Zen Coaster Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Tigger 'hit kid' at Walt Disney WorldSunday Jan 7 17:30 AEDT AP - A Walt Disney World employee dressed as the character Tigger is accused of hitting a child while posing for a photo, a spokeswoman for the theme park said. 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 Saturday. 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. ©AAP 2007 Assaulting a park guest... that's what Tiggers do best! On a serious note though, Disney doesn't need bad press like this after that leaked backstage sex tape. I wonder why the Cast Member lost control like this. I've had some pretty annoying kid guests when doing operations at my park ... but would never hit them... Suspicious that the tape is incomplete though. I'd be keen to see that footage. Still, there are cameras everywhere in the park, hey? There is sure to be some surveillance footage they can go off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Movieguy Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Geez...did this kid do anything to provoke the guy in the suit? Speaking from my work as a grocery clerk, there are plenty of kids these days that deserve a smack or two. Seriously though, it was uncalled for either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenDen Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 "The tape only shows a fraction of what happened. Now it's up to us to find out what led up to that." See, here in lies the problem. Lets make a clip of our child getting hit in a friendly-teasing manor, and then make it out to be an assault by losing half the footage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackskellington101 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 My thought is that Tigger didn't even see the kid, tried to go for the arm around the shoulder and missed. I doubt it's truly intentional. I'm also curious to know how old is the kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwantRevenge Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 ^That could have been the case. I could imagine it's hard to see in those suits. And the breast thing...He's a rapist or he could have been going to hug the girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesdillaman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 ^ Not that he would feel much anyway... it's not like the costume doesn't have hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 "The tape only shows a fraction of what happened. Now it's up to us to find out what led up to that." See, here in lies the problem. Lets make a clip of our child getting hit in a friendly-teasing manor, and then make it out to be an assault by losing half the footage. I'm often a little too cynical, but this is EXACTLY, word-for-word, what I thought. There's no mention of the kid actually being injured, so I really can't see that it was an "assault", and if it WAS deliberate, perhaps it was just the cast-member being playful? That would be a serious misjudgement but... mistakes happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DATman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I honestly thought it was a pat on the head, like parents do to congratulate little kids when they do something right. This guy probably just want's to make money off of it. I mean, it's America... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Director_Guy Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I'm suprised we don't hear more about these tings happening. Even at Fright Fest, characters aren't allowed to even touch a guest. In pictures, hands must be in clear view at all times. This is to avoid stupid things like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sound Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I really want to see the footage. My thought is that Tigger didn't even see the kid, tried to go for the arm around the shoulder and missed. I doubt it's truly intentional. I'm also curious to know how old is the kid. That was probably the case, or something simalir. Disney is getting turned into a Mc Donalds, getting sued for millions from the smallest of things, like not haveing a "Caution: Hot" sign on the Coffee. Do Disney cast members need a "Caution: Can not see, and may accidently touch your kids" Label on them? I hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
music11 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 ^The videos probably all over the internet and i just saw it on t.v. and its like a 5 second video so its not much but you'll surely find it on the internet. i believe this is the second time that i know of that tigger got in trouble. also i agree lets see where all those videos of this to see who the real victim is because the news said that the person in the tigger suit thought that the kid was trying to get at his suit and like open it or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 ^ I've read that on the footage it appears as though the kid does something with the arm that's behind Tigger's back, and the castmember kinda recoils, but because he has his arms around people, he struggles a little and winds up grazing the kid. I'll reserve judgement until I've seen the footage, but the kid is completely unmarked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesey Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I've seen the video and it doesn't really seem like all that big of a deal to me. It looks like it could have been possible for the kid to have done something behind tigger's back before he got hit. Which, by the way, he didn't even hit the kid hard enough to leave a bruise. Either way, if I was a castmember I would be sure to not do anything that anyone could say anything about...What tigger did was not a good idea even if the kid did something to him. People are very overreactive these days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalDude Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 The video shows Tigger locking up the kids arm then taking a swing at the kid slapping him in the face..... granted it was not a full on slap but Tigger meant to hit the kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptorcrew2002 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Wow that family doesn't look like they just stepped out of the trailer park. This has got to be a very pathetic attempt to score some cash so they won’t have a tow truck pull up and drive off with their home or something. The video is clear enough to show, yes the kids hand reaches to the upper back of the tigger suite (looks like right below the back of the mask) Tiger turns and his hand brushes against the moron. I don’t think Tigger did anything wrong, could you have imagined IF someone got his mask off? Heck Disney should prob thank him. One law suite verses 50,000 lawsuits for all the traumatized kids. 1,000,001 reasons why I could never have that kind of job. I would of so dropped that punk to the ground. I just wait for the day when a Disney lawsuit back fires and Disney gets the chance to counter sue for the damages related to the false public image created. Here’s the video link for those who want to see it. http://youtube.com/watch?v=CiPPxBxPBOw If the link doesn't work search youtube for "Tigger Punching Kid at Disney World" Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneygurlz2s Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 We watched the video repeatedly last night, and to me it appeared as if the kid may have done something when reaching behind Tigger that the person in the costume had a "knee jerk" reaction to, causing him to swing around. He doesn't knock the kid over, so I doubt it was such a "hard" hit. The father reminded me of your typical jerk and the kid too. I don't think it was intentional and it certainly wasn't an assault. It's easy to forget that there are normal human beings inside those costumes and that we all respond to being grapped, pushed, etc in some way or another. Shari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I just wait for the day when a Disney lawsuit back fires and Disney gets the chance to counter sue for the damages related to the false public image created. Or maybe they could just have the weasels from Toad Hall rub the family out before the trial. ^ I agree that this was probably just a "knee jerk" reaction. Case dismissed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenDen Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 ok, I just saw the video. That kid was trying to unmask Tigger! And the hit was not hard by any means, more like a light tap on the nose. It's a set-up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macca1111 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I was so mad when I saw this on the news the other night. It's so obvious that Dad's out for the money. I hate it when people ruin something good for everyone else. Grr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I'll wait for Disney's Primal Rage game to come out. I want to play Tigger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 What BS. The guy in the suit is totally being made the scapegoat. If I was in the suit I would have done alot more to that trailer trash kid. The punk deserved more then just to be brushed off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Yeah I finally just saw the video. All I can say is I hope Disney fights this and doesn't just settle for ease sakes. That kid was up to no good, and Tigger just turned around...it was sooooo not a 'slap' or 'punch' or whatever they want to call it. Like others have said, these characters take so much abuse, yet they are not allowed to fight back, and god for bid that kid had tried to undo the zipper or the head... Yeah, Fight On Disney!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Just curious here. If it's on video, and that shows Tigger to be innocent, if disney gets sued, can't they counter sue because the brat attacked their character? What is the differance between a kid commiting vandalism by kicking out a window or beating on a character? Vandalism is vandalism. Years ago i remember reading stories of disney suing daycares over copyright infringement. Why not sue the parents for unruly brats. I don't think it would hurt them by doing this. It would send a msg, mess with our stuff and we'll mess with you. Seems fair to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Why not sue the parents for unruly brats. I don't think it would hurt them by doing this. It would send a msg, mess with our stuff and we'll mess with you. Seems fair to me. I'm sure it seems fair to most of us in here, but that's not the path Disney wants to take. Going on the offensive would not send the right message in this case. I'm sure they're just thinking about fending off these morons, reinstating the actor, and going about their business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Wow, this news has made it to a radio talk show here in Cincinnati! (700 WLW AM) They made a joke about it and how it was Tigger at a Disney World park rather than some park thats not as big as Disney. "The Happiest Place On Earth" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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