“The Princess of North Sudan” is set to be Disney’s first film about an African princess. She will be White.
It will be based on the true story of Emily Heaton, a White American girl who wanted to be a princess. Her father, Jeremiah Heaton, went to Africa in 2014 and, on her seventh birthday, planted a flag in Bir Tawil, a bit of land not claimed by any government. He called it the Kingdom of North Sudan, making himself king and his daughter a princess.
Bir Tawil is on the border between Egypt and Sudan. It is about two-thirds the size of Rhode Island, larger than Bahrain or Singapore, though it is landlocked and largely desert. Neither Egypt nor Sudan want to claim it because that would mean giving up their right to the Hala’ib Triangle, a much bigger piece of land further east on the Red Sea. Bir Tawil has been claimed by several people on the Internet. Heaton is the first one to go there and plant a flag.
No government recognizes his claim, nor does the United Nations.
He says no one lives there. “No one” must means “no one White”. The very reason Bir Tawil became a matter of dispute is because it was part of the grazing lands of the Ababda people. They have been there for thousands of years: they were part of the Blemmyes who fought the Roman Empire in the 100s and 200s.
Jeremiah Heaton is a White American farmer who runs a mining-safety company. He lives in south-western Virginia, where he owns Cherokee land claimed by Whites.
Heaton does not see himself as a colonialist:
Academics at universities saying this is modern day colonialism, really that’s a euphemism for racism. I can’t help any more that I was born in America as a white man than an Asian person born in Asia can [help that].”
Heaton says he has never viewed the world through a racial lens. Therefore he is not racist, therefore he is not a colonialist!
The film: Morgan Spurlock, of “Super Size Me” (2004), will be a producer. Stephany Folsom is writing the script. On May 14th 2015, she tweeted:
There is no planting a flag in Sudan or making a white girl the princess of an African country. That’s gross. #PrincessOfNorthSudan
Which seems to contradict the fact that it is a film entitled “The Princess of North Sudan” based on the Heatons. She deleted the tweet.
Rushaa Hamid, a British writer who grew up in Sudan:
“Stories of the Sudan are still told through white voices, and ‘The Princess of North Sudan’ continues that trend. We Sudanese are linked with teddy-bears, scandalous trousers, and people who marry goats, but we are never the Kushite kingdom or the Mahdi or our own ancient fairy tales. Disney would rather embrace a story that should have ended with independence in 1956, and that’s simply wrong.”
Not only is Heaton trying to colonize Africa – so is Disney.
– Abagond, 2015.
See also:
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Super Size Me
- Pocahontas – another pro-colonialist Disney princess from Virginia
- The Princess and the Frog – wherein Disney’s only Black princess spends most of her time as a frog.
- The three pillars of White supremacy
- Columbus
- Aqualtune – an African princess whose story is far more heroic than Emily Heaton’s.
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Reblogged this on Dark Moon Series.
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Thre aren’t adjectives, nouns, or verbs enough in the giant English language to describe how disgusting this “man” and his claim of “kingdom” are to me. What a despicable person he is. And I use the word “person” ironically here. Sickening.
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Stupid people are stupid.
Aside from the racist/clueless/insensitive/colonialist stupidity, there’s also the elitist, hierarchical, king/princess stupidity.
The whole thing is pretty stupid.
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@ Abagond
Implying that the US is a White country.
Heaton says: (in the quote that you use) that he was born in America as a white man. So, there is no implication of the U.S. as a white country.
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@ Melanie
I have to admit, I find the whole thing very amusing. Forgetting about Heaton for a moment: People will try to take claim of things which have murky, unclear ownership. What troubles me is the message he gives his daughter: “No one lives here, we can take this.” There was no need to indulge his little girl in this way; has the man heard of Birthday Parties or Halloween? Sheesh!
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I agree. One of the worst parts of the whole story is the message he’s passing on to his kid. The whole “princess” thing is complete bs in any context. I reject it on all levels and won’t even call my kitten a princess, let alone use such warped terminology with a child. The implications are staggeringly horrid.
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@ Legion
Removed.
