notice that VTM was closing. None of us consultants were even aware that there were financial problems. Rumor had it that there was something going on behind the scenes, but it was all denied. In light of this news, I wonder…
Well, I’m chuffed!
I’ve been having a real bad week with my family being ripped apart and it’s nice to know that Bob and Larry have a new family…
I can see big things happening.
Hopefuly this means Veggie Tales will go Big Time here in Australia!
God bless you Phil,
Jonathan
So since the devil’s great victory in bankrupting Big Idea:
1) Veggie Tales is now on every Saturday morning on a major television network
2) Bob and Larry are poised for major exposure exposure in the UK, and possibly the rest of Europe.
Always good knowing that however much we may screw up, God’s always in control. Keep on keeping the faith, Phil!
Not necessarily the devil’s victory. Maybe G-d was just trying to tell Phil that he’s more useful to the cause of heaven as an artist than a manager.
Yow. Does this mean they can cancel the Movie? Or make the content all secular and lame? I guess they can do anything, since they own the deal. They won’t though. God will give them dreams. But God Came To Abimelech In A Dream By Night, And Said To Him, Behold, Thou Art But A Dead Man…Now Therefore Restore The Man His Wife; For He Is A Prophet, And He Shall Pray For Thee, And Thou Shalt Live: And If Thou Restore Her Not, Know Thou That Thou Shalt Surely Die, Thou, And All That Are Thine. Gen. 20:3, 7. But God Came To Laban The Syrian [Armenian] In A Dream By Night And Said To Him, Be Care-ful That You Do Not Speak From Good To Bad To Jacob [Peace-ably, Then Violently]. Gen 31:24 I pray that the fear of the Lord would come upon the management, like when Jacob and his family were in danger, and the folks round about them were afraid to harm them. And They Journeyed And A Terror From God Fell On The Towns Round About Them, And They Did Not Pursue The Sons Of Jacob. Gen. 34:30a,B, 35:5 Amp.
No need for miracles or visions here. They could make Veggietales all secular and lame and lose their profitable franchise. However, they would have to do that without the voices of Tom, Larry, and about half the recurring characters. I doubt Phil Vischer would participate if Veggietales was to become that kind of show.
I heard about the change of owners in Feb. I got the disappointing news a couple of months later that VeggieTales Moms (of which I was a part) was closing after May. Maybe the two are not related, but I wonder. Maybe Ms. Dugan will be a fan of direct sales, too.
God bless all Veggie fans!
just a little update – God is now restoring my family, my Dad had left home last Wednesday but now he is back in the home and mum and he a restoring things! Without Jesus this would not be possible
I have been a long time friend of VeggieTales, having bought many for our 8 grandchildren. I have read your book twice and bought three more copies to give away. I am so impressed by your humble devotion to the Lord and know He will continue to use you to bless others.
Phil,
Thanks for your devotion to God’s plan for you, Bob, & Larry. I’m 2/3 through your book (which was a gift from friends) and feel like I’ve known you and yours for a long time. If everything stopped today, you still provided my family with years of entertainment we could trust and laugh with. Thanks for working so hard. Incidentally, your explicit description of that fateful weekend in December 1993 was my wedding weekend. I could almost trace what I was doing at the exact same time. Small world!
Peace,
Brady
entertainmentrights.comI found an interesting bit of “official news” at this address http://www.entertainmentrights.com/news/article_687.asp
…I hope this helps the “I Don’t Know what will happen” part of this situation. 🙂
seriously, i hope, and PREY, this is a good sign. (At least I belive it is)
accident with last post it should say– I found an interesting…..
instead of “entertainment.com”
sorry
I just finished your book – thank you for writing it. I’ll help pray that God’s will be done in your life and with Bob and Larry, too.
Oh, and I was one of those college students without kids that was spreading the good news of VeggieTales. For those first four years or so, I didn’t have a tv or a vcr or any preschoolers in my family, but I did have every single tape.
More penguins! Yea!
I have just finished your book and I found it inspiring. Thank you for writing it.
