MEL Magazine: My regular comics shop is in Times Square, so I end up passing through there fairly often. Whenever I do, I can’t help but notice the notorious Times Square mascots. To be honest, I’ve never had much love for these guys — their costumes always look kind of shitty, they seem overly aggressive in their efforts to get pictures taken with them and they’re constantly taking off their giant mascot heads, which bothers me because I’m worried that seeing a decapitated Minnie Mouse will seriously fuck with my four-year-old’s perception of reality.
8 comments:
"Who knew that dressing as a Ninja Turtle for seven hours could be such a miserable slog?" Um, I think everyone knew this. I absolutely hate articles like this. Like, we know some of these jobs suck, this really isn't a hard-hitting news piece. I cannot express how much of the morning in Basic Design that I spent complaining about this article. I fully hate this man. Like, there's no reason you can't just have an ounce of empathy and assume this job sucks, because it clearly does. This almost feels like he's mocking those who need to do this job to provide for themselves and their families. "Both Cap and Hulk are surprisingly welcoming." What does that mean? Why would they not be welcoming? I don't understand why he assumes that people who are just trying to make a living would be unfriendly. It's so annoying that he can't just like, leave these people alone? They haven't done anything to him and this literally feels like he's making fun of their jobs and being a jerk. I can't fathom what would compel this man to write this awful article. Also saying that he thinks it's bad that they take their heads off is so dumb and bad. As if a kid knowing that a cartoon mouse is fake is more detrimental than someone overheating is wild. In conclusion, thanks! I hate it!
No one really talks about these people dressed up as mascots. But just like what Elena said above, I don’t really understand why the guy was so shocked about his experience being so difficult. These jobs are not pleasant. We all know. And I don’t like the fact that his tone is kind of condescending, in that he didn’t empathize with the people who need to do this job for a living. Some people are supporting their families with the money they earn from this job. Also, I think there might be a reason why people are unfriendly to him? Of course, it’s very likely just because the other people dressed as mascots are unfriendly towards to him because he is increasing competition. But at the same time, I don’t feel like this guy treated others respectfully. I’d imagine there are unwritten rules for doing these jobs. Like ones that people just know on the streets. Defy them and of course, people are going to think you’re problematic. This article was funny but I wish the guy wrote it from a different angle and made it more meaningful for us reading it.
I always wondered what it was like for these mascot street performers. I have never been to New York City, but I have encountered them frequently in San Francisco. They honestly sort of just blend into the background of the city. It is sort of what you expect to see as you are making your way through downtown. Like Elena has said though, I cannot see this being an easy job and wonder why this guy thought it was easy to begin with. My initial thought goes to how hot some of those costumes must be. It also is such a physically demanding job, it just makes it all seem the worse to be honest. I admire those who do this every single day; it is a lot of work with very little pay off in the money sense. I am sure it must be nice to see a lot of people light up at the sight of some of these mascots.
I mean, good on him for finally realizing being a Times Square mascot sucks butts, I guess. The whole tone of the article really Does Not vibe with me. You can't be going around loudly rewarding yourself for five bucks worth of work while everyone around you is nonstop working six to ten hours a day and expect us to think you deserve your reward. You can't be walking around in a heat trap all day and not expect someone to take their full head mask off. I fully understand if one does not know what the job of a Times Square mascot entails, but it is not okay to go around spewing shit just because you don't. I feel like this article was supposed to educate us laypeople about the hard work of the mascots, but it did not feel like an informative piece at all because it took on such a self-centered perspective. He only talked about how he felt in response to things other people did. It was just annoying.
The article may be written comically, but in all honesty I found the article quite heartbreaking. There were plenty of funny moments and those pictures for some reason were some of the most hilarious images I have seen, but the stories behind the mascots tell a story with deeper issues in America. All of the mascots the author encountered were of a different race and/or no home. The author saw taking on this job as a fun little hobby to try to challenge himself, but for these people, it is the livelihood and a source of income. The article itself even states how miserable the job is, so the fact that these people feel forced to resort to being a Time Square mascot is sad to see. This article was eye opening to the hardships people face in the jobs that appear insignificant to one’s day. I hope these people find a better career in their future.
I think it’s very interesting that This guy decided to be a Time Square mascot for a day. This isn’t a job we normally hear about but everyone has seen these mascots before and knows that it must be a terrible job. I’m very surprised but how hopeful the guy was that he was going to make much more than five bucks for standing around in Time Square wearing a costume. I think it’s really interesting that some of the other times square mascots felt threatened by the new guys presence. I think it’s really sweet that even when the guy did get pictures with people he struggled to force them to give him money for the pictures even though it was his whole point in wearing the costume in Times Square. I find it very fascinating that there are people who work as mascots in Time Square five days a week for 10 hours even when it’s cold outside.
All I have to say to this article is “What?” Honestly, I have no idea how this article connects to my future theatrical career, but it surely was an interesting read. There was an entire paragraph on his thought process about what ninja turtle he was going to be. I suppose that was interesting, but is diving into the psyches of the ninja turtles really what any of us needed or wanted? I guess the world may never know. I personally think this would be a great acting exercise for the performing students here at CMU School of Drama. The author talks a lot about his struggles working in his costume, along with the adaptability that was necessary for him to truly embody his ninja turtle self. But truly, this article makes me sad. Has entertainment and news lost all need for quality? Is this truly the kind of article that audiences are asking for? That they are spending time reading?
This article struck a weird tone with me. It felt a little bit like it was poking fun at a job that many people rely on as a valid source of income. I really don’t understand the assumption that would be easy. The physical demand of this job alone to be constantly on your feet and moving your body with the weight of one of these suits, often in extreme temperatures is overwhelming. On top of that, you have to be engaging and performative throughout that entire long day. This man entered a day of literally walking in someone else’s shoes, and, instead of educating people on a job different than their own, he wrote a piece just dismissing it and diminishing the people who do that work. The Times Square mascots are an iconic part of many tourists’ visit to New York, and it is disappointing that that man thought he was entitled to judge their work.
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