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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Abuse while in costume- ever happen to you?

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by Amanita, Jul 21, 2005.

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  1. Amanita

    Amanita Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 12, 2003
    I recall a few posts in the pet peeves thread about rude behavior that people had put up with- O2 bottles yanked off of stormtrooper's costumes, and other such stupidity from others.
    Have you ever had this happen? Has somebody come up and begun nitpicking your costume, pointing out any percieved flaws or errors in a very rude manner? Has anyone with a "sexy" costume such as Slave Leia, Aayla Secura or Aura Sing had disgusting or inappropriate comments or behavior directed at them? Or have you had to deal with members of the general public being complete jerks to you? If so, how did you deal?


    I've had a doozer of an incident, which happened earlier this month. Another friend and I decided to go see a huge fireworks display our town was putting on, and thought it would be fun to bring our lightsabers. I decided to wear my Jedi robes too, just for the heck of it. Before going to the fireworks, we had some other errands to run, and in the course of these errands, I somehow got my cloak caught in a mall escalator, tearing a chunk out of the hem. Luckily, I think I can fix it. We reported the incident to mall security and went on our way.
    The fireworks were awesome, and we had fun interacting with people too. One guy even brought his son over, saying how he wanted to meet a real live Jedi. We were having a great time until it was time to leave the park we watched the display from. On our way out, I felt like somebody was standing on the hem of my cloak, which is odd, because it doesn't drag on the ground. I thought somebody might have stepped on it somehow, and continued on. But the weight on my robe didn't go away. Suspecting somebody was somehow standing on it, completely oblivious, I turned around, saying "Hey!", to get the attention of whoever was practically on top of me. I was confronted by two teenage mothers with strollers, one of whom screamed right in my face "RELAX!!" I explained that I had already had enough damage done to my robe that day, and could they watch where they were pushing those strollers? (Somehow her friend had managed to catch my robe with one of the darned things) Her response? If I didn't want anything to happen to my robe, then I had no business wearing it in public.
    Funny thing- my parents taught me that if you run into somebody, you don't blame them, you apologize and back off. Had this girl and her friend done likewise, it would have ended right there.
    Another funny thing- the one with the massive mouth and attitude was not the one who actually ran over my robe.
    But no. She continued to scream abuse at me, culminating in this wonderful display of parental irresponsibility:

    While gesturing threateningly with her stroller (that had her kid in it, BTW) She announced her intentions, saying "You just watch, I'll run you right the **** over!"
    My response? "Do it. Hit me with that thing and I'll have you charged with assault and battery, the police station's right up ahead." After that, she continued to sputter, but the fight was taken out of her. She knew I was serious.
     
  2. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Yeah, some dork made crude gestures behind my back at Comic-Con and I wasn't wearing anything revealing. It was my Padme Senate dress with a huge hoop skirt, how much more covered up can you get? There will always be a wise guy in the crowd I guess.

    - Kay Dee
     
  3. RyiokuXL

    RyiokuXL Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 2, 2005
    This one time a few months ago, I had my Jedi Robe on at school... I just got a ton of that "Star Wars is stupid" "What, do you think you are you a Jedi?" kinda stuff, you know how teenagers can get.
     
  4. RedHanded_Jill

    RedHanded_Jill Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 16, 2004
    during the midnite show of aotc, i went to the bathroom. the line for the next showing, 1230 i think, some drunk yelled " nice lightsaber". it was said very sarcastically. i walked back to the front of that line and said "you want a closer look? my lightsaber and i will kick your ***." for some reason i got ticked off. people in line clapped. i went in and watched the movie. why would someone who was in line to see a movie at midnite make fun of someone?
     
  5. electrakitty

    electrakitty Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Partially unrelated: I used to play Snoopy and Garfield for extra money while I was in college. . .Had an agent and everything. I made a lot of money doing it too. . .anyway, we were always required to have a handler with us at all times to keep us from tripping on little kids, etc. Well, the handler can't see everything at once, and many times while mine was looking away, I got punched in the stomach, kicked, my head smacked hard (it was a football helmet welded to iron bars to the head, you can imagine how much that hurt), so whenever I'm at a costume event, I make it a point to watch the backs of the helmeted people (Stormtroopers, Bounty Hunters, Vaders,) so that people don't feel like they can touch them without their knowledge. I have taken kids to task over such behavior. There's no need to behave that way.
     
