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Are_grits_groceries

(17,111 posts)
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:02 PM May 2013

You manage a theater & Ironman is opening. What is the dumbest stunt you can pull for publicity?

'Gunmen' Hired to Storm Movie Theater for Traumatizing Publicity Stunt
The promote its premiere of the new Iron Man movie, a theater in Jefferson City, Missouri, hired several people to dress in full tactical gear and storm the screening with fake weapons drawn.

Not surprisingly, some people were not too keen on the "publicity stunt.""We're just getting into the car when I spotted a man in full assault gear, carrying what appeared to be a modified M-4 and 9 mm on his side," said John Molock, an army war vet who says the experience triggered his PTSD.

In addition to stoking the ire of theatergoers, the stunt also garnered poor reviews from the local police department which was forced to field several nervous 911 calls."We received a series of 911 calls stating that a man dressed in all black and body armor and a rifle was walking into Capital 8 Theaters," Capt. Doug Shoemaker told the local Fox affiliate.

"Everything was in place, it's the opening night of a superhero movie, it's somebody walking in all-dark clothes, everything pointed to bad things about to happen," Shoemaker added, referencing the Aurora movie theater shooting that took place last July. "There's really no good that can come of this."

But Capital 8 Theaters manager Bob Wilkins remains defiant, telling the ABC affiliate that he did not regret pulling the stunt, which he said was planned months in advance."My job is to entertain people," Wilkins said, claiming only "a few" patrons were upset.

Shoemaker noted that angry customers would have been the least of Wilkins' worries if someone with a concealed weapon would have mistaken the stunt for an active shooter event and acted in self-defense.
http://gawker.com/gunmen-hired-to-storm-movie-theater-for-traumatizing-499956436

I'd have kilt all of them.

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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You manage a theater & Ironman is opening. What is the dumbest stunt you can pull for publicity? (Original Post) Are_grits_groceries May 2013 OP
Bob Wilkins should nolonger be working for Capital 8 Theaters. Period. nt Poll_Blind May 2013 #1
I read that the national IQ is dropping....now I believe it. dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #2
added: a comment from a viewer of local news about this: dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #5
this must be true. i see it everywhere i look. galileoreloaded May 2013 #10
Here....read down for the comment.. dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #21
"My job is to entertain people," Common Sense Party May 2013 #3
Wow. Warren DeMontague May 2013 #4
Because an IRONMAN movie needs promotion? brooklynite May 2013 #6
+100 Common Sense Party May 2013 #19
LOL leftstreet May 2013 #22
gad. this seems to meet the definition of "yelling fire in a crowded theater" cali May 2013 #7
That is a perfect analogy. Their dress, a protected form of speech, appears to... Poll_Blind May 2013 #9
I know someone who would have shot at least Ilsa May 2013 #8
In my gun safety class there was a guy like that. Since the instructor had actually... Poll_Blind May 2013 #11
There was a similar story about a school a couple weeks ago. Whisp May 2013 #12
Yeah, that was straight up fucking insane. They used staff to be the "shooters", too. Poll_Blind May 2013 #15
Wow. These people are lucky nobody decided to "stand their ground." backscatter712 May 2013 #13
Try that shit in Texas. See what happens. ntt rrneck May 2013 #14
Idiocracy, we have arrived. bullwinkle428 May 2013 #16
file in WTF were they thinking tray! REALLY ? NO REGRETS?? BREMPRO May 2013 #17
What. A. Dumbass. historylovr May 2013 #18
And sued loyalsister May 2013 #23
I'd of hired 100 men Dyedinthewoolliberal May 2013 #20
dang, my guess was guy in Ironman suit rides jetpack around parking lot. librechik May 2013 #24
Now imagine everyone in the theater had been armed to protect themselves, NRA style... FourScore May 2013 #25
His job is to entertain people? Downtown Hound May 2013 #26

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
5. added: a comment from a viewer of local news about this:
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:09 PM
May 2013
Last Halloween, a man shot a 9 year old child dressed as a skunk because he thought she was a real skunk, so NEVER underestimate the stupidity of people.


Common Sense Party

(14,139 posts)
3. "My job is to entertain people,"
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:06 PM
May 2013

No, the MOVIE's job is to entertain people.

Your job is to sell the tickets, charge outrageous prices for popcorn and corn syrup, and make sure the theater gets swept between shows.

 

cali

(114,904 posts)
7. gad. this seems to meet the definition of "yelling fire in a crowded theater"
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:10 PM
May 2013

could have caused a panic resulting in injury.

Poll_Blind

(23,864 posts)
9. That is a perfect analogy. Their dress, a protected form of speech, appears to...
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:18 PM
May 2013

...have given a number of absolutely reasonable people the the commission of a violent crime was either in progress or about to take place.

Now, the actual determination of such a circumstance would be made by a jury if this becomes a trial, but the basic fact of life in America is "If your Freedom of Speech gives reasonable people the impression that they or other innocents are in imminent danger of being killed, chances are you have crossed way fucking over the threshold of acceptable speech."

PB

Ilsa

(61,694 posts)
8. I know someone who would have shot at least
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:13 PM
May 2013

one of them, and asked questions later. She's licensed to conceal carry, and frankly, I think she's itching to find something to shoot at to prove her twisted logic.

Poll_Blind

(23,864 posts)
11. In my gun safety class there was a guy like that. Since the instructor had actually...
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:23 PM
May 2013

...used his firearm in self-defense (court found him fully justified), he gave not just that guy but all of us a long talking to about how the last thing you ever want to is draw your firearm and shoot somebody, but that even if you do it in a completely justified circumstance, your life will change forever and it will be a part of your life forever.

From what I read in the article, though, if an off-duty police officer had seen these people dressed and behaving as they were, it seems that they would have reasonably made the assumption that a violent crime was about to take place. If you look at the link, some of the faux weapons have the orange tip to denote replica, but some of them appear to have the orange tips removed.

That's a big no-no, because that's one of the only indications that an officer or any other armed person has that you're not actually holding a real firearm.

Edit: Just to toss something else in. "Brandishing" a firearm alone is a serious misdemeanor. There is no "You're not committing a crime with a gun out as long as you don't actually shoot anyone." Having what reasonably appears to be an actual firearm in your hand, loaded or unloaded, can be a very serious crime, and one actionable by law enforcement (or others) if they think you are an imminent danger to others.

PB

 

Whisp

(24,096 posts)
12. There was a similar story about a school a couple weeks ago.
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:24 PM
May 2013

some brainiac in admin decided to hire some assholes to do a fake bust into a classroom for 'training' and didn't tell the teachers. fucking stupid beyond all recognition, like these assholes. America is surely going berserk. W.T.F.?

Poll_Blind

(23,864 posts)
15. Yeah, that was straight up fucking insane. They used staff to be the "shooters", too.
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:29 PM
May 2013

Just fucked nine ways to Sunday.

PB

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
13. Wow. These people are lucky nobody decided to "stand their ground."
Fri May 10, 2013, 04:25 PM
May 2013

This could easily have turned into a lethal mess. The people responsible should be fired immediately.

FourScore

(9,704 posts)
25. Now imagine everyone in the theater had been armed to protect themselves, NRA style...
Fri May 10, 2013, 06:40 PM
May 2013

It could've been a needless bloodbath...

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