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Anybody can claim anything, it’s another thing to possess it. I don’t see what the big deal is, unless this was an excuse for Abagond to display his erudition mentioning the Ababda people, the Blemmyes and the Roman Empire. I’d like to know what prevented Rushaa Hamid from planting her own flag? her complaint is redolent of lions complaining that lions don’t get a fair shake when hunters tell the tale of the hunt. Glad you did this post because I wasn’t aware of the Ababda.
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Initially, I thought Disney producing “The Princess Of North Sudan” was some kind of joke. I thought this is ridiculous. No one in their right mind would make a movie out of this, but I was wrong. Wow. Words cannot explain how incredibly stupid this is.
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What a disgustingly, pretentious thing to do. Disney making a film about it is sickening but not really surprising.
@ Melanie, I so agree with you about the whole princess concept. When my daughter was a kid I used to call her a princess when she was acting up!
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I thought I was suffering from fatigue when I first heard of this. That I was so tired I was not reading what I was reading.
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Instead of Emily Heaton, Disney should do Aqualtune:
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The thing is
1) First, seriously… you’re spoiling your kid.
2) If you go through with it, find a small deserted island… there pare PLENTY of them.
3) Do NOT, under any circumstances, go to a place that was colonized by the British for 60 years, plant a flag, and declare yourself the KING. Hello?!!
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If it was just That white male ,it would be stupid but Disney is a major american company ,this is calculated. And even if its pulled an quashed the motive and intention is still there. That a lot white/albinic people still “need’ the world to see only them as beautiful and worthy of admiration .
That only albinism which is what white skin is ,is worthy of regard.
And we pretend not to know why or understand the rampant and pathological body modifications imposed on black people specifically skin and hair.
But still I fell for the sensational headline negative only,black/white only clickbait news with no real explanations or solutions only more of the same with empty hope and vote for a racist imperialist it your only choice narritive.
Yet another reason I’, m glad my radio broke – no more live streaming of lies.
When I want to be depressed and hopeless I can choose to goto abagond,brrotherwolf,racismiswhitesurprmacey ,CNN,NPR or kpfk.
or not.
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I remember reading this last year and rolled my eyes because it’s so stupid.
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The Kingdom of North Sudan (KNS) has a website: https://www.kingdomsudan.org/
He is selling noble titles for as little as $25. Maybe that’s one of those investments that seem ludicrous now but later on when the title is worth millions you’ll rue the day you missed the boat.
Mr. Heaton’s cute idea to make his daughter a real princess has legs. It’s hard to believe, but as neither Egypt or Sudan, the two nations in a position to prevent his land claim have done so yet he has moved forward. KNS has applied for UN observer status. I wonder if the Ababda people will object or agree to be his royal subjects? Will the UN take a poll?
This is an interesting story. Its eye catching and induces interest to take a closer look. I can understand why Disney would want to use the story as background material for their own fictional story – little girls dream of becoming a princess granted by heroic dad (complete with dadbod, played by Zach Galifianakis). I can also understand why it would make African Americans uncomfortable and annoyed that Disney would make a white African princess movie before they made a black African princess movie. Apparently Disney is pushing on with their movie and believe it won’t ruffle racial tensions. I wonder if Disney won’t change the names of the continent or neighboring countries to something fictional to avoid controversy at the box office.
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Why couldn’t he just throw the kid a princess party and bake some pink cupcakes or something.
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I’m sorry but I really have to wonder about the sanity and general decency of the people who think this warrants being made into a movie. Also, what are the chances that little girl won’t grow up into entitled sack of..yeah.
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@Gen: I agree
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Well, to be fair to Disney, this sounds like something out of a movie. Hard to imagine this is actually real. I mean, people are already living there, right? If so, then this sure as hell is colonialism, albeit a piss poor attempt.
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@ Mbeti
Just a correction that albinism and “White” skin are actually medically different.