  6. PadawansGuide

    PadawansGuide Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    That seems to be a common thing, nowadays. If someone hits into you, it's your fault for being in their way.

    At C3, I was in a crowded elevator in our hotel, and some guys got on with huge boxes. One of them rammed his box into me, accidentally, but still - if they had a lot of stuff, maybe they could waited for a less-full elevator. Anyway, it hurt, so I said, "ow!" and the guy looks over at me and says "You'll live." It was unbelievable that someone could be that rude.

     
  7. Tenyon

    Tenyon Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 12, 2003
    It just annoys me when I'm in my picnic dress and people start to pull at my hair, to see if the curls are real or because ?it's just 'such a funny curl'. Yes, the curls are real and it hurts if you pull!
     
  8. ThePariah

    ThePariah Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 24, 2003
    A friend and I were openly called idiots on some jerk's Livejournal just because we were both dressed as ANH Senate Princess Leia for the Toys R Us Times Square Midnight Madness event back in spring. We both knew what we were doing and thus intentionally stayed far apart from each other around the block as to not confuse children. Besides, if you looked at us together even in costume we look very different. But this guy was a known coward and insult-monger to my friends, so it wasn't like we weren't expecting it and were ready to laugh it off. While he left early and stewed at home we got to have oodles of fun.

    Another annoying encounter was our local ROTS premiere, when I officially dressed as Luke for the first time. Some moron came up to me and said, word for word, "How can you degrade yourself dressing like that?" (Yes, this was a guy about to see ROTS. Genius.) I replied exactly, "I don't give a ****, I admire his character," and stalked off. Yeah, I'm a girl, and Leia is the shiznit, but I'm proud to wear something that represents one of my role models growing up, to have fun and entertain kids and raise money for charity.
     
  9. kainangmar

    kainangmar Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2005
    I wore my Jedi Robes to school on the release of ROTS and didn't get half as much insults as I had thought. (Though I had to explain to three people that was not dressed as Mace Windu, because I am Caucasian.) One jerk kept asking to see my lightsaber very sarcastically. Apparently he didn't think I had one, because when I pulled it out of my robe and smacked him upside the head, he was shocked.
     
  10. FenigDurak

    FenigDurak Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 6, 2002
    The last time I went to DragonCon, I had taken my Ep II Purple Senate gown to wear the morning the local news was going to be there. I'd gotten up early, gotten dressed, and headed down. HAd a great morning. NEaring 3 PM though, I was getting ready to get in street clothes so I headed back up to the room I was staying in. This guy on the elevator kept staring at me and then got off the same place I did. HE followed me to my room, so I passed it in hopes that he'd go into a room. After making a full circle, he was still following me, so I ran to my room. He stopped me and slammed me up against the wall before I could even get my key out. If someone ever tells you that you can't kick a guy in the crotch while in a hoop skirt, tell them they are a liar. I kicked that guy as hard as I could and ran for my room.

    He nearly ruined my copper headdress, and managed to tear a few hooks off my bodice. Too bad I didn't see his name on his badge. Con security told me they'd have banned him permanantly. I haven't been back to Dragon Con since.
     
  11. VillieGee

    VillieGee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2002
    Holy crap! Are you okay though? Were you sharing the room with anyone?
     
  12. Commander-DWH

    Commander-DWH Manager Emeritus star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2003
    One of the lifeguards I work with seems to get a great amount of amusement out of telling me I'm a dork. And not in a friendly, "heh, you're such a dork," kind of way. I've been told several times, "Why would you tell people that? They're going to think you're a freak!" "Oh my gosh, I can't believe you just said you have friends with stormtrooper armour- nobody's going to talk to you anymore!" "You're actually spending your money on a lightsaber? Why would you do something like that?" "You're wearing a black cloak in public?"

    Okay. All of the other guards who work on a regular basis know I'm a Star Wars fan. They all know I make Star Wars costumes (mainly because I will bring small pieces to work and work on them during my breaks). They know I write Star Wars stories. And it's just the one that seems to think I'm a freak of nature. He's the only person who can call me by my nickname, "Skywalker," and make it sound like a mockery. Just because I happen to be perfectly comfortable with my interests, for crying out loud...
     
