"Mean" Cast Members

[joanna71985]

When I was a CP, for the most part the guests I worked with were great. And I tried my best to treat them right, be it in the sun or in the store. Yes, I will admit I had days when I didn't feel well, or I was having a bad day. But I tried not to let it show. Just as long as you treat someone with respect, hopefully it can be turned both ways.

 

[TiggersPooh]

i dont think any of the CMs posting here actually hate their job...they are mentioning a few interactions they have faced! Trust me for everyone story we have about a rude guests there are multiple stories of guests that made us happy. I remember quite a few of my stories that still make me happy when i think about them.

This thread is getting kind of out of control

 

[ChipmunkStar]

I sometimes think entertianment gets ruffed-up, but the verbal abuse other CMs take is just outrageous. The entertainment CMs are not "themselves" when they're getting the abuse, but other CMs are - so it makes more personal and intolerable.

Actually, as character attedants, character hosts, or whatever the role is called wherever you happen to be, yes, it is you yourself who is taking the abuse. Not everyone is simply performing as a role, some are taking verbal abuse to their own face.

No one deserves to be treated like that, ever.

Agreed.

I'd also like to re-point out the main point of this thread: If you are a guest who does not go out and seek negative experiences with cast members, you should never fear! If you are kind to us, we will smile and give you the best show and interaction possible. It's when we're being taken advantage of and used as verbal (and sometimes physical) punching bags that the show might be otherwise altered.

 

[v_misses_epcot]

Goodness, I've read all twenty two pages!! WOOOHH!! Anyhow, I do agree with merlin as when he says we can try to handle it in a much better way but at the same time, sometimes guest just ________ the ________ out of you that you just want to punch them. Just because they're vip doesn't give them the right to treat another human like ________ does it? It's rude, and they themselves are the bigger adults and should handle themselves more responsibly. Especially when they have kids. They just let the kids walk all over us and what do they do? Laugh, because they're perfect little angels and don't know better. BS! Learn how to become responsible parents. If they just let the children do what they please, it's not gonna be a safe place to be. I hate it when we're telling the parents to take care of the child and they BITE YOU BACK by saying, don't tell me how to take care of my own children. >_>;; I kinda have to when you're child is not listening to the rules and he can get hurt. *sighs* Sorry for the long rant and sorry for the long post. I needed to vent out. Basically what I'm saying, I love disney world, but if a guest is being rude to me, I'm not going to take thier ________ and I will demand them to give me respect just as much as they want me to respect them. If they're cursing like a sailor, I too will be cursing like one too. I'm not going to let someone I don't know degrade me by steping all over me. They should talk like adults and not throw angry attacks like children. Some adults I swear are getting out of hand. Thank you.

Quoted by Robynchic:

I really don't think you understand with the kind of antics we put up with. I think CMs should just start posting their "bad guest" stories, to give some perspective on what we deal with. Oh, and if we're posting our bad guest stories, we should mention how long we've worked there. Who wants to start?

Hi, my name is vanessa and I've worked at Disneyworld!! *waves* >_>; Anyhow, I was a housekeeper for a year in the college program at the Yacht and Beach Resort. I'm amazed at how people nowadays are. Seriously, they're paying 400 bucks a night and they treat the room like it was thier own damn home. Anyhow, the worse ever treatment was when I was cleaning a room in front of the guest. They sterotyped me and while I am a mexican, I can ovbiously speak and write english. Mexican American actually. ANYHOW!! I started cleaning in the bathroom and I was already a bit behind on cleaning when I heard them say "I hope that damn dirty mexican hurrys up so we can leave already." Make sure to hide away the toys and jewlery."

*coughs* I literally wanted to cry and I did, but then I walked out and told myself I wasn't going to let these ________________ ruin my day and wasn't going to stoop so low to them. So I got up, left the bathroom and when they started to try to talk to me in spanish I told them with a huge smile, "Why no, I'm not finished, but can YOU hurry up so I can steal your jewerly and toys." They just sat there with thier mouths opened muttering that I was speaking english and that's when they started saying thier sorries but by then it was too late, I had talked to my manager and told her the situation and guess what? She back me up 100 percent!! Guest should be treated to the VIP MY A$$!!!!! Especially scum like that. You can only hold it in for so much and when they throw s%$^t like that to you, it's on!!

I also happen to work at HEB, one of the main grocery stores here in Texas as a cashier. People nowadays have gone down right mad. They expect carryouts with one bag, they treat the csa's like trash and expect them to be thier slaves and whistle at them or snap their fingers. I mean, come on. I don't think so. Today while checking out a customer, her change was 32 dollars and I only had tens and fives and ones at the moment. I gave her thirty two dollars in tens fives and one and she had the goodies to say "Why are you giving me all this money, can't you just give me a twenty, a five and 2 dollars? I was like WHAT THE FUDGE!!! EXCUSE ME!! I'm sorry maam, but I only have that amount in my box at the moment. She scoffed at me and demanded to talk to a manager. Obviously, the manager defended me saying she had no right to yell at me.

I also happen to work with governemt FOOD STAMPS. This is a big big big big issue for me. While I'm seeing fat getting 500 dollars worth of free food with 7 babies and have nice clothes, a nice car and other nice things, I'm wondering why they have to go and complain about 40 cents. THEY'RE GETTING IT ALL FOR FREE!! Here they go yelling at me for doing something wrong, like if I did in the first place and they start making this scene!! OMG it's unbearable. I don't even deal with these freeloaders anymore, I just hand them the freaking 40 cents and start checking out the other person.

10 items or less lane: I can't stress enough. It's not 10 items or MORE LANE. I have 11, can I pass on through? NO!! I only have twenty? NO!! But you're not busy: NO!! Can't you all read?? 10 ITEMS OR LESS!! LESS LES LES LESSSS!!! >_< And what are the responses I get? Here's a few. "FAT " "MISSY HERE DOESN'T WANT TO WORK" "" "YOU SUCK" I nicely tell them that it's ten items or less and they break out hell. Just because it's not busy, It doesn't mean that in a minute or so, a person with only 4 items will come and then after the person with a lot of stuff leaves that person will also tell me stuff. Then if they see me letting the person with a lot of things through, they'll be like "well, you let them go through" and it'll be a never ending story with them.

They expect us to know the freaking store by heart so they yell like crazy nuts when we scan in the wrong price. "HEY!! THAT PRICE IS WRONG" I'm like, okay, I'm just scanning here, what do you want me to do? Then they want it for 50 cents or 1.00$ or free!! *shakes head*

Underage drinkers: Rule for Texas states under 30 check licence. Typical day with beer drinkers:

Guy number 1: Has beer (Obviously looks young)
Vanessa: Hello, can I please have your id.
Guy number 1: ?!!! I'M 21, GO SCREW YOURSELF!!
Vanessa: *sighs* You look under 30 sir, I have to check your id or it's my ______ on the line.
Guy number 1: I don't have id.
Vanessa: I can't sell you the beer.
Guy number 1: WHAT?!! WHY NOT? Here's my birthday: 10, 11, 81
Vanessa: I need to see ID.
Guy number 1: ________ You!@!@ and runs off.

No matter how nice we are, people expect too much with us and we're more likely to twitch and POP. It's only natural.

Why I keep my job at Disney World or HEB? Because I need to make a living somehow and need to pay off my bills. =D

Quoted by MouserMerf:

Not everyone can be "special" and everyone has a sob story. As mentioned in other threads, there are only so many seats with windows to watch fireworks - but everyone wants those seats. The CM could provide excellent service and the food could be impeccable and some guests would still complain because they couldn't get the window seats.

I don't just mean "oh, that was a bummer" compalin either. Full force throw-a-fit, i deserve a refund, disney is evil, you're ruining my vacation, break down in hysterical sobs type crap.

My favorites: Who can i talk to tell me what i want to hear? Who will break that policy for me?

and...

I'm a valuable customer and I'm not going to WDW ever again.

On behalf of the Walt Disney World Resort cast, i'd like to say: ________ off.

I love you, will you marry me? XD! Seriously though, guest can't always get what they want. We try to please them but at the end, it will never be good enough.

 

[FrumiousBoojum]

I'd also like to re-point out the main point of this thread: If you are a guest who does not go out and seek negative experiences with cast members, you should never fear! If you are kind to us, we will smile and give you the best show and interaction possible.

Unfortunately, that's not always the case... sometimes, you can be the friendliest guest in the world and some CMs will still treat the guest like scum.

Back in 2001, I was at Epcot on my last day before heading home. I was there with somebody that hadn't been to WDW since he was a kid, so there was a LOT that he's never experienced.

Test Track was going to be the last thing we were doing that day and get back to the hotel before the going-home rush starts, so we got in line and stood for an hour or so. Then a woman comes out, says there's technical difficulties and pushes everybody out of line. Since he was really wanting to experience it, especially since he might not be back in a looong time, we waited for the crowd to die down a bit and walked up and asked rather politely if it's expected to reopen before the park closes. Well, she ignored our question, shouted at us (we were only a couple feet from her) "THE RIDE'S CLOSED!!!" pushed us away, and was generally rather rude to us...

We found another CM nearby and told him what happened. When we gave him the name, he was very much not surprised -- she apparently got frequent rudeness complaints. He was a good exact opposite of her -- in fact, we spent most of the rest of the night talking to him (until he was called to leave)... got us our info on what was going on with Test Track, talked about random things about the parks, and gave us vouchers for free shirts as an apology. I didn't really care about the free shirts. The kindness and talking to us like we were old friends was enough to make up for the rudeness we had just experienced.

 

[happytrees]

BTW, what must a guest actually do before they are told/made to leave the parks? I want to know what I can get away with!!! :fork:

JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!! :hammer:

 

[Merlin]

No, CM's do not deserve to be treated like crap, however it is one of the things you have to accept when working in the service industry. I cannot work behind a desk (i get bored waaaay to easily) and this makes me happy. I knew coming back to Disney that I would deal with stupid people....and that is how I tend to look at them. They do not deserve to have the power to ruin my day just because they are crabby. My day and my attitude needs to be determined by me and if it is bad, then I cannot let others see it when I am on stage.

:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: Well said!! Spoken like someone who will definitely go far in life and in your career!!

 

[Merlin]

If you are a guest who does not go out and seek negative experiences with cast members, you should never fear! If you are kind to us, we will smile and give you the best show and interaction possible. It's when we're being taken advantage of and used as verbal (and sometimes physical) punching bags that the show might be otherwise altered.

Sorry, but although this statement sounds like how one would essentially expect it to be, it is simply not true. I approach every interaction with CMs in a manner that assumes innocence on their part. I do not go into my interactions with them in a demanding, rude sort of way, nor do I look to pick a fight or be difficult. 99.9999999% of the time, I get outstanding service and interaction back from the CMs. I honestly don't attribute this to the fact that I approach the situation in a friendly manner. I attribute it to the fact that #1 It's their job, and #2 they are genuinely nice people. In the situations where I have encountered the other .0000001% (the rude ones), I can honestly say I approached those situations in the exact same way. I've never once been someone who will "seek a negative experience" with a CM. But I've gotten it. In fact, I'm probably less demanding than the average guest, due to the fact that I've worked in the service field and I do know how demanding it can be. So when a CM rewards my kind behavior with rudeness, it is unacceptable.

Having now read many of the CM remarks on this thread, something I've always suspected has essentially been confirmed...One reason for the rude behavior is generally because the CM ASSUMES I'm going to be difficult and they are rude to me before even giving me a chance.

 

[Dizneyworld4430]

I'd also like to re-point out the main point of this thread: If you are a guest who does not go out and seek negative experiences with cast members, you should never fear! If you are kind to us, we will smile and give you the best show and interaction possible. It's when we're being taken advantage of and used as verbal (and sometimes physical) punching bags that the show might be otherwise altered.

Actualy that is not always true. My husband and I were on our honeymoon at polly. we had booked a package that gave us three "wishes" they were called right before M.E. the pig headded money hungry jerk he was changed the policy. Now so you know this policy was changed within the weeks that we were there. So im going to quote the Wish because i still have copies of them. This entitles you to one couples sweedish massage at GF. so on our last day there we went used the cupons and had a wonderful massage. Note they accepted out one cupon. When we got back to the polly to check out the girl that was checking us out said we owed $210 to be exact. My husband and I looked puzzled at her and said for what. She said there was a charge to our room. well we did use our key as a charge at all when we were there and see mentioned it was at the gf. i explained to her as i know it wasnt her fault what happend and she said i could get the manager. The manager came out as said before i could even say hi if you do not pay this i will have the police come here and arrest you. Now after i heard that on my honeymoon i said for what. She said that the policy had changed while i was here and that we needed to abide by the new one. But then the issue of false adverstisement came up because that is not what it said on my Wish. i did not get ignorant or bilgerant but i did get emotional and cry but never screamed yelled or lost my maturity on the situation. and she had security escort us out after my father had to call in with his cc information so we would not be arrested. Now why was i treated like that? i lost all respect for some castmembers not all of them. I spoke with a manager at another hotel and explained the situation to him and he called her manager and told him what happend and that what she did was wrong. NOTE we never got compinsated for that issue and our honeymoon was tanted with the ignorance of that person.