I just graduated with a BA in Human Development and I have been a fan since I was in high school! I always suggest Veggie Tales to parents, grandparents, anyone who will listen. I am greatful for all you do. May God be with you.
pax
Phil, I finished your book last week and was amazed once more at seeing God’s hand at work: God is enough, all by Himself; dreams given by God can be dismantled by God to see if we really want Him or the dream; God wants us, not what we do for Him. Thank you for sharing your story in such a vivid manner. As our church librarian and the mother of two, I have seen everything that has come from Big Idea since the beginning. My children grew up with Bob and Larry and it was good! But I can’t wait to see what is coming …I’m looking forward to the next chapter!
May God bless you as you seek Him first!
(BTW, I read your book with the musical backdrop of the c.d. by Kristin Getty, and now I can’t listen to the music without seeing the “movie”: “Me, Myself, & Bob” unfolding in my mind.)
PHILL THANKS FOR ALLL YOUR LOVE AND SOPURT FOR VEGGIE TALES AND I HOPE YOU GET THROUGH THIS
Phil thank you for being such a big help for VeggieTales and and you are a role model to me, I also hope you get through this, Thanks,your’re the best.
I first read this post after finding out about the Entertainment Rights buy-out in May. I think it’s kind of cool, myself, to see Veggietales owned by the same company that owns the internatinoal entertainment distribution rights to Transformers and He-Man!
(I say that in all seriousness, as a child of the 80s, whose moral imagination was shaped by both those franchises in conjunction with C. S. Lewis).
May God bless you, and your faith in Him!
I’ve just finished reading Me, Myself, and Bob. I’ve always loved Veggie Tales. After reading your book, I admire your talent, endurance, and most of all your honesty, especially in analyzing yourself, your zeal, and the things you learned. You still have talent, I’m sure you still have ideas–both big and small–and God will provide a way for you to use them.
Remember…when God wants to do something that really gets everyone’s attention, His modus operandi invariably is:
1- A crazy idea, and
2- The wrong person
God bless!
-J.
Well, if this gives Veggie Tales more exposure this side of the pond, I’m all for it! I was introduced to Bob & Larry nearly 10 years when I was in LA, and it’s not always easy to get Veggie Tale stuff other than the DVD’s in England – hopefully this will now change. Let’s get you on the BBC!
She doesn’t care about veggie tales at all.
She just let the best people in the world go because she thinks it’s good for the company.
Thanks Debra my family and MANY others at Big Idea will have a WONDERFUL Christmas this year on the unemployment line.
I heard it was all her idea to down size the company.
Sad day for Veggie Tales 🙁
Dude, like what the heck!!! i love veggie tales and now someone bought veggie tales from the man who made it AWESOME!!!! im just saying that the person that bought it better not just make it worse. I feel sorry for Phil and all the other workers at Big Idea because they lost veggie tales. Veggie Tales is like the best kids show ever!!!!!! Well, that’s all. 🙁
We are all praying that everything goes well and she still allows God into the show. As a person who has grown up with VeggieTales I am excited as how she will help the show grow yet I am slightly scared.
I just read your book me, myself, and bob, I thought it was awesome I couldn’t put it down
any I am a children’s church pastor and I am ooober excited about the curriculum your coming up with.
phil an a person will buy you your work, your possesion, and your dream, no, work with me, i will be ejecutive of animated cristians stories, my testimony of how i met christ, i need the heroes of big idea
your fan, sammy:)
I am really sad. My children grew up with veggie tales . I was vaguely aware something was amiss when I heard big ideas had gone bankrupt. The saving grace is this website and the What,s in the Bible programmes. They are absolutely brilliant!!!!!! I also feel you are going back to the way veggie tales was like before. Just saw Noah dvd …..not at all happy with the poetic license taken with the characters (shem on honeymoon???) or the ark (really?? an orange slice) considering the bible is where we lead our children to learn from it might be confusing! My child is 14 and we both love to sing the song on Psalms!!!!! Song of Solomon is quite ingenious too! Will purchase your book when finances allow. Until then take care and thank you and the rest of the original team for the hours of fun my family had in the first ten years of big idea videos and feature films.