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This man’s actions are wrong on so many levels. First, of all I wonder if he stopped to think about what kind of messages his actions are sendingr. When his daughter grows up, is she going to think that a man is supposed to indulge her whims because she is a “princess”? After all Daddy flew halfway around the world for her so why not her boyfriend/husband? And what about her brothers? How come they don’t get to be princes? Why is the father making a big deal out of this one child (the youngest) when he he has two other kids? That can breed resentment among siblings. He’s also showing his kids that people (of color) from other cultures are not to be respected. Hey, if you want something just take it and to hell with everyone else. You don’t have to respect other people especially if they are nonwhite (my apologies if this term offends anyone) and from another country.
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Why does the child seem like a self-entitled princess? This reminds me of indulgent parents catering to their child’s every whim.
Veruca Salt, anyone?
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My comment is in moderation, but the above person is me.
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LOL! No, not Mochasister, but loco4coco is me. 😀
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Melanie said: The whole “princess” thing is complete bs in any context. I reject it on all levels and won’t even call my kitten a princess, let alone use such warped terminology with a child. The implications are staggeringly horrid.
Gen said: Also, what are the chances that little girl won’t grow up into entitled sack of..yeah.
Oy gevalt! I started reading Freud in the last few weeks (absolutely astonishing, by the way). This little girl’s dad actually made her (at her current level of psychological development) royalty and conquered territory for her. She might prove one hell of a demanding girlfriend/wife later on in life. Then again, she might inspire her man to great things. (I’m trying for a little silver lining here… 😛 )
She also might be crushed when she discovers she’s a low tier princess. Yeah, the implications are all over the map!
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@ Mochasister
He’s also showing his kids that people (of color) from other cultures are not to be respected.
That’s a very specific lesson. We don’t know what the kids will take from the whole affair. What stuck with me was: people will take shit that has no clear owner, colour does not necessarily enter the question. Yeah, I know those people live there but they aren’t a nation state (so far as I know).
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I don’t know where Abagond is getting it from that there are people in the region claimed by Heaton. I’m not seeing that there are people in the area.
Besides being amused, I also thought about whether Heaton can really make a go of his claim. The following news report is interesting:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2MGCq6Cog8)
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@king
different causal factors (maybe) same result absence of melanin due to lack of ability or apparatus biochemically.
@Mochasister
tell me about it,and he has to other kids,really – but this one gets a ariachic mediaevil racist colonial sense of entitlement ,
oh yeah I Forgot about major multibillion dollar media corporation with a long history of perpetuating the racist tropes among other things.
Although it is also interesting how and why some children are selected to be special and others not, as well as the obvious gender bias in favor females generally and young white/albinic ones specifically.
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@ Mbeti
Well there are, of course, many varieties of albinism, but all forms that fall into the classification, all of them are based on producing much lower levels of melanin than Europeans do. Europeans do produce melanin in sufficient quantities for their climate. True albinos stick out considerably in a population of average Europeans.
Europeans are also not unique in producing that particular skin tone, Do you consider Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese to be albinos also?
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@Leigh
The girl from Willy wonka is a perfect example of my thoughts towards this situation. Entitlement.
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@kiwi
“The fact that he considered it more fitting to compare himself to an Asian born in Asia when he could just as easily have compared himself to an Asian born in America betrays, at the very least, unconscious racial bias.”
as usual your sharp and on point
abagond should’ve left it the way was but apparently……
@king
that’s why I say albinic – meaning partial abinism not albino’s.
and thanks so much for the big gaint glaring picture of a attractive asian female because even though I live in los angeles ,I’ve never seen a Asian or other albinic group member before.
I also just woke up yesterday after I got off the boat.
(how about reduced quantity or capacity to produce melanin skin/epidermal pigmentation due solely to geographic location factors) hmmm feel better now..
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Well Mbeti, I thought you’d probably appreciate an attractive female more than a male. But I was trying to verify that the skin tones were fairly identical to those of a European. I can’t help but notice that you sound combative, as if you don’t like people challenging your ideas or assertions. If having actual conversations about the things you write is a problem, then I’ll stop…
So then, lighter-skinned Asians and Latinos are also are “albinic.” I’m just trying to understand your definitions. What percentage of the World population would you say is albinic at present? I mean, just approximately? I’m not trying to set you up, I’m just trying to understand something you’ve been repeating now for years.
