'Tigger' accused of smacking young fan

[AwallaceUNC]

The father told Fox News yesterday that he doesn't want money, just an apology, which if true, is cool because he's not a money-grubbing sleeze, but still kind of lame because making a big fuss just to get a worthless apology is, well, lame.

-Aaron

[Super Aurora]

The father told Fox News yesterday that he doesn't want money, just an apology, which if true, is cool because he's not a money-grubbing sleeze, but still kind of lame because making a big fuss just to get a worthless apology is, well, lame.

-Aaron

Even making a fuss to get money is still lame. Apology is a bit more dignified and honest than greed.

[xxhplinkxx]

The more I watch the video, the more I hate that kid. He looks like a dumbass. Im sure he had to have done something behind Tiggers back.

[jwa1107]

here's my question:
what is they boy doing with his hand behind Tigger?
we can't see it - we don't know what (if anything) he may have done bodily to Tigger

all in all this is pretty lameworst case scenario give 'em some free parkhopper passes

[Loomis]

Is there any way Tigger can get an apology from an overgrown dork that was almost hanging off his head?

It looks like Tigger simply put out a hand (paw?) and it happened it connect with the guy's head. Unsurprising given that it looked as though the kid was trying to pull the Bouncy One's head off.

I think Tigger deserves the apology dammit. I'm so sick of seeing people acting like jerks, and when they don't QUITE get away with it, they complain. It happens to anybody working in customer service that snaps back, and Disney does seem to hold itself to a higher standard, but from that footage alone, I think it would be completely unreasonable for Tigger or Disney to be responsible for any liability.

[The Merman]

It looks like the guy is trying to rip open his zipper or something behind Tiger's back.
Anyway if you look a little further on the video, then you see Tiger is clearly shocked of accidently hitting his head and tries to shakes his hand as if asking if everything is alright.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Also, keep in mind, if a cast-member's costume is in anyway unzipped, ripped, or is in someway making the person inside visible to public, even if it isn't their fault, they get fired if caught.

From the looks of it, the kid is trying to play with his costume as if he were going to take it off(not fooling me "just putting my hand around his back" ). So Tigger could've just been trying to protect his job. And the slap looked almost harmless anyway.

I agree completely with Loomis(no not with Tigger being a bastard ) Disney and the specific cast member deserve apologies!

[AwallaceUNC]

Even making a fuss to get money is still lame.

Agreed. I re-read my post and I think it sounds like I was saying something I didn't mean to. My point is that I'm glad they aren't trying to get money, but I <i>still</i> think they're being lame for whining about it so much anyways.

-Aaron

[Pluto Region1]

I agree with most of you here; the kid isn't being "punched" at all. Plus, in that get-up, how can someone make a fist?! There is a pretty interesting video with analysis by someone who posted this over at You Tube. He has "pre-punch" audio from the father and it suggests there's more going on, like possible harassment of the character. Look closely at the You Tube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ifdL7aegg

When Tigger's paw connects to the kid's cheek, his costumed head is pointing upward which bolster's the cast member's claim that he could not see what he was doing at that moment. It appears to be a total accident.

Now the link below is from Wiki News- it has an article there that says the Union that represents the costumed characters at WDW has cleared him of wrong doing, but it also says that the family got a lawyer and they are seeking unspecified monetary damages. Why else get a lawyer? Lawyers like to be paid so.... you don't get a lawyer to demand an apology, and so it is pretty obvious what is going on with this family. It is also possible the kid didn't mean to do what he did that caused Tigger to swerve around and accidentally hit him. The article also states a witness has come forward, but it isn't clear to me what the witness is saying. Maybe someone here can figure out what the witness is saying.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Teamsters_s ... r_pardoned

I understand that characters routinely get harassed by obnoxious kids at the park. It would be nice to hear from anyone who perhaps worked in the park if this is true.

[jwa1107]

I understand that characters routinely get harassed by obnoxious kids at the park. It would be nice to hear from anyone who perhaps worked in the park if this is true.

but I though each character is supposed to have a "handler" castmate that travels around the park with them and can intervene when necessary or help them not get totally mobbed, etc.

[Pluto Region1]

but I though each character is supposed to have a "handler" castmate that travels around the park with them and can intervene when necessary or help them not get totally mobbed, etc.

Well if they didn't, they probably will from now on. But I've seen groups of characters not escorted at DL (at least there wasn't a handler cast member visible in the near vicinity) with kids running around them in circles as they tried to get away.

[Big Disney Fan]

The father told Fox News yesterday that he doesn't want money, just an apology, which if true, is cool because he's not a money-grubbing sleeze, but still kind of lame because making a big fuss just to get a worthless apology is, well, lame.

-Aaron

Even making a fuss to get money is still lame. Apology is a bit more dignified and honest than greed.

But some people don't see it that way. Not that I don't, either, but some people don't. So this time a character is off the hook. But people sometimes confuse filing a lawsuit with receiving an inheritance. They automatically file a lawsuit just so they can take someone else's money. That's practically dishonest.