  13. davisjaron

    davisjaron Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2005
    i've never really had that problem... of course i'm a guy... 6'3... 240 lbs, lol, not many people would be stupid enough to try to insult me in front of me.
     
  14. Darth_Freege

    Darth_Freege Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2005
    Ive never really had any problems when wearing my costume, except for the occaisional "why are you wearing that" when I wore it to school on the premiere of ROTS, but that was always from the most ignorant people in the school.
     
  15. swguru2004

    swguru2004 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 17, 2003
    Some guy tried to run me down with his bike as I was walking to the hotel room to get changed at Comic Con this past week....he hit me, almost made me drop my helmet and knocked off my flame thrower :mad: I stood up and looked at hime like what that heck and he smirked and rode on...I was able to repair the gauntlet...but still....:mad:
     
  16. Q99213

    Q99213 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2001
    i've had kids steal my blasters from my holsters, punch me in the chest, kick me in the groin, even jump on my back. Makes me want to troop less mall events.
     
  17. VillieGee

    VillieGee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2002
    I should make the claws for Bossk sharp. Make myself too scary to mess with. lol
     
  18. davisjaron

    davisjaron Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2005
    At our premiere we didn't really have any incidents, it was nice, lol.
     
  19. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    The ROTS premiere was the first time I wore a costume of any kind and I'm sad to say, I already had an experience like this. There was this weird guy there who had a plastic lightsaber and kept butting into other people's conversations. Well, he spotted me and started to literally beat on my helmet and armor with this lightsaber, leaving little white paint nicks in it. I grabbed the blade of his lightsaber and pushed it away and yelled at him. There is no need for behavior like that. I just wish people would have some respect for other people's property. Luckily the nicks in the armor were easily fixed with a fresh coat of paint, but still.
     
  20. RyiokuXL

    RyiokuXL Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 2, 2005
    It sickens me how little respect for others property so many people have nowadays...
     
  21. UniversalDestiny

    UniversalDestiny Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 2001
    A few months ago, I was trooping at a Katie Fundraiser event when some guy slapped the back of my Royal Guard helmet. I thought for sure that my helmet had cracked from the force of the impact.

    A few weeks later at the April 2nd book signing in Raleigh with Matt Stover, I was actually hugged in my guard costume. A rare thing but really uncomfortable especially with my bucket digging into my chest. I also had kids trying to step on my cloak to trip me, which wasn't fun.

     
  22. MiraxTHorn

    MiraxTHorn Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2000
    Fenig - I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you! I can't imagine how scary that must have been!

    As for the topic, I've been very fortunate to have mostly positive experiences while costuming. The only really hurtful thing said was when a man walked by and muttered, "Freaks" on the night of the ROTS midnight show. How sad that some people have completely forgotten how to use their imagination and have fun!

    Regards,
    M.
     
  23. davisjaron

    davisjaron Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2005
    my costume was custom made for me so its just long enough that it looks perfect and nobody can step on it unless i'm like bending down or something, lol. I was lucky at the premiere nothing happened, but that was where I unveiled my wookiee jedi costume and I was so happy with the very first remark I got. I started walking up to the theater and the very first remark was "holy sh** dude look at that!" lol, though you couldn't tell I was smiling and laughing when I heard that.

    When I was at CIII I did have a few people run into me and act like it was my fault for being in their way... which pissed me off a couple of times, but then I just had to think back to anger counciling in the 5th grade, lol, managed not to yell at anyone about it.
     
  24. Jedi_Kai

    Jedi_Kai Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 27, 2001
    It just sickens me that that people, particularly in the US, have such poor manners. The moron with the babystroller is such an example for her child. It is another symptom of the trend in our culture to avoid responsibility.

    I'm equally appalled by the people who let their children hit adults. I'd want to take my helmet off and ask the child loudly (hoping the parent will hear) and sharply, "where's your parents?", tell the parent to control their child as he has just caused damage to my costume and ask for reparation! It makes me so mad that small claims court might even be worth it! Since I'm a non-helmeted person in costume, I often take children to task for grabbing and hitting the troopers, but usually not so sharply as I'd like!

    Wow, Fenig, that's a terrifying tale. Hope you hurt him!
     
  25. VillieGee

    VillieGee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2002
    It's a happy story. He won't be having children. :)
     
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