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@king
not combative in this case just snarky at the redundancy ,as if you have not been on this site for years
as if abagond doesn’t have at least half a dozen posts about skin tone or pigmentation and melanin,
as if you haven’t personal made the same statements with different pictures yet again
what’s so difficult about different phenotype groups ,with similar phenotypic features ,in this case skin pigmentation degree due maybe to similar geographic factors ,in this case latitude or distance northward from the equator.
to me its obvious that asian and europeans occupy and evolved at a simlar geograhic lattude
and its also obvious that one can be partially albino i.e. albinic
black hair white skin.
or maybe they would as a part of the dominance hierarchy of which our species is not immune like most black and brown people to view their full and partial albinism as so sort of mysterious whiteness that can’t be explained only subserviently submitted to.
okay
now can we comment on how fuckedup Disney corporation and this white/albinic dude and all three of his kids and wife is please ,pretty please ;-/
but if I’m to combative for you then just umm stop complaining about the same old –
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abagond this is a brilliant post. as ludicrous as it sounds, i reckon that the UN (or someone) will eventually take his claim seriously since no-one is disputing his claim. as far as we know.
@Kiwi,
absolutely on point.
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Typical murican white brat story. Ffin muricans. God blast Murica.
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Self entitled is the perfect word. I work for Amazon. The percent of self entitled murican that think that you owe them everything and than assauslt me with racial insults is Amazing. The only non self entitled people are immigrants, indians and puerto ricans that are very nice people.
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@ Mbeti
I do agree with Kiwi, but felt the post was going to get derailed by it.
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…..Fu*kery
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This guy isn’t the first one to claim the Bir Tawil”. Someone else claimed it in 2010 named Kareen Hamedy. So technically the land is not unclaimed, it is uninhabited. And even then not really since people do occupy it temporarily.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-mans-claim-on-african-landis-unlikely-to-pass-test/2014/09/07/8bfac456-2ef9-11e4-bb9b-997ae96fad33_story.html
This guy seems to have not only a plan but also support in trying to occupy the land long enough to create a country. With him not having any cultural ties to the region, this all looks ridiculous on his part. I sincerely hope he fails.
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@Anne
Thank you for the added information. I hope he fails as well.
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Amen to that Anne !
but unfortunately, he has been recognized by Copenhagen, Denmark:
“The Kingdom of North Sudan, the world’s newest Nation, has opened its first embassy in Copenhagen as it moves closer towards establishing formal diplomatic relations with the European Union.”
Over the past year, the Kingdom of North Sudan has established several diplomatic missions in Western European countries such as the Netherlands, Lithuania, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain and the UK. The Kingdom plans to spend an estimated $2 billion dollars in infrastructure construction and scientific research facilities over the next 5-7 years. The Kingdom seeks to solicit contracts with EU companies with operations in Northeastern Africa.”
https://www.kingdomsudan.org/page/kingdomeuembassy/
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This film is a waste of celluloid. It’s just another way of promoting white supremacy. I would expect nothing less from Disney. They’re just doing what white folks do.
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Well Ok Mbeti, like I said, I’m not trying to attack your viewpoint, just trying to understand it better than I do.
Nothing. But that’s not called “Albnic.” According to the Webster’s, “Albinic” is simply a related form of the word “Albino.” It has the exact same meaning as the skin disorder. That is why I posited that your usage of it may be incorrect. That is, unless you mean that all Europeans and Asians are suffering from a skin disorder. If that is what you believe then say so, and I will be clear on your beliefs.
Yes, but “Albino” is not defined as simply having a lighter shade of skin. So people who have a lighter shade of skin are not “partially Albino” they are merely adapted to their climate. That is quite different than having a partial skin disorder. Their skin color is actually a useful dermal adaptation. To me it would be like saying that Black people are “Hyperpigmented” or “partially hyperpigmented” instead of just saying that they have brown skin adapted to their own climate. Again, not an attack on you. I just don’t understand the misuse of this word to describe a normal and useful skin coloration.
But like you say… back to the problem of princesses and self-appointed colonizing Kings! and Disney! Hey there are a lot of things that we agree on, but if I’m going to communicate with you honestly, I also have to press to understand the stuff that I don’t understand, or may not agree with.
Peace!
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Linda, I’m surprised that you would have fallen for an obvious bit of pr by Mr. Heaton. Where’s the evidence that the nations he cites recognize his nation? The man is a clever conman who is in the habit of making extraordinary claims, you only have his word for the claim that nations have recognized his kingdom. He is tapping into the zeitgeist responsible for other fantasies such as those spun by Peter Thiel and other very rich people who want to free themselves of government control by creating artificial islands. Check out this article on Thiel.
http://www.details.com/culture-trends/critical-eye/201109/peter-thiel-billionaire-paypal-facebook-internet-success?printable=true
Thiel, with his billions has recently backed off his quest to build his techno utopia, I don’t see why Heaton would be anymore successful with few resources and two nations ready and willing to put an end to his con game. Selling the movie rights to his story was pure genius on his part. He will get lots of publicity, some cash and maybe reel in a whale like Thiel who would be willing to spend money on him and his claim.The only thing this post has done, in my opinion, is to contribute to Heaton’s con with a dollop of ‘moral’ outrage that another white bandit is about to pray on poor hapless Africans. After reading this post one could be forgiven for thinking that this hustler is King Leopold of Belgium reincarnated instead of the run of the mill conman he is.
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@king
attack or disagree does not bother me ,I did not view your questions and comments as an attack on something I want to defend.
Also since we have both been here a while and know our way around this blog ,if you have questions and want to engage in discussion with me about something I said not directly related to the topic at hand ,maybe asking me to respond on either the open thread or a more relevant post.
I have additional questions and comments in this regard but I will hold them ,until we can agree on a more appropriate post for continuing the discussion.
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Thank you Mbeti, same goes for me!
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I checked that link provided by linda and its it appears gro jo’s conclusion is probable.
If your going to establish a country/nation based on science and green ecology (conman buzz words?!) why a Monarchy?
What’s Disney’s and fantasy’s in general favorite type of government – Monarchy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy
Then there’s the male parent ,and perhaps female parents as well referring only to their female child as a princess .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_and_noble_ranks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess
also googled :why do some parents call their daughters princesses
very interesting…….
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Ugh my head
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I was just reading about this lame azz claim to “uninhabited land” by this guy the other day, and whilst it initially makes me roll my eyes at the ludicrousness of it all-there is a part of me that thinks that it may just have a microscopic chance of working. After all, “they” have pulled off some seemingly unbelievable stunts before that were ridiculous and yet still occurred so…who knows?
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GroJo@ Linda, I’m surprised that you would have fallen for an obvious bit of pr by Mr. Heaton. Where’s the evidence that the nations he cites recognize his nation?
Linda says,
LOL, there is so much about this whole thing that is Unbelievable, why wouldn’t I believe him?!
I bet you when he told his friends what he planned to do, they told him he was “nuts” and look at him now….
networked himself into a lucrative Disney deal and possible a chance to go ahead with this BS if the Sudan and Egypt gov gives him the green light.
All I know is that Africans cannot catch a Gdam break…
there are so many REAL African princesses from the past or alive and well today, that Disney can make a story about
Crown Princess Medferiashwork Abebe of Ethiopia
Princess Esther Kamatari of Burundi has an interesting story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3688238.stm
Princess Odette Maniema Krempin of Zaire, now called Congo http://www.fnp.de/lokales/frankfurt/Polizei-jagt-Frankfurts-Skandal-Prinzessin;art675,1324739
the article about princess Odette is recent and states that she disappeared and the Belgian police cannot find her.
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TBH that’s typical of the entitlement of most white Americans. They think they can go to another country and take over. That’s what “manifest destiny” looks like to me.
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Wait, if the “Super-Size Me” guy is producing this, maybe the movie could be poking fun at him? I’m just saying, I’m not sure we can accuse Disney of supporting his claim just yet…
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@ BrandonSP
Maybe Spurlock has gambling debts or something. A truly Spurlockian “Princess of North Sudan” would be awesome, but that ain’t Disney.
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