[Pluto Region1]

So this time a character is off the hook. But people sometimes confuse filing a lawsuit with receiving an inheritance. They automatically file a lawsuit just so they can take someone else's money. That's practically dishonest.

I agree; there are some pretty dishonest folks. No one will know if this family is one of those, but the fact that the family immediately ran to the Sheriff's office to file a complaint sure seems to suggest they were fishing for money from Disney.

In the end, the character will not be off the hook. His name has been all over the media; its been publicly announced that he's been suspended. This will follow him from job to job for a long time.

I still think it looks like he hit the kid by accident. His head is pointing upwards which suggests that I could not see where his hand was going. His hand movement suggests a reaction to whatever the kid was doing to the back of his costume.

[Big Disney Fan]

I agree; there are some pretty dishonest folks. No one will know if this family is one of those, but the fact that the family immediately ran to the Sheriff's office to file a complaint sure seems to suggest they were fishing for money from Disney.

In the end, the character will not be off the hook. His name has been all over the media; its been publicly announced that he's been suspended. This will follow him from job to job for a long time.

I still think it looks like he hit the kid by accident. His head is pointing upwards which suggests that I could not see where his hand was going. His hand movement suggests a reaction to whatever the kid was doing to the back of his costume.

But when they arrived at the office of the sheriff in question, they didn't ask for money, just an apology. So the character and the park is off the hook financially.

[Escapay]

I watched the video a couple times. Notice the following.

*The teenager (Jerry) is not as close to Tigger, he's practically leaning in, with his hand on Tigger's back (right near the zipper, I know)

*Tigger's legs are spread, making it hard for him to actually stay balanced with both children in front and to the side

*The teenager moves in closer, I think trying to undo the zipper (which is connected via the top of the tail)

*It causes Tigger to slightly lose his balance, and he shifts around his right foot, and as his right arm goes down, tangled with Jerry's left arm.

*Tigger's left arm goes up, trying to catch on to the teenager to regain his balance, but because the costume head gives the castmember tunnelvision (they see through the small black area of Tigger's mouth), Tigger doesn't see where his hand is going, and it inadvertantly slaps the teenager.

*And at the same time, as pointed out in the video, the teenager suddenly slaps back, rather than help Tigger balance.

It was an accident, brought on by not having the family positioned safely and correctly around Tigger, and a teenager trying to pull on the zipper, causing Tigger to lose his balance, and try to regain it but unfortunately, the video makes it look like he slapped the kid when he was simply reaching out trying to stay still.

Escapay

[Pluto Region1]

But when they arrived at the office of the sheriff in question, they didn't ask for money, just an apology. So the character and the park is off the hook financially.

that might have been earlier- the report on Wikipedia (see my earlier post) states they have a lawyer and seeking monetary compensation. Of course there are conflicting reports- I am assuming the lawyer came later. Also the character will not be off the hook due to his damaged reputation and he probably will loose his job at Disney. Now he's infamous and this will follow him around from job to job... It will be Disney that pays it off, not the character. They will go after the deep pockets of Disney. A 21 year old working at an amusement park is the not the one they will sue....

[REC213]

How does Tigger manage to get in troube?

I filmed this when I was at MGM in October.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8

[REC213]

Sorry I didn't copy the whole link....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8dBhPjx5bw

[Big Disney Fan]

Also the character will not be off the hook due to his damaged reputation and he probably will loose his job at Disney. Now he's infamous and this will follow him around from job to job...

Are you saying that the employee playing the character will be cursed with job losses?

[Escapay]

Also the character will not be off the hook due to his damaged reputation and he probably will loose his job at Disney. Now he's infamous and this will follow him around from job to job...

Not necessarily. When any former castmember references Disney on their resume, the only information Disney itself can give out is a Cast Member Performance Feedback form, where each criteria is marked by either "Clearly Outstanding", "Exceeds Expectations", "Meets Expectations", "Below Expectations", and "Unsatisfactory", and are often very general criteria like "Models the Disney values", "Promotes Teamwork", "Creates positive Guest experience", "Makes Guest-Focused decisions", "Attends work regularly", etc. I dont' have my own Cast Member Performance Feedback sheets on me right now (and don't intend to search for them at this hour), but even after the vague checklist is a small area with about 4 to 5 lines of a manager's comments (really more a summary) of what the castmember did during their employment time. Stuff like "Joe Smithington worked for us from January 2003 to October 2004. He has worked in X-role, Y-role, and Z-role, and also helped with training others in Y-role. An area of opportunity for Joe is attendance, he has missed a few weeks of work in the summer. He is a Cast Member who enjoys helping out his fellow workers and learn new things. We were pleased to have him here and thank him for giving his time and devotion to the company"

If anything, the kid in the Tigger costume would probably get Below Expectations or Unsatisfactory in the "Creates a Positive Guest Experience" criteria, and his manager's paragraph would say something like "An area of improvement for Reggie is guest interaction", but they wouldn't go so far as to say, "Reggie did have some legal action brought in against him, but otherwise he's a terrific cast member"

The Tigger story will likely become famous, but the kid in the costume will remain unknown and it won't hurt any further job opportunities.

Escapay