Devil Furries Among Us: Don't Tickle Me, Bad Times Square Elmo

A bogus costumed Elmo (how does one become a bogus Elmo unless he’s operating without a Furry permit?) who collected tips for cuddling children in family photos in Times Square was sent to fail for trying to extort $ 2 million from the Girl Scouts.

 

Do not tickle the children

Let’s get a handle on that.  Who tries to extort money from the Girl Scouts, and for what?  How much money do the Girl Scouts have? How many cookies is that, sold from the blood, sweat, and tears of seven year-olds standing outside a Kroger on a hot day hawking Thin Mints.  What kind of monster is this?  A Furry monster. 

Dan Sandler, a one-time temporary worker for the Girl Scouts, was sentenced after pleading guilty to charges that stemmed from threatening to go public with information that the organization arranged sex between men and young girls at a scout camp.  Now that’s a horrific story in its own regard.  If true, it’d be utterly horrible.  It seems to be false as he tried to get money to keep it quiet rather than going public with it.  This dude also has an unrelated arrest for an anti-Semitic tirade while also dressed as Elmo.

Reuters also reports on the prior arrest of a Cookie-Monster Furry who shoved a 2 year-old whose mother wouldn’t tip him for taking a photo.

New York does require vendors for hotdogs and those hawking trinkets, but not those dressing up in cute costumes and touching kids while taking pictures with them. 

Reuters quotes: "A dangerous character could be hiding in a cuddly character," said New York Councilman Peter Vallone, who is set to introduce legislation this month to regulate each costumed individual as a for-profit business through the city Department of Consumer Affairs.

Other, legit Elmo’s are crying foul. Edwin Garcia, 19, said, "Most of us are just trying to make a living," said Garcia, who said he is supporting a wife and 7-month-old daughter.” You’d think the good Elmo would want the bad Elmo’s out of there. 

Those who actually own the copyrights to the characters that are being used, do want the regulation.  The Sesame Workshop said in a statement that it supports efforts to find a legislative solution to the costumed characters it sees as infringing on its copyrights.

The Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union is pulling out the First Amendment, but ignoring copyright law.  The copyright holders have a stake to make sure that those who are wearing their costumes are not criminals.  Licensing, and the small amount of money it would bring in could at least cover the background checks necessary to protect their brands and make sure criminals aren’t out there wearing their garb.  Copyright holders (Disney, Sesame Street) are likely to get into the act and push this, for safety of kids and their brands if nothing else.

Full Story and Italicized quotes from Reuters:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/09/us-usa-newyork-elmo-idUSBRE9981BM20131009

Elmo picture: Character copyright Sesame Street