Follows a post I originally wrote three years ago. The message--be kind to the Easter Bunny (and all other costumed characters)--still applies. The topic is especially timely to me as I recently wrote a scene in Evie Ever After (the third installment in the Chameleon Chronicles) where Evie has to don a . . . well, let's just say she has to suit up or the greater good.
My eyebrows rose when I noticed a headline in my Yahoo news column last night: Easter Bunny gets Pummeled by Boy at Mall. Though that headline causes one to smile, really it's not all that funny. I mean the poor guy in the furry suit ended up with a bloody nose. (click here to read story)
It reminded me of the other day when I posted about dream jobs. One of my dream 
jobs is (was) to be a character (preferably Cinderella or Snow White) at one of the Disney properties. My friend Shelly, a talented juggler, character actress, and Disney enthusiast, said she'd heard too many horror stories about 'characters' getting roughed up to want that job.
Now why would someone want to attack a 'character' whose purpose is to bring joy? I don't get it. Those of you who visit this blog regularly know that I've done a lot of character work. I've appeared as a princess, mermaid, bumble bee, pumpkin, fairy... The list goes on. Not once was I ever attacked by an overbearing kid or deranged adult. Thank goodness. However, I've worked with other 'characters' who suffered incidents from time to time. All I can say is, "SHAME ON ANYONE WHO TORMENTS A COSTUMED CHARACTER!"
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the easiest job in the world. Whether it's the professional who does this year round, or the teenager who needs extra money and dons a bunny suit at the mall, or the senior who gets a kick out of being Santa once a year and listening to little kids wishes--these folks have one thing in common. Their goal is to bring joy, to make someone smile. What a wonderful thing that is!
Okay. I'm done. I guess I just needed to get that out of my system. Bryon Johnson (the pummled bunny), kudos on keeping your cool and not fighting back. Hope your bruises heal quickly.
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
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I completely agree
It's so sad and wrong when people do this.
Tammy
Off Topic
But I love that picture you're using, Tammy. Your dog's adorable. Is that a sheltie? My next door neighbor has one. He's only four months old and A-dorable.
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
I've seen kids screaming to
I've seen kids screaming to get away from characters and the parents are just insisting on that perfect picture. I've never heard of kids or adults attacking characters. That is just not right. Why did that boy attack the bunny?
Margie :)
It's a Mystery
I don't know why that boy pummled the bunny in the face, Margie. The article didn't say. I only know it was unprovoked.
I worked as a character actress for years at Tropicana Casino. Trop had a mascot--Diamond Jim. A man's body with a gigantic head shaped like a diamond. The head was heavy and restricted vision. One of my jobs was to be DJ's 'escort'. He needed an escort because kids would run at him at all directions. He couldn't see them and they could easily knock him off balance. Plus some of them, shock, did take pot shots. Don't know why. But even worse, random adults (usually drunk) would harass him, sometimes to the point of a shove or hit.
I know. I know. Why? Just meanness, I guess. With the costumed escort's help, DJ could usually escape these incidents. If we could joke our way out of it, we would. Although there were times I had to flag security. Nuts, huh?
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Beth
Yes, the cute dog in my picture is Dallas a Shetland Sheepdog (Shetlie) I love Shelties, they are great pets. Sadly, she passed away 1/22/08. This picture was taken 12/31/07 when Dallas was 14 years old. Thanks so much for saying she's cute. We still miss her so much.
Tammy
Tammy
confession...
Costumed mascots, etc freak me out -- I take a wide berth around them if I see them on the sidewalk, etc. Must be related to my doll phobia, LOL, but I don't know... maybe the kid who whacked him was frightened... I mean, that is an unnaturally large rabbit... *G*
Sam, who dropped in because I couldn't resist the title of the thread and had to see what it was about...
2008 RITA FINALIST: Untouched
NO RESERVATIONS, Blaze Anthology, July '08
Blog with Sam and friends at Love Is An Exploding Cigar
Guest Blog:May 19, Amanda McIntyre
Sam
My daughter who is 9, completely agree with you! (She's over my shoulder dictating this) She hates clowns and characters in costumes seriously freak her out. So, you made her feel better that she is not alone in this fear, but worse as she now she knows that she won't out-grow it (Okay I wrote that part)
LOL- Tammy
Tammy
Big White Bunnies
Big white rabbits completely freak me out, too, Sam! I think I read somewhere that if you dream about a big white rabbit, it represents your sexuality....hmm! While I would never attack the poor bunny, not sure I'd run up to embrace it, either.
OVERNIGHT SENSATION, Harlequin Blaze - Sep 08
Karen...
Kinda gives "be kind to the bunny" a whole other level of meaning, LOL!
