PWN3D BY T1GG3R
Posted on 01/07/2007 8:08:26 AM PST by martin_fierro
Father: Costumed 'Tigger' hit his son
Sun Jan 7, 5:53 AM ET
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Walt Disney World employee dressed as the character "Tigger" was accused of hitting a child while posing for a photo, a spokeswoman for the theme park said Saturday.
Park officials temporarily suspended Michael J. Fedelem while they investigate the accusations, Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said.
"Naturally, physical altercations between cast members and guests are not tolerated," Suarez said.
Jerry Monaco of New Hampshire videotaped his son, Jerry Jr., posing with the costumed character at Disney-MGM Studios on Friday and recorded the confrontation, according to a statement from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
The father said Fedelem intentionally hit his son "on or about the head," said sheriff's spokesman Carlos M. Padilla. "The tape only shows a fraction of what happened. Now it's up to us to find out what led up to that."
A message left by The Associated Press for Monaco was not immediately returned. A telephone listing for Fedelem could not be located.
In 2004 a Walt Disney World employee dressed as Tigger was accused of touching the breast of a 13-year-old girl while she posed with him for a photo. A jury found the man not guilty.
"The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are marvelous claps!"
That's why I don't touch Tiggers...
John Dean impersonator.
Shut yo mouth!
I just saw the clip on Fox, and the interview with the father and son.
Jeeeez... is this ever lame. It sure didn't look like anything other than ordinary contact and clowning around. the Tigger character did push on his head... but sheesh... it sure wasn't a "punch". It's hard to tell from the video what contact they're even talking about.
This kid is like 16 at least. He should be embarrassed that Dad is making such a big deal about this. The other kids back at school should give him the ridicule he deserves for being such a whiner.
There's a little more to this story:
A video shot by the boy’s father shows Tigger posing cheerfully with the teenager. The boy has his left arm across Tigger’s back when the bouncy beast suddenly jabs him in the face with his orange paw. The boy then slaps Tigger back.
The father didn't say that, did he?
And Fox News just reported that the boy grabbed the back of Tigger's mask so he couldn't breath, so Tigger says.
Check out what I just posted above.
I saw the clip earlier, I thought I missed something. I couldn't understand what the problem was either. Just the kid and Tigger goofing around.
I just saw the clip on our local news. The boy has his arm around Tigger - up kind of high. It did look as though Tigger put both hands to his throat (when the kid was pulling hard on his mask?), and as he was trying to turn toward the kid, the kid had quite a hold on the back of Tigger. That's when you see Tigger hit him in the head. My guess is the kid is a jerk.
Here's the video:
http://www.local6.com/news/10685989/detail.html
Sure looks like Tigger lost his balance when the kid pulled him and almost tripped over the curb as he stepped backwards. He reaches out his and to balance himself and touches the kid in the face.
Dad watches video later, sees dollar signs and tries to extort money from Disney.
"Hit" is too strong of a word for it. "Touch" is more appropriate. The dad said he "clocked him in the face".
Tell her I'm sorry. I was the reason they changed to a robot...and I broke that too!
I saw the video on Fox this morning.
Ridiculous!
The boy is FOURTEEN and it is OBVIOUS that he and Tigger are "rough housing" and playing around. Tigger barely slaps him across the face and he punches Tigger back. You can tell the boy is laughing his head off during the entire incident! I smell a lawsuit. The dad is hoping to make some $$$$$.
I agree 100% If you watch the video, you'll notice the punk is trying to unzip tigger's costume. And that was hardly a punch worth taking the punk ass to the hospital over. I bet they probably planned it in advance.
PWN3D BY T1GG3R
L0L Y4 RLY
I just saw the video for the first time on COURTTV. They said the kid has experienced neck pain!
I am so sick of these people and their lawsuits! Common sense tells anyone that if you have that big costume on, your view from inside has to be limited and not as accurate as it would be without it. I've watched them walk around the park, and it looks like they have to watch their step because of the limited view. Gosh, I hope a judge throws this one out!
Wouldn't surprise me a bit if he did, though the teens and adults were more trouble for costumed characters when I was several Warner characters at one park.
I was slugged in the temple so hard I saw stars, no joke, my first day out as Daffy by some guy because I tipped his cap as I ran by.
Another time I was pushed onto the tracks of a coaster by some jerk who thought I, as Bugs Bunny, was hitting on his girl. (I *am* a girl but was playing the part).
Once I was doing the pre-opening welcome outside the gates dressed as Sylvester for the crowds waiting to enter the park. I was grabbed, shoved and then encircled until I fell down where I was kicked and punched repeatedly by a MOB of somewhere between 5 and 10 people all belonging to a church youth group.
And the gang members? Wow. They want us to make gang signs with them in group pictures. We'd mime the excuse we only had 4 fingers not 5 so couldn't do it. This was in the late 80s so Crips & Bloods were the ones we were saying "NO" to. Wee!
Shortly after I left that job, a friend & coworker was picked up and thrown on an ATM machine while dressed as Sylvester. Her back was broken & she had multiple surgeries and ended up suing the company for lack of protection. I think they settled with her. Probably the most dangerous job I ever worked. :)
Wow, I'm happy you got out of there alive. When I was a kid, I worked a couple summers at Universal Studios in southern California, and they always had some costumed characters roaming the premises. Never saw anything that bad, but I would imagine they all had some run-ins. And I would imagine that the overall behaviour of the kids today is worse than back then. As I said before, I hope Tigger smacked him good, because he probably deserved it!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.