Even a Great Santa Gets Canned

[Jim Koepke]

Sometimes people feel a need to take action immediately to satisfy a customer. Maybe it comes from modern society's short sighted rush to get results and no time to think of what to do before these questions arise.

I played a department store Santa many years ago. There are always adults who want to have a bit of fun by sitting on Santa's lap to have their picture taken.

Santa John seems to have a repartee of mildly risque comments or jokes for these occasions.

These were used for adults only:

Q) Why are you so jolly?
A) Because I know where all the naughty boys and girls live.

-- I've been a good girl this year…
Santa) That's too bad.

Some prude complained, Santa is out after 20 years. Of course, in these unprepared for situations, the lightening fast management decisions may back fire.

After 20 years, the worlds best Santa has a loyal following that have now had their hearts broken over such a great tradition being tossed aside so abruptly. Many people had traveled long distances to share the same Santa they knew as a child with their children only to find him gone.


Santa Claus has been canned from Macy's, and he's anything but jolly about it.
His fans aren't happy, either. And there are many.
John Toomey, known for 20 years at the Union Square Macy's in San Francisco as "Santa John," was told Saturday he'll have to take his "ho, ho, hos" elsewhere because an adult couple complained about a joke he cracked.

[ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/06/MNC91GML7O.DTL#ixzz17XqcAgqk ]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/06/MNC91GML7O.DTL#ixzz17XqcAgqk

jtk

[Bryan Morgan]

People just can't live their lives these days... it seems they go out of their way to be offended. Ironic that its in San Fransisco of all places... that place is all things "offensive" :p

I sometimes wonder if I am one of the only people on earth who really doesn't get offended by anything. Live and let live. :) If I find something in bad taste or whatever I move along. Other people might enjoy it, no sense ruining it for them.

[Michael Weber]

These were used for adults only:

Q) Why are you so jolly?
A) Because I know where all the naughty boys and girls live.



Not defending or condeming but isn't that answer kind of inappropriate in that it could be construed as being in a 'pedophilic' context? Especially in reference to his "too bad" answer to the other question. Not saying firing him was appropriate.

[Sean Troy]

Not defending or condeming but isn't that answer kind of inappropriate in that it could be construed as being in a 'pedophilic' context? Especially in reference to his "too bad" answer to the other question. Not saying firing him was appropriate.
It can't be "pedophilic". As the Op said, it was only said to an adult.

[Dan Hintz]

Sure it can... for all the adult knows "Santa" was talking about knowing where the bad boys and girls live.

I'm with Michael... I don't think it was very wise of the Santa to make jokes of any sort (he's not being Santa in a bar, it's a family mall), but it certainly wasn't worth being fired over. Sometimes those places will cut off their nose to spite their face... sometimes you need to stand up to people who threaten lawsuits and tell them they're being ridiculous and overly sensitive.

[Michael Weber]

It can't be "pedophilic". As the Op said, it was only said to an adult.

I understand the context and that he did not mean it in a peolphilic way. He was just joking around using 'boys and girls' as a reference to men and women. Boys and girls construes children. He should have referenced the 'naughties' as adults in the situation. If the visitor was an adult woman it might be appropriate to say with a twinkle in his eye or a wink that he knew where all the naughty mommies lived. Even then I can see how some prude might take offense but assume prudes don't sit on Santa's lap.

[Jim Koepke]

Not defending or condeming but isn't that answer kind of inappropriate in that it could be construed as being in a 'pedophilic' context? Especially in reference to his "too bad" answer to the other question. Not saying firing him was appropriate.

It seems we have a lot of problems in our world based on what can be construed from something when it is held in a different light than it was ever offered. Some people seem to find great pleasure in doing just such. There also seem to be those who make very comfortable livings engaging in this pursuit.

If one reads the article and considers that anyone who sits on Santa's lap is a "boy or girl" even if they are in their 50s or 90s, then construing is out the window.

When you read about how Santa John worked with kids, you would find it difficult to have construed such a meaning from any of his wit.

Locally, he has found much support. It is my understanding he has been offered work at twice his previous salary. I think Macy's made a big mistake. Some prude may have been given a little satisfaction to assuage their sententious rage. In the mean time, Santa John has found the spirit of the public is aligned with him and the joy he brings at this time of year.

jtk

[Charlie Reals]

This from Turlock, Ca.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=111054

Tis the season:rolleyes:

[Chris Padilla]

This from Turlock, Ca.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=111054

Tis the season:rolleyes:

I see they spelled "Claus" with an e (Clause).

Anyway, that is kind of sad. Having a mother like her sheltering me doesn't sound like much fun but each to their own. I wonder how she got the media involved which made a mountain out of a molehill.

[Michael Weber]

If one reads the article and considers that anyone who sits on Santa's lap is a "boy or girl" even if they are in their 50s or 90s, then construing is out the window.

jtk

Problem is not that someone in there 50's or 90's could be construed as a boy or girl. The problem is that they would NOT assume as such and that Santa is actually referring to 'naughty' children, whom he takes advantage of, making him jolly.

