Actor calls 13-year-old girls "whores" at Universal Hollywood, according to cell phone video

Wow, what a PR fail. What kind of guest services says, "Yeah, you talk to someone... if you buy a ticket?"

Total fail on the guest relations issue. Not sure how you can have a guest services employee who thinks the "yes you can raise your concern with management but you need to buy a ticket first and oh by the way, we are sold out today" approach made any sense at all. I could see "you want to talk with someone in management? Let me check with someone to see how we can do that." But the response seems like someone told guest services employee that was policy. Though we are hearing only one side of the story. Maybe there was more said that would put the statement in better context (would be tough for that statement, if it was made, to be put in a good context to the park though).

And the actor was totally wrong. Never should have said that. Very inappropriate. Should be disciplined. Firing definitely should be on the table.

That being said, the girl and her family goes to the media and calls Gloria Allred over this? Seems overly dramatic to me. The girl said she was concerned that other kids in her school may have heard the statement and in response goes public with it? Seems to me we are way too easily offended at this point.

Well, the one girl has kind of a long face, so maybe the character meant to call her "horse"?

I agree, their main concern is that others from their school heard it. But then going public with this definitely is broadcasting it to much larger audience.

I've already learned that it's hard to cap rage when someone is a dick to your kid. This isn't some random "learn to fight your battles" thing with some other kids, this is wholly inappropriate behavior by adults and the company that employs them.

I don't know...I think I would defend the Universal Person on this one...to a point....

This is Halloween Horror Nights...I do feel that going to a park this time of night (not day time) does hold much more of an adult atmosphere. As almost all parks state that this is not recommended for kids.

If you or your kid can't handle being offended blood, gore, hearing people say "Oh $@%^" when getting scared....You should stay away.

I've been to numerous haunted parks this season (this is the BEST time of the year!) I have heard WAYYyyyy worse than this. Let's see....

"You're going to die"

"You'll taste better in my stomach"

"Don't go over there, there's a bomb"

All stuff that can easily be considered inappropriate. It's freakn' Halloween people!

The person is an ACTOR playing a cruel character. The insults where probably flying for weeks to everyone.

Heck Cedar Point has numerous characters that insult the crowd and welcome them into Camp Carnival, and Blood Bayou...The guy made fun of my Ohio State coat last week...should I be offended...no, I gave him props for his acting.

Another thing....I have a seen MANY people taunt the actors. Quite often, mostly for fun, some trying to impress their friends/girlfriends...Some actors have had some GREAT responses. It's almost expected...

That being said...did these girls taunt the actor? The video doesn't show it...let alone we all know how perfect young teenage girls can be (Lord help me in five years.)

I as a parent would laugh this off. I think this is beyond a non issue. Now, if it was a person during non Halloween times...say an attendant ushuring you through Cat and the Hat and said move along whores...that's a different story.

Maybe the person actually just said the word "little horrors" As is in little shop of horrors? or as in everyone around at Halloween are considered Horrors...

*sigh*

I agree its harder to cap rage when your kids are involved. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do that when appropriate. A lot of times parents make things worse by their response to what happens to their kids.

RCG -- I understand what you are saying and I agree with it. But the word used I think crosses a line that even at Halloween shouldn't be crossed by a park employee. And maybe that's just the father of a teen daughter talking.

Watch the video. I can't believe you are defending the park.

I did watch the video. It doesn't show what the girls did before the actor talked to them (see why in previous post)....

I also work in guest relations and there is always two sides to the story...of which according to this is tough to make a determination about the "Ticket thing"

The guests states that they wanted to talk to management according to the article and that they were told they needed to buy a ticket...and the tickets were sold out.

It doesn't say what the actual statement from the parents was to get the response...I'm talking word for word.

For instance: If the guests ask "I want to come into the park and speak with your manager, now!"

Basic response would be to buy a ticket (and of course some other mumble jumble about how may I assist you with a manger). I'm sure the parents also could have just stopped listening after the "buy a ticket" part. Not saying it did, but it's common and could have happened.

Things can't get VERY messy when talking to an upset guest/employee/boss/etc. All I'm saying is we have one side of this, and that Universal is investigating.

While I know the park handles MANY employees, and I'm sure they are all not perfect. But what are the odds of an employee making both those direct statements? I say very slim without knowing the direct statement WORD for WORD from the parents...of which we may never know....unless the conversation was recorded.

The event is rated pg13, no? If you're offended by this, don't take your kids to an event like this.

Having said that, the park should have provided a member of management when asked.

TL;DR. There is no circumstance where a theme park employee calling little girls whores is OK.

No excuse for calling someone's daughter a whore, even if said employee was taunted by them. It's called professionalism.

Read this fast...out loud.

"Halloween - Whore or Nice?"

If parents don't want their children confronted with controversial language, they shouldn't take them to adult themed events.

The only failure on the part of the park was to not provide customer service when asked to provide management.

A lot here I agree with, foremost of which being there's no circumstance in which a theme park employee should be calling any guest, regardless of age, a whore.

On the other hand, I find it hard to believe that a guest relations staffer would decline to produce a manager, if only as a means to help defuse the situation. Telling a customer to buy a ticket and enter the park if they want to talk to a manager, but, sorry, we're sold out..... it doesn't make sense

Tekwardo said:

If parents don't want their children confronted with controversial language, they shouldn't take them to adult themed events.

You have got to be kidding me? They're not upset because the kids overheard an adult say "hell" or "ass" or "damn". An adult called the kids (yes, a 13 year old is still a kid) a "bunch of whores". I can't see how anyone can defend that, unless you're just doing it to be contrarian.

I guess I REALLY need to stop going to Halloween haunted houses and theme parks.

People this is Halloween events...let the ropes lose a little...language, blood, gore, etc.

It's not normal to take a knife into a park, yet during this time, they are thrashed in your face. It's not normal to have "pole dancers" thrashing around with blood on them...yet this is happening at Universal right now. It's not normal to have a spike shoved up and out someone's mouth right now, but it's a prop down there.

I look at all of this as acting. If some of you get offended. Sorry. I guess I have more an open look on this. If this was a normal park day, I'd more than 100% agree calling for the person's head (no pun intended).

Universal is known for pushing the boundaries. They have always done that...that's one of many reason's they are considered one of the best.

Geauga Lake use to push the boundaries (anyone remember the real dead cows in the slaughter house). King's Island pushed it a few years back. BGW pushed it this year, but then did back down.

It cracks me up a little on people's sensitivities sometimes. I don't know, I guess I'm thicked skin over this. I don't see anything wrong with this being done at a Halloween event (I'm still in the middle over the management thing as stated above)....Much like if I went to Dick's Last Resort. I know what I'm getting myself into.

A great Halloween event is one that messes with your head, sights, feelings, thoughts, nightmares, etc.

Yes, and no. There are plenty of haunts etc, offering deliberately intense experiences and in those places referring to guests as whores, and even worse, I'm fine with. Guests know -- or should know -- what they're going into.

But not at a theme park.

I may have missed something, but were they even inside the park when this happened?

Let me ask...

Would this have been ok if they were 16? 18? 21?

Would it have been ok if it were a haunt somewhere other than a theme park?

Or is there no situation where a park character in a halloween setting where the idea is to create discomfort and entertain should call a customer a whore?