Violent Tigger?

[AllisonG]

I just read on the ticker on CNN that Tigger is being put on suspension (during the investigation) for hitting a child during a photo op.
Anyone have any more info??

 

[mistydoodles]

I just saw that too. I wonder what happened????

 

[Crazy Hakim]

This is the only local station that has the video in question:

http://www.wftv.com/news/10686229/detail.html

 

[crazy4wdw]

Disney suspends accused Tigger

Pedro Ruz Gutierrez | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted January 7, 2007

Tigger, the bouncy sidekick to Walt Disney World's Winnie the Pooh, is in trouble with the law, again.

A Disney employee playing the famed cartoon character is under investigation after a New Hampshire family accused him of punching their 14-year-old son during a home-video session at Disney-MGM Studios.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office on Saturday said it took a report from Jerry Monaco Sr. stating that Tigger struck his son Jerry Jr. on the head about 12:30 p.m. Friday.

"He felt that Tigger essentially punched his son and he filed a police report," said Deputy Carlos Padilla, a sheriff's spokesman. "Right now the allegation is that a battery occurred. Of course, we see a little of that [family video] tape, and we see what appears to be a battery. We need to talk to all sides to see exactly what happened."

Padilla identified the man in the Tigger costume as Michael J. Fedelem, 31, of Kissimmee. Fedelem could not be reached for comment Saturday evening. Padilla said deputies have interviewed Fedelem and the investigation is "ongoing."

Friday's incident is the second in nearly three years involving Tigger-costumed Disney workers. In February 2004, a 13-year-old girl and her mother reported being groped and molested by someone dressed as Tigger at Magic Kingdom's Toon Town.

Sheriff's officials arrested Michael Chartrand, 38, but a jury later acquitted him, and he was reinstated as a Disney employee. In that case, the girl and her mother reported Tigger had groped their breasts during a photo session.

Padilla said Friday's confrontation was taped by Jerry Monaco Sr. and after reviewing the footage with his family, they decided to come forward.

Disney officials said Fedelem has been suspended until an internal investigation and the sheriff's criminal inquiry are completed.

"We received a complaint that a character allegedly struck a guest," said Zoraya Suarez, a Disney spokeswoman. "Naturally, a physical altercation between characters and guests is not tolerated."

The Monacos' home video, shot by Jerry Monaco Sr., shows a towering Tigger standing next to Jerry Monaco Jr. while his mother and two brothers kneel or stand in front of the costumed character.

In a series of seconds, Tigger grabs and locks Jerry Jr.'s left arm with his right arm and then throws a left jab at the teen's face.

The Monacos could not be reached for comment Saturday at their Greenville, N.H., home, but father and son told television reporters that Tigger threw a punch without provocation.

"At first, I thought he was kidding and all, just playing around, and then when he actually grabbed my arm. . .," Jerry Jr. said.

His father said their Disney vacation was marred: "You don't come here for this, I mean, Disney is supposed to be a safe place. It's supposed to be a place that you come and enjoy with your family."

"At first, I was upset at my son," he said. "I thought he did something to Tigger. But then I reviewed it and it is pretty clear; for no reason he just clocked him in the face."

Pedro Ruz Gutierrez can be reached at pruz@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5620.

 

[rubberband1293]

Now really, who hasn't wanted to smack a few obnoxious kids around while on vacation? Seriously, this sounds like a way for the family to get life-time passes to DW or something like that. Absurd indeed!

 

[mitros]

Now really, who hasn't wanted to smack a few obnoxious kids around while on vacation? Seriously, this sounds like a way for the family to get life-time passes to DW or something like that. Absurd indeed!

Amen to that! I'll wait til the investigation is over, but in our experience during our hundreds of trips to WDW, we have seen guests children {as well as adults} abuse the heck out of the characters. We even witnessed, on two seperate visits, CMs calling out security on guests that were behaving like morons
We shall see what the investigation eventually reveals. Believe me, those costumed CMs have a tough enough job without the abuse they get from a lot of kids who's parents think it's cute when their little darlings yank on the tail of a character, or kick it in the shins.

 

[PalVal]

I just saw the video on FOX and it looks like Tigger was the agressive one. He hit the kid hard in the face. The guy said the kid grabbed the back of his costume when he put his arm around him. It didn't look like an agressive move on the 14 year old's part. Nothing that would cause that kind of violent reaction from Tigger. The video doesn't lie.

 

[TheDogbots]

then again... the video probably didn't get the back of the tigger suit, where the kid was trying to pull the head off.... videos don't capture everything....

 

[tinkspark]

The video doesn't show anything... The video camera angels down as the father is yelling at the son for doing something to Tigger. Plus Tigger's vision is limited it looks like he was trying to pull the brat's hands away from him and hit him in the face on accident while swinging around... then the kid decked Tigger. This is a bunch of foolishness. However, Disney will do anything to make the guests happy even if their Cast Members are being abused... so they will most likely get some sort of settlement they don't deserve.

 

[tinkspark]

http://cbs4boston.com/watercooler/local_story_006224752.html

 

[Kitty-chan]

http://cbs4boston.com/watercooler/local_story_006224752.html

Thanks for that -- I was looking for the video clip.

And didya notice the results on the poll? Looks like your average web viewer isn't much impressed by the claim that Tigger was out of line.

 

[AllisonG]

Thanks for the link to the video. My curiousity was driving me crazy! I bet the kid's a liar. I think it looks like the kid is reaching around to pull Tiggers head off and Tigger was trying to stop him and hit him in the face by accident. I can't wait to hear what Tigger has to say.

 

[jakenjess]

We live in Maine so we saw this on our local news last night. We have a digital recorder, so my DH kept rewinding it and we watched it a few times. It definitely looked to both of us like the kid was trying to do something to Tigger. He has this kind of smirky smile on his face the whole time. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[tinkspark]

Your welcome it took me a while to find it, so I thought I'd share. Yeah the poll I think is pretty accurate too.

 

[doombuggy]

I agree. Why was the kid standing so far away from the character??
When I saw the video this morning, that made me suspious....

This is a bunch of foolishness. However, Disney will do anything to make the guests happy even if their Cast Members are being abused... so they will most likely get some sort of settlement they don't deserve.

I agree with you 100%, tinkspark! I have seen quite a few times over the years...

 

[tinkspark]

And I thought Tiggers just liked to bounce...

youtube.com/watch?v=b8dBhPjx5bw

Ok it says January 12, 2007 on that tape... it was obviously meant to be a joke.

 

[wannabatwdw]

At first I thought that tigger had lost his balance and had grabbed onto the teenager to keep from falling. I hope that tigger comes forward and gives his side of the story.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

At first I thought that tigger had lost his balance and had grabbed onto the teenager to keep from falling. I hope that tigger comes forward and gives his side of the story.

I just got a mental image of Tigger sitting on a witness stand trying to be all calm and trustworthy and giving his side of the story.

 

[wannabatwdw]

Stacy's a freak

Perhaps it would be best if he hires Christopher Robin as his lawyer. He was always good at solving the problems of the hundred acre woods.

 

[MATTinNH]

I really think this kid looks like hes trying to mess with Tigger. Hes standing a little too far away, hes coming in late to the picture, and he has a really punky looking smurk. Also there looks to be a small fence behind them all, so I'm wondering if the kid pulled on him did he think he was going to fall over. Or if he was pulling just right he could have been choking Tigger. This kid deffinately looks guilty to me.