I totally agree with you, the situation is totally blown out of proportion and I hope this Santa John makes a mint of money. I'm just saying........

[Justin Green]

They went to sit in Santa's lap as an adult. They get to have their immature fun, but Santa gets fired?

That seems pretty selfish.

[Charlie Reals]

He will actually do quite well.
http://video.ap.org/?f=1279454&pid=qKj5CfVD0hjGGDxcani7kThMm6IYWspf

[Bryan Morgan]

This from Turlock, Ca.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=111054

Tis the season:rolleyes:

There ya go... people going out of their way to be offended. I think I'd like my Santa armed. A cowboy Santa is pretty funny. Why does that lady have the right to ruin it for me or anyone else who likes it?

Thats todays society for you... get offended = big media soap box / get rich for doing nothing useful.

[Ron Conlon]

I think the problem is that Santa is primarily there to interact with children, and the idea of him being, uh, risque with a grownup and then hosting the next kid is a little unseemly. Labelling the woman a prude doesn't accomplish much. Perhaps she wasn't so much offended for herself but for the kids who were no doubt all around the area.
I have 2 little kids, and the last thing I want to think about when getting their picture taken with Santa is if he's trying to get his groove on.

[Dan Karachio]

Wait until Wikileaks releases all the Santa letters, then the stuff is going to really hit the fan.

[Michael Weber]

Wait until Wikileaks releases all the Santa letters, then the stuff is going to really hit the fan.

:D:D:D good one

[Dave Pugh]

There ya go... people going out of their way to be offended. I think I'd like my Santa armed. A cowboy Santa is pretty funny. Why does that lady have the right to ruin it for me or anyone else who likes it?

Thats todays society for you... get offended = big media soap box / get rich for doing nothing useful.

Some of the places that Santa goes? You better believe he is armed.

[Bill Cunningham]

I see they spelled "Claus" with an e (Clause).

Anyway, that is kind of sad. Having a mother like her sheltering me doesn't sound like much fun but each to their own. I wonder how she got the media involved which made a mountain out of a molehill.

That's what the media does! If the usual "if it bleeds it leads" won't work, then there's nothing left to do but sensationalize it.. Long gone are the days when integrity, common sense, or even accuracy, governed the way things are reported. If they can't blow it all out of proportion, whats the point of even bothering with it.. A sad note on the modern media.

[Bryan Morgan]

That's what the media does! If the usual "if it bleeds it leads" won't work, then there's nothing left to do but sensationalize it.. Long gone are the days when integrity, common sense, or even accuracy, governed the way things are reported. If they can't blow it all out of proportion, whats the point of even bothering with it.. A sad note on the modern media.

It all changed when news started getting ratings and had to sell advertising space. Rather than just give you the "here it is as it is, make what you want of it" they have to give you sensationalized nonsense just to get viewer/readership.

I'll tell you though, we can't really blame the media, as much as I'd like to.... they produce what we consume. That says something about the public as a whole. The band Tool wrote a song about it called Vicarious. While you may not like the music a read through the lyrics would be worth the time.

[Jim Koepke]

It all changed when news started getting ratings and had to sell advertising space. Rather than just give you the "here it is as it is, make what you want of it" they have to give you sensationalized nonsense just to get viewer/readership.

I'll tell you though, we can't really blame the media, as much as I'd like to.... they produce what we consume. That says something about the public as a whole. The band Tool wrote a song about it called Vicarious. While you may not like the music a read through the lyrics would be worth the time.

I think the lyrics do say a lot about our "vicarious" society living through "reality" TV instead of getting up and building something in our spare time.

Some of the comments in this thread kind of also threw me off. I did not think of sexuality when the word naughty was used. I thought of kids knowing where the key to the liquor cabinet might be or where the cigarettes and cigars were kept. The kind of stuff my generation did when we were being "naughty."

I guess the rushing pulse of vicarious living through TV has also changed that for many of us. I am glad to be missing it. Not much of my time is spent in front of the moving picture box.

jtk

[Marty Paulus]

Some of the places that Santa goes? You better believe he is armed.
I thought the best part of that story was that it took 30 years for someone to get upset about the gun on his belt. Makes me wonder how long this person has lived there?

The santa thing is out there too. Like was said the adult was being off the wall by sitting in Santa's lap and the gets upset over a PG rated joke? Someone needs to get a life.

[Charlie Reals]

I thought the best part of that story was that it took 30 years for someone to get upset about the gun on his belt. Makes me wonder how long this person has lived there?

The santa thing is out there too. Like was said the adult was being off the wall by sitting in Santa's lap and the gets upset over a PG rated joke? Someone needs to get a life.

I was in Turlock yesterday, a lotta laughung going on over this.Quite a few talked about where each of these things happened.Santa gets fired for an off color remark in one of the most off color cities in the country and told not to try out the toy pistol he is giving some young cowboy in what was at one time one of the staunchest... ohh well " Happy Hanaquanzamas" from a somewhat saner California.