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Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:04 pm
by CycloneMan
Allright guys, as some of you know, I'm a new Jr Docent at the Staten Island Zoo (though I've worked there for over a year), and we have an event coming up on March 31st. The event is called, "Eggstravaganza". For the event they need as much help as possible (though this isn't even our most famous event), and they asigned me, and my buddy Mike some place, that we are horrofied of! We have been asigned Chuck! Chuck is the Zoo's mascot! So we are going to alternate being in the costume. Though we will always be together! Neither of us have ever been in a costume before. Can anybody here help us, or give us hints? Thanks in advance

-Dainan

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:33 pm
by darph nader
Okay,I'll bite. What the heck is Chuck? A chuckwalla,a pervert, a beer swilling redneck? :rolleyes:

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:05 am
by mechurchlady
Disney never allows costumed characters pick up kids or hold kids. Never lose your head, lol. Send SGT lots of pictures of you in costume.

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:36 am
by Main Streeter
darph nader wrote:Okay,I'll bite. What the heck is Chuck?
Staten Island Zoo's mascot is Chuck. Cutest little Wood Chuck in N.Y. He has been predicting the weather at the zoo for abt 20 yrs. & has been accurate 80% of this time.

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:20 am
by AlpineDL
One of my pals who went into entertainment characters at DL told me he's surprised that so many people get roughed up as characters, cause from attractions experience he has an easy time spotting the people who will cause trouble and just avoids them under the guise of various bits of tomfoolery. So avoid any crazy situations- or if you're switching off who is guarding (hosting! :) ) and who is the woodchuck, better come up with a signal or something in case you need a blocker, or the head is falling off or something.

And uh, drink plenty of fluids and go heavy on the deodorant that day?

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:00 am
by CelebrationNM
Now, I'm no professional character, but incidentally I've been inside costume at a zoo. An otter, actually. Ozzie Otter. At Zoo Boo.

I found myself smiling whenever I was part of a picture. How dumb is that? I also walked into a few small kids because it was impossible to see and I didn't have a guide. So hopefully you'll be able to avoid that.

Have fun... I'm sure you'll do Chuck proud! And yes, pictures please!

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:49 am
by ktulu
Based on some news headlines I've seen in the past, don't hit any kid and don't fondle anyone either, at least while in costume!

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:43 pm
by CycloneMan
ktulu wrote:Based on some news headlines I've seen in the past, don't hit any kid and don't fondle anyone either, at least while in costume!
Okay, I wont.

And yes, I will post pictures, and I was worried about depth perseption but Mike will be guiding me, and I'll guide him. I'll tell him about hand signals.

-Dainan

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:21 pm
by mechurchlady
The handler is very important. Definitely have a sign for "emergency get me off stage now". You should do fine but most important is being prepared for SGs and their parents, weather, and other snafus.

The fondling part of above message is one reason why you got to be careful with touching people even as a regular volunteer/employee. Some people are touchers like Jose in the restaurant walked by me and put his hand on my shoulder but not everyone likes to be touched or misunderstands the meaning of the touch to be innocent. It may seem innocent but the lawsuit happy person you could sue for causing brain damage to a kid you patted on the head.

You are a member of SGT so you should by now have read many of the stupid things guests do. This is a good training ground for anyone working with the public and not just in parks. Nurses, grocery clerks, salesmen and pet groomers all meet SGs who do the same stupid things outside the parks. Often you could change the scene from a ride to a doctor's office, bank or grocery store.

Waiting for photos.

Re: Oh no! Not Chuck!

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:44 pm
by CycloneMan
As promised:
Image

Image
Leo the Leopard (Mike) and Staten Island Chuck (Me)

We actually made up the name Leo The leopard because he didn't have one!

-Dainan "It was so hot in that thing!" Rafferty

PS: We made up signals!