Is it okay to identify yourself as a character?

[brad]

not sure if this is the right forum for this, but since it's WDW specifically. i posted this on another site and immediately everyone defends her except for an extreme minority. i realize most of you are in attractions or merchandise or whatnot, but i was curious.. is this behavior acceptable and if so, when do you draw the lines, because this couldn't happen inside the park.

the setup is that there was an audience member on David Letterman last night.

i'm not naive by any means, but when Letterman goes into the audience to play a game and one of his conversations with one of the audience members goes like this (and i'm paraphrasing because i erased it):

Dave: and what do you do in Orlando?
Erin: i work in entertainment.... for Walt Disney World.. for 3 years
Dave: oh, and do you wear a costume?
Erin: sometimes.. other times i'm wearing a costume for someone who helps the characters
Dave: and what's your favorite costume to wear?
Erin: I can't say... but she's practically perfect in every way
Dave: who's that? ('asking' the audience) Who's that?
Erin: Mary Poppins!
Dave: I see I'm not the only dumb one here.

i realize it's probably just me and a very few others, but that irked me. does preserving the magic stop when you exit property? i'm pretty sure i've seen her before but now it's just gonna really be bad for me if i ever see her again.

i think i might have seen her once as another character with a bad english accent too.

so is that okay in your eyes?

[ktulu]

If you're standing there staring at someone in costume, then it is the character, but out of costume it's Erin, Bob, Judy, Alice from accounting, etc.

[mechurchlady]

Unless a person signs an agreement with their employer then go for it and tell all the secrets. I see nothing wrong with saying that they are a certain character or work in a certain land. Are people who are actors no supposed to say that they play a certain character?

I see nothing wrong at all.

[Big Wallaby]

Ah, actually, you do sign something when you first start, that you won't go out giving away secrets. How that works for the guy leading the backstage tours, I am not sure.

My thought is that that is something you don't do. What if a kid gets on and watches Letterman, that kid worships Mary Poppins, and now Erin has just ruined it for that kid.

I guess if you don't care about protecting the magic at all cost, go ahead. You make my life harder because someone will be more likely to badger me about how many Mickeys there are in the parks, but I guess that's your right.

[leftcoaster]

Ah, actually, you do sign something when you first start, that you won't go out giving away secrets. How that works for the guy leading the backstage tours, I am not sure.

My thought is that that is something you don't do. What if a kid gets on and watches Letterman, that kid worships Mary Poppins, and now Erin has just ruined it for that kid.

I guess if you don't care about protecting the magic at all cost, go ahead. You make my life harder because someone will be more likely to badger me about how many Mickeys there are in the parks, but I guess that's your right.

Agreed, but maybe someone should also talk to Mr. Letterman about his pointed questions towards the off stage CM. Him asking "Oh, and do you wear a costume?" might be okay, but asking, "And what's your favorite costume to wear?" is not. And yes, many times, it depends on the answers of the person on what the next question will be.

Since I am not a CM, but I have taken the backstage tours, I think that what they show/tell you has been approved by Disney management. There is probably some wiggle room for questions from guests, but if the question is beyond that, then the CM giving the backstage tour will revert to the standard answers.

Example:
CM (giving Backstage Magic tour): This is our costuming shop. Beyond here, you will see things that will definitely break the magic for you, so please no pictures.
[Go around the corner, and see Winnie the Pooh heads lined up on a rack]
Guest: So how many Mickey's are there ?
CM: Everyone knows there is only one Mickey!
Another Guest: How many Mickey costumes are there
CM: [I forget the answer, but I think it's over 500, no?]

No kid should be up watching Letterman anyway. IF he/she is, then we can post in the thread about bad parenting. ;)

[brad]

but technically, any form of wardrobe you wear as a castmember is a costume. if you're working attractions in tomorrowland, you're in a costume. as a disney bus driver, BW is in a costume. doesn't mean he's mickey (and i think mickey has a little bit under 300 outfits, not that there are 300 mickey heads floating around :) ). costuming isn't part of the tour anymore anyway since it was moved :/

[Cranbiz]

You make my life harder because someone will be more likely to badger me about how many Mickeys there are in the parks,

Wallaby, That one is easy, one.

At least that's what I was told in Traditions. ;)

[mechurchlady]

Question for Big Wallaby: How many Mickeys are in WDW? I do not mean all the mickey toys, towels, and hidden mickeys but just the CMs in costume as Mickey.

A quick question for Big Wallaby: All total how many Mickeys are in WDW and please incluce icons, statues, toys, statuary, pictures, etc.?

[IndyandMarion]

I'm sure I play one of the only two characters that can saw who they are outside of costume and get away with it. Think about it since Im at GMR. . . Simply because there are multiple of each from the time period obviously.

Do I really mention it, no. I just tell people that my role is a secret and can be deadly if pushed on the subject.

[Marilou]

Right off the bat, I'll appologize that I did not see this, just heard about it from others. So some of my facts may not be accurate.
So the scenario (from what I heard) is that Letterman starts talking with people in the audience and he's talking to a person who is a WDW CM. The conversation went something like this:

Dave: and what do you do in Orlando?
CM: i work in entertainment.... for Walt Disney World.. for 3 years
Dave: oh, and do you wear a costume?
CM: sometimes.. other times i'm wearing a costume for someone who helps the characters
Dave: and what's your favorite costume to wear?
CM: I can't say... but she's practically perfect in every way
Dave: who's that? ('asking' the audience) Who's that?
CM: Mary Poppins!
Dave: I see I'm not the only dumb one here.
I guess my question is this, will she get in trouble for that? A few people were of the opinion that she "spoiled the magic" Would a conversation like that violate any contracts the CMs sign?
Personally, I think WDW would love the free advertising, plus I heard the CM in question was very pretty & charming so it didnt come across negative. Also its not like any kids would have been up at that hour and had any fantasies blown.
Did any of the WDW CMs hear about this? I certainly hope the girl didnt get into any trouble. If what I heard was correct, it seemed perfectly harmless to me.
Oh and feel free to correct my facts if I got them wrong, like I said before, I heard this from someone else.