Tammy, clowns... (shudder). There is a puppet museum here in Syr, and the front of the building is the scariest thing...sorta this horrible looking clown face at the door. I hate driving by it, but it's up the street from my favorite cake bakery, LOL. But yeah, I've been this way since I was a kid, and still am, so there you have it. I think it makes perfect sense of course.
The sacrifices I am willing to make for cake...
Sam
2008 RITA FINALIST: Untouched
NO RESERVATIONS, Blaze Anthology, July '08
Blog with Sam and friends at Love Is An Exploding Cigar
Guest Blog:May 19, Amanda McIntyre
Tammy
Feeling your pain. I'm so sorry you lost Dallas. How wonderful that you had him for so many years. Still, it's never enough time.
Over the last few years, my husband and I lost two beloved cats, Repo (14) and Ella (19). It was just awful. Even our dog, Billie (who's now 14) was sad. So we adopted a year old cat (Sadie), and an 8 month puppy (Cheyenne). That was two years ago. Our furry family is well and fills our home with joy.
Here's hoping joy comes your way again soon.
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Sam
Just told my daughter that you don't like clowns either. She said, "it's not like you can take a stick and beat them all up like that mean boy did" I just laughed. She too kind hearted to ever do that.
Tammy
Holy Smoke!
I had no idea so many people were freaked out by costumed characters. Although, I know it's fairly common for some children to fear clowns.
The mascot I mentioned that I used to work with? Diamond Jim? The guy in the suit was/is a good friend of mine. We used to tease him because he was totally freaked out by a ventriloquist we worked with. Well, not the ventriloquist himself, but the dummy. Then again all my friend had to say to me was "Chucky" and I got it. Yikes!
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Beth
This is going from silly with Sam to sad and serious with you. We lost our boy Sheltie, Duke in 2006. Dallas was our last pet, so it is doubly harder to be "petless" now. I believe we will adopt another pet someday, just not this year. We are taking a long vacation this summer back to California and I don't want to board a new puppy for that long. Losing pets is hard, but I am so happy you added your new pets to your family. Pets add so much to our lives.
Tammy
Tammy
Sam
The article said that the kid was twelve-years old and that he'd visited with the bunny the day before and had been fine. But then he showed up the next day and wailed on the Easter Bunny. It's a mystery. Maybe he had some freakish scary dream the night before--rabbit mistakes kid for carrot--and returned for revenge. Or not.
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Tammy
Oh, no. Two losses so close together. That must be very hard.
When we lost Repo, we just trucked on with Ella and Billie. Ella was so set in her ways by then and had some health problems, so we didn't want to tax her with introducing a new pet into the family. But when we lost Ella... I thought we'd wait a few months, but my husband said he couldn't stand how empty the house felt, so he went out and got Sadie very soon after. And then we adopted Cheyenne a month after that. For us, it was the best thing in the world. But I totally understand your wanting to wait, especially with that big trip. Your reasoning is so very sound.
Sending you healing vibes!
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Beth
We lost Duke in July of 2006 when we were in California on vacation. The vet called us to tell us he wasn't doing well. I told him to do everything he could to try and save him. When the vet called back to tell us he didn't make it, we all cried, even my husband who rarley cries and his mother who didn't even know this dog. I couldn't stop thinking about him on that vet's table. Very hard for us, but Dallas who was two years older survived that trip. We didn't travel the summer of 2007 and Dallas died in her sleep in our living room this year At home surounded by her family , which was a much better way to go. We still do miss them both. The empty house is the hardest, The first night I came home to an empty house after work, I sobbed for an hour. Now, we love to tell funny stories about their exploits. Their big trick was to get in our kitchen trash (and this trash can has a lid) when we went out to dinner. One night we came home and Dallas had a Lays potato chip bag stuck over her head. We laughed ourselves silly and then rescued her.
Tammy
Potatoe Chips
Oh, Tammy. I'll never think of Lays potatoe chips in the same way! What a vision! Your beloved Dallas with the bag stuck on her head. Hee! Yes, yes. It's memories like that that work as a healing balm.
Also, how blessed were you that she crossed over while at home. I've been through the vet thing. I know.
Hugs,
Beth
www.bethciotta.com
"...enchanting, madcap romance..." Publisher Weekly
"...wry humor; sexy, multifaceted characters..." Booklist
Dallas
Beth,
Yes home is easier than the vet. And if I find the picture I took of Dallas with the empty potato chip bag on her head (because of course I took a picture of her before I rescued her) I will post it.
Hugs,
Tammy
Tammy
Love costumes. Love
Love costumes. Love characters. My college had Friday night parties and they were. The same can be said for certain reviewers out there in the far reaches of cyber space. Some people just do not know how to enjoy their own lives or reds I guess so they pick on others to make themselves look good or more powerful.
AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus