Daily Wire’s Bentkey: Behind the $100 Million Kids Entertainment Launch
The co-founder of The Daily Wire, Jeremy Boreing, recently joined Ben Shapiro on the “Sunday Special” to unveil the remarkable story behind the launch of Bentkey, The Daily Wire’s new kids’ entertainment company. The Bentkey app was officially introduced on the 100th anniversary of Disney’s founding, featuring an upcoming live-action film, “Snow White and the Evil Queen,” starring Daily Wire YouTube sensation Brett Cooper. Currently, the app boasts 17 shows, including original productions like “A Wonderful Day with Mabel Maclay” and “Chip Chilla.”
Jeremy Boreing shared the origin of the name “Bentkey,” explaining that it stems from a bent key he has worn around his neck for 28 years. The key unlocks a small theater in his hometown, Post, Texas, where he discovered his passion for the performing arts and his life’s purpose. While the full story remains untold, the key’s symbolism is deeply personal to Boreing.
Addressing the decision not to name The Daily Wire’s kids’ entertainment company “DW Kids,” Boreing elaborated that the name “Daily Wire” carries a strong political connotation, and their new venture, while inherently political, aims to produce non-political content for children. Hence, “Bentkey” was chosen as the company’s name for its sense of whimsy and lack of political connotations.
The inception of Bentkey traces back to March 29, 2022, when journalist Chris Rufo shared a video featuring a Disney executive discussing the implementation of a “not-at-all secret gay agenda” in one of her shows. Ben Shapiro immediately proposed the idea of venturing into kids’ entertainment to Jeremy Boreing. Initially, Boreing considered the endeavor “impossible.” However, a mere 40 minutes later, he had a change of heart and decided to pursue this new path.
Boreing’s determination led him to reach out to Caleb Robinson, their co-CEO, and he was convinced that they had to announce their commitment to kids on the same day, capitalizing on public outrage over Disney’s actions. Despite the initial challenge of allocating $10 million over three years, Boreing, Robinson, and Jon Lewis, the COO, decided to change the company’s direction in a profound way. Hours later, Boreing, without the opportunity to prepare a speech, stood before his employees and a live-streamed audience of Daily Wire members and announced a $100 million investment in kids’ entertainment.
Boreing acknowledged the initial perception of $10 million as a significant sum while lying in bed, but he realized it was insufficient for launching a kids’ entertainment company that could compete in the industry. To succeed, they had to be willing to commit substantial resources. Consequently, they diluted their ownership in the company and took a substantial financial risk to secure the funds for this venture.
The launch of Bentkey on Monday demonstrated its immense promise. By the end of the day, the Bentkey app had become the top kids’ app. Featuring 17 shows, including four original Bentkey productions and an upcoming live-action film, Bentkey also sought and curated content from around the world to ensure a diverse and robust slate of offerings. Boreing emphasized their commitment to providing value to parents for the money they spend and the company’s ambition to compete in the ever-evolving kids’ entertainment landscape.
