BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco

Subject: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 02:48 AM

Santa John was at macy's Dept. store for over 20 years...both as the
"HEAD SANTA" and as a trainer for other santas and elves. A couple of elderly customers were offended by something he said, and their complaints caused him to get fired. He now has a new position at Lefty O'Douls Restaurant and Bar and is the spokesman for the fire fighters'
toy collection.
http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-12-07/bay-area/25010580_1_joke-santa-claus-john-toomey

John appeared on the Jay Leno tonight show on thursday dec. 9
http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/thursday-december-9-2010/1264362/?__source=recent-eps-module

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7837643

they are calling it the miracle on gearyt street...much like the
movie (from 34th street) where a santa gets fired from Macy's

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 03:17 AM

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16831058?nclick_check=1

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2010/12/07/union-square-santa-fired-by-macy%E2%80%99s-over-jokes/

here is the facebook page that was started to help offer him support

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 06:59 AM

this story is about a local guy
and happened in san francisco
but the first i heard about it
was a post that incluced a link
for a british newspaper...so i
thought people would have heard
about it...because this story
has been on national and inter-
national news.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 07:41 AM

So, what was the joke?

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 07:52 AM

The 68-year-old Toomey said he was fired because he had asked older people who sat on his lap at Macy's if they had been good. When they answered yes, he replied: "Gee, that's too bad." If they asked why Santa was so jolly, Toomey said it was because he knew where all the naughty boys and girls lived.

Toomey said the jokes are ones he has told for decades without any problems, and he emphasized that he didn't make such jokes with kids.
A number of Toomey's co-workers at Macy's said they were devastated by Santa John's firing.

"He's totally the best Santa ever, very jolly and very authentic. "I've been coming to see him for years. There's just nobody better," said Sharon Owens, 56, of Oakland.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 11:23 AM

Gee, I would have thought that if an adult bothered to speak to a department store Santa, she'd realize she was talking to an adult human being and that only little kids held Santa to a behavioral code suited only for mythological constructs. Apparently that's not the case.

I know San Francisco has its share of wackos, but I sort of assumed their excess tended toward the lenient and nonjudgmental end of the spectrum, not the uptight and puritanical.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 12:57 PM

...how about in Santa Monica?

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: kendall
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 01:03 PM

What do people who have no sense of humor think about? God they must be dull as Erebus!

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 01:11 PM

Just imagine what would happen if Chongo was really short of funds, and took on the job of department store Santa...people who have no sense of humor would get VERY offended!

As Mick Jagger once said, "Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke."

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Greg F.
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 01:11 PM

All part of the epidemic of brain death, igniorance & stupidity that is taking the U.S. down the toilet, toot sweet. Expect the folks that complained are TeaBagger Party stalwarts as well.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Wesley S
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 08:41 PM

I played Santa last Tuesday and used the exact same lines on a lot of elderly people. I'm just glad they didn't get upset. At least they had a sense of humor.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: EBarnacle
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:46 PM

They probably appreciated the though that someone thought they could get into trouble.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 10:53 PM

"older people who sat on his lap"

I'd wonder just what they thought they were gonna get....

... and I thought if YOU were a mature age woman who sits on Santa's Lap, what would YOU expect to pop up?

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 06:12 AM

Silly old biddies! What did they want, a date with him? I'd have been a bit wary of sitting on Father Christmas's lap at my age and weight, I'd probably have crushed something! I do so wish people would LAUGH more and take the world a bit less seriously. They spoil things for the rest of us!

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 07:38 AM

Maybe if he had suggested buying something from Gimbles.....

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: mayomick
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 01:19 PM

I hope this question doesn't spoil anybody's Christmas , but do many American adults go to visit Santa ? This side of the Atlantic people tend to stop believing in him at the age of six or seven.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 01:28 PM

I really do think that if any "older person" sat on Santa's lap, the intention was just to have some silly fun; but apparently they had a very narrow idea of what kind of silly fun was acceptable.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 01:41 PM

I played Santa to over 100 elderly folks last week. Our church handed out gift bags to over 100 seniors. It looked to me like they were having a blast. I know I did.

And if a few of them actually thought I was Santa - what's the harm in that?

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in s.f.
From: open mike
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 03:34 AM

he did say that there were not going to be any gift certificates to macys in any christmas stockings this year..

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 01:05 PM

Re. The (Broader) "Anti-Santa Claus" Cause - you may like to check this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco
From: Slag
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 10:31 PM

Bee-W-L, SF has Whack-jobs? Get real. It's Mecca left-coast, for liberals. Most Mudcatters would feel right at home!

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco
From: GUEST,Hollowfox's Daughter
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 12:09 PM

*I* still visit Santa in department stores. I often bring them candy. Heaven knows they've got a rough job; I can't imagine trying to be friendly and patient for 8+ hours a day.

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 12:13 PM

Sounds like a good apprenticeship program for learning to endure the tortures of hell, doesn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: santa fired from macy's in san francisco
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Dec 10 - 02:39 PM

On the bright side, it will allow Santa to concentrate on his present deliveries around the world.