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[The Butlin Boy]

This is.....well....interesting! :?

Father: Costumed 'Tigger' hit his son

Sun Jan 7, 5:53 AM ET
 
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Walt Disney World employee dressed as the character "Tigger" was accused of hitting a child while posing for a photo, a spokeswoman for the theme park said Saturday.
 
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.

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070107/ap_ ... _trouble_5
News video: link

[Patrick]

Oh come on he hardly even touched him.  Really Americans find an excuse to try and make a lawsuit out of anything.  Also Disney characters just try to be friendly, Tigger probably just didn't realise where his hand was going.  Plus in 2004 there was a case against Tigger for touching some girls breasts too, that was as usual found not guilty.  Can see this going the same way personally.

[Masamune]

:lol: What I think is weird is that it was another Disney employee dressed as Tigger that was in trouble previously. :shock: Maybe the Tigger costume is possessed!

[RnRCj]

When I read this in the newspaper they made it sound like he was punched really hard, but when I watched the video footage on TV it was more like a tap on the cheek.

Like PATMAGIC said I think the Americans like to make a big thing out of nothing. If it happened to me I wouldn't report it...

I also found it quite annoying the way they kept mentioning that Tigger is a guy in a suit - I like to believe the characters are real :cry:

[fly_with_me_dumbo]

it think it just looks like the kid was holding on to him and as "tigger" moved the kid didnt let go and it looks like he was falling a bit and in it all "tigger" has moved his hand to try and get this kid of him and has accidently hit the kid, i mean c'mon :roll:

[The Butlin Boy]

This is quite interesting:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p0ifdL7aegg& ... ed&search=

...and in other news, Tigger has been found "not guilty"

[Samninetysix]

Just another BS claim that seems to be commonplace in the US, you think they would learn but no - greed is paramount I guess

[Kristof]

Well here's an update, looks like Tigger's off the hook!

No charges will be filed against the Disney World cast member who plays Tigger accused of punching a 14-year old boy last month.

The boy's family threatened to sue 31-year-old Michael Fedelem. They said the costumed character sucker-punched the boy at MGM Studios.

But prosecutors decided not to pursue the case after reviewing some home video of the incident.

The union representing Fedelem claimed the teen was grabbing the costume, and that Fedelem was only trying to get the boy off of him.

Fedelem was suspended after the incident. No word yet on whether he's been reinstated, or if the boy's family will pursue its lawsuit.

Source

[Mansion Staff]

well someone knows how to blow things out of proportion.
If I was the boys parents and I saw that it was the boys fault I would publicly apoligise to the poor man inside tigger, for costing him his job :roll:
stupid people :x

[disney_dudette]

Well at least Tigger is now safe!
The boy should have told Tigger he was comming over!
 :tink: