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Father: Costumed 'Tigger' hit his son
AP/Yahoo ^ | Sun Jan 7, 5:53 AM ET

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.


TOPICS: Cheese, Moose, Sister; Chit/Chat; Local News; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: deeppockets; litigationlittery; overlawyered; tigger
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
I started it...I might as well finish it.

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one
Tiggers are cuddly fellas
Tiggers are awfully sweet
Ev'ryone el-us is jealous
That's why I repeat... and repeat

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are marvelous claps!
They're loaded with vim and vigor
They love to leap in your laps!
They're jumpy, bumpy, clumpy, thumpy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one
I-I-I'm , the only... oof!
Ouch!
41 posted on 01/07/2007 1:53:03 PM PST by highimpact
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To: highimpact

"The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are marvelous claps!"

That's why I don't touch Tiggers...


42 posted on 01/07/2007 3:05:29 PM PST by mrs. a (It's a short life but a merry one...)
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To: martin_fierro
I knew someone who was the rat at Chucky Cheese.

Just out of curiosity, what did he put as his occupation on his tax return?

John Dean impersonator.

43 posted on 01/07/2007 4:04:17 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Barack Saddam Hussein Obama)
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To: woofie

Shut yo mouth!


44 posted on 01/07/2007 4:05:02 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Barack Saddam Hussein Obama)
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To: martin_fierro

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.


45 posted on 01/07/2007 4:37:27 PM PST by Ramius ([sip])
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To: Jeff Chandler; woofie; martin_fierro; L.N. Smithee

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.


46 posted on 01/07/2007 4:38:43 PM PST by Howlin (Not voting GOP was like being thirsty but not drinking since the glass is only 75% full ~~SoCalPol)
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To: Ramius

Check out what I just posted above.


47 posted on 01/07/2007 4:39:24 PM PST by Howlin (Not voting GOP was like being thirsty but not drinking since the glass is only 75% full ~~SoCalPol)
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To: Ramius

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.


48 posted on 01/07/2007 4:39:56 PM PST by FreedomGuru (It's 2007 and liberals are still pond scum.)
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To: martin_fierro

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.


49 posted on 01/07/2007 8:58:54 PM PST by indubitably
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To: martin_fierro

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.


50 posted on 01/07/2007 10:13:44 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: indubitably
That's when you see Tigger hit him in the head.

"Hit" is too strong of a word for it. "Touch" is more appropriate. The dad said he "clocked him in the face".

51 posted on 01/07/2007 10:16:35 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: Muzzle_em
"She said the kids were HELLIONS and would punch, kick and bite her daily, unprovoked. "

Tell her I'm sorry. I was the reason they changed to a robot...and I broke that too!

52 posted on 01/07/2007 10:18:56 PM PST by endthematrix (Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.)
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To: FreedomCalls

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 $$$$$.


53 posted on 01/08/2007 4:59:25 AM PST by Muzzle_em (A proud warrior of the Pajamahadeen)
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To: Ramius

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.


54 posted on 01/08/2007 7:14:25 AM PST by Mcirrus (Future Reference)
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To: martin_fierro

PWN3D BY T1GG3R

55 posted on 01/08/2007 7:27:09 AM PST by Constitution Day ("Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." — Aldous Huxley)
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To: Constitution Day

L0L Y4 RLY


56 posted on 01/08/2007 7:45:53 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Muzzle_em

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!


57 posted on 01/08/2007 11:43:20 AM PST by toldyou
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To: raptor29
The kid probably deserved it.

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. :)

58 posted on 01/08/2007 4:34:07 PM PST by cgk (I don't see myself as a conservative. I see myself as a religious, right-wing, wacko extremist.)
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To: cgk
I recall seeing many of the characters in theme parks having another uncostumed (but in uniform) park employee escorting them, to help them negoitate around obstacles that were obviously out of their field of vision due to the costume. I bet another reason they were with them was to protect them from idiots like this kid.

What I saw in the video was a punk-a$$ kid trying to give the guy inside the suit a hard time. His younger siblings obviously wanted a photo with Tigger but their idiotic brother had to go and screw things up. I think Tigger reacted aggressively (on instinct) at first by putting the kid's arm in a lock, but then I think he realized what he was doing because he clearly just pats the kid on the face. The kid then pats him back, grinning from ear to ear.

I think the dad was smelling the money and the kid is helping him along. Like father, like son, I suppose.
59 posted on 01/08/2007 4:50:47 PM PST by FortWorthPatriot (Semper Fidelis)
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To: cgk

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!!!


60 posted on 01/08/2007 4:56:45 PM PST by raptor29
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