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Doctor Q

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Sep 19, 2002
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Disney character accused of fondling
A Walt Disney World employee dressed as the character Tigger at the Orlando, Florida, theme park was arrested Friday on charges of molesting a minor and committing battery against her mother while the three posed for a photo, according to a police affidavit.
What's the world coming to when you can't trust Tigger? :(

Looking at this guy, I'm glad he usually had a fake head on. :eek:
 
Why did ONLY the daughter say that she had been fondled??

Neither reacted at the time, but the girl later told her parents she had been fondled..
But now the mother is also saying it happened to her???

It they had said something at the time it happened, I might have believed them.

I think this is just an attempt to squeeze some money out of Disney.
 
More bad news is certainly not what Disney needs. Those pictures always make the suspect look worse that reality. At trial they don't look like the same individual. Hopefully the truth of this matter will be sorted out.

Dyslexia is more a problem with your ability to read than your memory. He may have very well inadvertently touched her breast. If she sat on his lap for the picture, he may have put her arm around her. I would think that actual criminal fondling would be if he intentionally fondled her. Actual intent and physical action.
 
Does one even have the dexterity necessary to fondle while wearing a costume like that? As shady as that picture of him looks, I think the whole thing sounds rediculous.
 
it's good to know disney is finally taking proper actions against suspects like this, however it's too bad they finally take a strong stance during a situation that sounds highly dubious to me. They used to have policies that rivaled the catholic church in transferring individuals with complaints against them, rather than investigating. This time, it sounds like an innocent employee is suffering because of a false accusation. but of course, if there's any chance it's true, he has to be kept away from visitors. Still, they could have suspended him *with* pay...

time will tell...

paul
 
Hi! I'm Tigger! Tee eye double-grope-er!

Sorry, the joke was too good to pass up.

Mr. Chartrand is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The outcome may depend on whether other visitors to the park come forward with similar complaints. If it's the word of one mother-daughter and nobody else, that may not be enough evidence for a conviction, just he-said-she-and-she-said.

Whether he returns to the job or heads off to jail, he'll be wearing stripes! :)
 
Doctor Q said:
Sorry, The outcome may depend on whether other visitors to the park come forward with similar complaints. If it's the word of one mother-daughter and nobody else, that may not be enough evidence for a conviction, just he-said-she-and-she-said.


I am sure others will come forward.
Some people will see this as a chance to make some quick $$$.
 
Give me a break!

The greedy, money grubbing, lawsuit happy American way never ceases to amaze me and disgust me at the same time!

How could anyone get their jollies feeling anything through an inch thick foam hand? Give the guy a break. He suits up in a 100+ degree costume and has to be led around by someone who can actually see and entertains folks for something barely over minimum wage....geesh. What if the character had turned out to be a woman?!?!? Would this still be news?

What's next? Oh, Snow White looked at me suggestively...better throw her in jail.
 
This sort of thing has happened before.

Put someone in one of those suits - you have a bit of anonymity and do things you wouldn't normally do. He messed up and shouldn't have got carried away.

D
 
Having been in that situation many years ago I can see how roll playing can be just to much of a temptation. I'm not condoning it mind you, I'm just saying I understand it. I can't see the temp to fondle the girl though, thats sick, the mom on the other hand....
When I was a teen my dad had a show called the "Monster Mansion" that used to go all over the southwest (it was a 65' trailer converted into a walk through scare show) I played the "Wolfman" and "Mummy" when the show hit our home town and remember many a time (Hollywood Teenage Fair, during the late '60s) I would take advantage of certain times to get closer to some of the babes, but only as a tool to get introduced to them. I can honestly say I never took advantage of "feeling" anything.

This story does sound a little contrived, but I'm surprised the guy admitted to fondling the girl, and why did it take "8 days" (maybe to rehearse the story?)
 
Dippo said:
I think this is just an attempt to squeeze some money out of Disney.

...sounds like Tigger is the one doing the "squeezing" :rolleyes:

I work @ a park (non-disney) and those people in the suits have basically no vision OR feeling through those suits....if he did do it, he definatly didnt "get anything" out of it....
 
pinto32 said:
if he did do it, he definatly didnt "get anything" out of it....

Such an act would provide pathalogical pleasure, perhaps, but not physical... if he did do this (which i don't believe), the act was more about her getting grabbed than him grabbing her... if that makes sense...

paul
 
paulwhannel said:
Such an act would provide pathalogical pleasure, perhaps, but not physical... if he did do this (which i don't believe), the act was more about her getting grabbed than him grabbing her... if that makes sense...

paul

yeah, I suppose that makes sense....

I'm pretty much with you on this one...while I am guessing that he did touch someone in an inappropriate place, I dont think it was intentional...hell, he probably didnt even realize he did it!
 
Dippo said:
I am sure others will come forward.
Some people will see this as a chance to make some quick $$$.

Someone else did come forward. However, her visit was prior to the Tigger who is the suspect. She kept showing photos of her trip to her friends and they would say "Tigger is groping you" and finally, she decided to do something about it. I'm not sure having a character's hand positioned your waist constitutes grouping or not but the hand is big.
 
Arg, I don't believe the girl.

I'm sorry, the guy might have wrapped his arm around the girl and the mother for a photo and it was near the chest, gimme a break fondling.

Those fake costumes have huge hands, he didn't feal anything at all through that. Really -- nothing could have been felt.


The next time I take my picture with Snoopy I'm going to hug him and then Sue them for sexual conduct!

Snoopy made me do it -- I had no control over myself.
 
MrMacman said:
Arg, I don't believe the girl.

I'm sorry, the guy might have wrapped his arm around the girl and the mother for a photo and it was near the chest, gimme a break fondling.

Those fake costumes have huge hands, he didn't feal anything at all through that. Really -- nothing could have been felt.


The next time I take my picture with Snoopy I'm going to hug him and then Sue them for sexual conduct!

Snoopy made me do it -- I had no control over myself.

sex crimes aren't typically about gratification they are about domination or forcing another to submit. It is a crime of dehumination and objectification
therefore feeling something does not apply if he was still able to submit the other person to his base and disturbed whims

what adult man works at disney world in a tigger costume? I can understand a college student during summer break taking a crappy job like that in hopes of scoring of tinkerbell or snow white but an actual adult. disney world, disney land, and other such theme parks that cater to kids are havens for pedophiles
I don't know if tigger did it
but
i wouldn't be surprised
 
bousozoku said:
Someone else did come forward. However, her visit was prior to the Tigger who is the suspect. She kept showing photos of her trip to her friends and they would say "Tigger is groping you" and finally, she decided to do something about it. I'm not sure having a character's hand positioned your waist constitutes grouping or not but the hand is big.


Do you have a link to the article? I wonder how much she is suing for?
 
poopyhead said:
sex crimes aren't typically about gratification they are about domination or forcing another to submit. It is a crime of dehumination and objectification
therefore feeling something does not apply if he was still able to submit the other person to his base and disturbed whims

what adult man works at disney world in a tigger costume? I can understand a college student during summer break taking a crappy job like that in hopes of scoring of tinkerbell or snow white but an actual adult. disney world, disney land, and other such theme parks that cater to kids are havens for pedophiles
I don't know if tigger did it
but
i wouldn't be surprised

Do you know how bad the job market is around Orlando? I haven't had a real job for 3 years. A lot of people here can't get anything else but theme park jobs.

Dippo:

Sorry, no link, it was on the t.v. news and I don't remember which one.

You could look around http://www.wftv.com/ http://www.wofl.com/ or http:www.local6.com/ but I'm not sure which might have had it or if they'd posted it or would still have it, if they had posted it.
 
poopyhead said:
sex crimes aren't typically about gratification they are about domination or forcing another to submit. It is a crime of dehumination and objectification
therefore feeling something does not apply if he was still able to submit the other person to his base and disturbed whims

what adult man works at disney world in a tigger costume? I can understand a college student during summer break taking a crappy job like that in hopes of scoring of tinkerbell or snow white but an actual adult. disney world, disney land, and other such theme parks that cater to kids are havens for pedophiles
I don't know if tigger did it
but
i wouldn't be surprised

Actually, Disney pays thier cast members (especially the full timers) very well. A former co-worker of mine was a stage performer/walking charactor for a few years, and he was paid very well, and still regrets not working there anymore. He started working there in his early 20's, so that he could better support his son and wife.
 
News update: Michael Chartrand was offered a plea bargain: 1 year probation, 50 hours of community service, a ban from theme parks, and a psycho-sexual evaluation if he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery. Instead, he rejected the offer and a trial has started. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Interesting sidenote: Jurors will be allowed to handle and try on the Tigger costume. A Disney lawyer suggested that Disney should first be allowed to dye the costume black and white and remove the ears so that Disney can "preserve the character's innocent image" but this request was denied.
 
Doctor Q said:
News update: Michael Chartrand was offered a plea bargain: 1 year probation, 50 hours of community service, a ban from theme parks, and a psycho-sexual evaluation if he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery. Instead, he rejected the offer and a trial has started. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Interesting sidenote: Jurors will be allowed to handle and try on the Tigger costume. A Disney lawyer suggested that Disney should first be allowed to dye the costume black and white and remove the ears so that Disney can "preserve the character's innocent image" but this request was denied.
If the "psycho-sexual evaluation" means he'd be placed on the Florida Sexual Predator list -- I can see why he'd not likely do it.

Doesn't Florida have the twist where people "accused" of the crimes are placed on the sexual predator list (even if the the case has no merit) for a couple/few years?
 
this is total bs, i can understnad why the girl would hesistate to come forward, but the mom should have known what contact that isnt appropriate feels like at the time. give me a break; the guys arm probably was higher or lower than normal, no biggie, if every inadvertent brush could be sexual misconduct, then no one would be innocent.
 
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