Credit: Universal Studios Hollywood
When most people think about Southern California theme parks, there is a large chance that Disneyland Resort will come to their mind first. But there are so many other great theme parks not too far from Disneyland Resort.
Knott’s Berry Farm is only about ten minutes away, and SeaWorld is a couple of hours away, in San Diego. And just about one hour north of Disney is Universal Studios Hollywood, which is a small theme park, but definitely packs a punch.
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While Universal Studios Hollywood is not nearly as big as Disneyland Resort, there is still a ton to see and do. Guests can visit Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
They can also see the Simpsons in Springfield, become a minion in Super Silly Fun Land, and encounter dinosaurs in Jurassic World. In February 2023, Universal invited guests to travel through a warp tunnel and visit its newest land, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.
In addition to the fun rides and attractions, Universal Studios Hollywood also has some really great character meet-and-greets. Guests can meet minions, the Hogwarts Express train conductor, Scooby-Doo and the gang, Doc Brown from Back to the Future (1985), classic movie monsters like Dracula, and even legendary stars like Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe.
One guest recently visited Universal Studios Hollywood with his wife and had an encounter with Marilyn Monroe. However, the interaction was not what he had planned and left him wondering if he was in the wrong.
Redditor u/LukeWalton4MVP said that he and his wife posed for a photo with the Universal actress playing Marilyn. He joked about Ms. Monroe being a “homewrecker.” However, the joke did not sit well with the actress or the Universal team member who was with her. Only the man and his wife seemed to find it funny.
Went yesterday and did the photo op with Marilyn Monroe with my wife. We flank her on each side for the picture and she linked her arm with mine.
Me: Easy lady, my wife is right here!
MM: Don’t worry honey, I’m not interested.
Me: Oh yeah? That’s what you said to Jackie O!
My wife thought that was hilarious but the cast member taking our picture shot me a dirty look and told me not to be “inappropriate”. Was he being overly uptight or did I commit a faux pas?
AITA for joking about Marilyn Monroe being a homewrecker?
byu/LukeWalton4MVP inUniversalHollywood
While some Redditors agreed that the man did not mean any harm, they did point out that the actress playing Marilyn probably dealt with creepy men all day and this man did not need to pile on.
I would say it’s borderline. In my personal opinion the joke is right on the edge.
But if you put it in the context of these young actors having to put up with creepy folks, inappropriate comments, pickup lines and often unwanted touching all day, even a small joke about her flirting with you or her sleeping with JFK is likely just one more in a long parade of exhausting unpleasant interactions. Even the Disney princesses have to deal with guests making sexual comments to them all day – I imagine Marilyn has it way worse.
I think the general etiquette with these actors is to let them lead the role play. If they engage with you in character, feel free to match them at their level of energy and playfulness. But I wouldn’t necessarily joke around with them unless they start it. Some of them – with good reason – often feel unsafe or uncomfortable, so best to keep it respectful.
For what it’s worth, these actors (at Disney or Universal) aren’t allowed to break character, so that “honey, I’m not interested” is as close as she’s allowed to tell you to please stop. It’s likely the fact that you kept making jokes after her comment that earned you the warning.
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Others felt that, while the man might be in the wrong, Universal shouldn’t have Marilyn Monroe as a character meet and greet at all. The actress lived a very troubled life that ended with her sudden death. By having her as a character to meet with, some people might forget that she was a real person.
Honestly this is more a reason why having a walk around Marilyn Monroe is weird to begin with. She was a real person with a very complex life and now she’s reduced to a cartoon caricature you’re not allowed to think too hard about.
The OP (Original Poster) was also reminded that team members can have him removed from the park, so he needs to be careful and treat every Universal worker with respect.
Considering that cast member can easily get you kicked out of the park for saying inappropriate things, I’d say you’re in the wrong
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Thankfully, the OP was willing to listen to what people had to say. He admitted that he apologized immediately and didn’t think about the treatment the “cringey” treatment the actress probably gets on a near-constant basis. He thanked his fellow Redditors for “keeping me in check” and will hopefully not make the same mistake in the future.
Do you think that OP’s joke crossed the line? Let us know in the comments!
