{
  "id": 16937877,
  "title": "Nick Jonas, Samara Joy, Rufus Wainwright & More Pay Tribute to Former Disney CEO Bob Iger at PAC NYC Icons of Culture Gala",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/nick-jonas-samara-joy-rufus-wainwright-more-pay-tribute-to-former",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-28T17:21:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/pro/bob-iger-former-disney-ceo-honored-pac-nyc-icons-of-culture/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City on Tuesday (Oct. 27), the PAC NYC Icons of Culture Gala honored Bob Iger, the former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company. Among the tributes was a heartfelt statement from Nick Jonas, who spoke on behalf of his brothers Joe and Kevin, praising Iger as \"one of the finest cultivators of talent the industry has ever seen.\"\n\nMusic played a significant role in the evening, beginning with Grammy-winning artist Samara Joy performing \"Stardust\" and \"Just in Time.\" Rufus Wainwright concluded the evening with a rendition of \"When You Wish Upon a Star\" from Disney's Pinocchio. The event concluded with a final toast to Iger and PAC NYC.\n\nOther notable performances included a medley of hits from the Disney vault, with Bradley Gibson singing \"Seize the Day\" from Newsies, Anastascia McCleskey performing \"This is Me\" from The Greatest Showman, Adam Jacobs performing \"Proud of Your Boy\" from Aladdin, and Charissa Hogeland performing \"Let it Go\" from Frozen. Mickey Mouse also led the orchestra in a rendition of \"Fantasmic!\" while visuals celebrated Disney's iconic franchises.\n\nMichael R. Bloomberg, chairman of the board of PAC NYC, highlighted Iger's impact, stating that he \"took the company to new heights, with new ventures and expansions — and a historic run of global box office hits.\" Bloomberg also mentioned Iger's historic run of shaping American culture over the past 25 years. Other notable performers and appearances of the night included Ariana DeBose, EGOT recipients Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, ABC News correspondents David Muir and Robin Roberts, and Josh D’Amaro, who succeeded Iger as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.\n\nIn his acceptance speech, Iger reflected on his decades-long career, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to entertain the world through storytelling and for the generosity of his mentors and colleagues. He emphasized the importance of nurturing creativity and supporting those who make it possible, calling the recognition from PAC NYC especially meaningful to him.",
  "summary": "\"Few people have done more than Bob to shape American culture over the past 25 years,\" said former NYC mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}