 

[mhead]

well said

You have got the right attitude and will go far! :sohappy:

 

[rad_rat]

I haven't read all of the posts in this thread, but one thing that perhaps bears mentioning is that Disney hasn't done much to help cast morale recently. Last year they played hard ball in their negotiations for a new contract. So now I have heard many stories of cm's leaving for Universal or even Wal-mart because those places pay more and have better benefits (Wal-Mart?? Yep). It used to be that Disney set a high standard with pay and benefits, and as a result got the cream of the workforce for their cm's. Now they're trailing the rest of the industry and it's starting to show in the quality of some cms. Especially at the management level, Disney has promoted some folks who perhaps aren't very personable or "people skilled", or they have instituted some heavy-handed policies that are creating some resentment among rank-and-file cm's. It's starting to show. Talk to any cm offstage, and very few of them have much good to say about their immediate management.

My point is that it isn't always the smartest move to try to increase the bottom line by squeezing one's workers. If Disney returned to providing industry-leading pay and benefits I think that might help.

 

[mhead]

I did.

good. sounds like that was the best thing for you, Disney, and the guests.

 

[Merlin]

That's why I've said that for every bad guest, I could give 2 good guest stories. I do like to remember the good guests. But one thing that needs to be kept in mind is that in my 2 years 4 (nearly 5) months of being statused with the company, I've really only worked 7-8 months. I have isolated instances, because I'm seasonal. I'm sure that if I was full-time or part-time, not having the 4 seperate times I've been working, that I would have forgotten many of the bad guest stories I have, in favor of the good guests (aw...I'm just thinking of some of the cute little kids I've played with). It could just be our seperate concepts, because you are full-time.

Anyway. I'm going to be a good college student and do my homework.

Robynchic, what sets you apart from Geniegirl is that she conveys a true positive attitude in the way she looks at her job. You describe yours as the most horrible awful experience on the planet, but then you finish by saying, "don't get me wrong, I love my job". No one who puts up with what you claim to put up with could truthfully love their job. In pretty much every one of your posts, you whine and complain about how horribly you're treated at the hands of your guests and how miserably Disney treats you with terrible hours and hardly any pay. I imagine at least part of it is embellishment because, again, no one would tolerate a job like that, much less claim they "love" it. I can imagine your posts are reflective of what it is probably like to work with you. No one likes to work around someone who feels sorry for herself and complains all the time. Geniegirl, by contrast, is someone who I'll bet is a delight to work with. I don't say this to be insulting (though I realize it may sound that way), but I'm just bluntly telling you how it comes across. That outlook is not going to get you to the position of "president of one of the parks someday". Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no doubt that you work hard and that you "put up with a lot". But I think your fellow CMs put up with just as much and the vast majority have more positive attitudes about it. Those are the ones who are likely to go far in their lives and careers. The good news is that it is never too late to change one's outlook. :animwink:

 

[Misty]

I have dealt with guests as myself as well....as an entertainment attendant (greeter) and as an attractions hostess. I agree that there are SOME guests that give you a lot of attitude (including some tour groups) but out of ALL of the guests you see all day long, the rude ones seem to be the minority.

No, CM's do not deserve to be treated like crap, however it is one of the things you have to accept when working in the service industry. I cannot work behind a desk (i get bored waaaay to easily) and this makes me happy. I knew coming back to Disney that I would deal with stupid people....and that is how I tend to look at them. They do not deserve to have the power to ruin my day just because they are crabby. My day and my attitude needs to be determined by me and if it is bad, then I cannot let others see it when I am on stage.

Great attitude!! Way to go!!!:wave:

 

[CHAPPS]

Actually, as character attedants, character hosts, or whatever the role is called wherever you happen to be, yes, it is you yourself who is taking the abuse. Not everyone is simply performing as a role, some are taking verbal abuse to their own face.


Agreed.

I'd also like to re-point out the main point of this thread: If you are a guest who does not go out and seek negative experiences with cast members, you should never fear! If you are kind to us, we will smile and give you the best show and interaction possible. It's when we're being taken advantage of and used as verbal (and sometimes physical) punching bags that the show might be otherwise altered.

Oh give me a break! Most of the time, the cast member already has a bad attitude before the guest even approaches them.

 

[robynchic]

Robynchic, what sets you apart from Geniegirl is that she conveys a true positive attitude in the way she looks at her job. You describe yours as the most horrible awful experience on the planet, but then you finish by saying, "don't get me wrong, I love my job". No one who puts up with what you claim to put up with could truthfully love their job. In pretty much every one of your posts, you whine and complain about how horribly you're treated at the hands of your guests and how miserably Disney treats you with terrible hours and hardly any pay. I imagine at least part of it is embellishment because, again, no one would tolerate a job like that, much less claim they "love" it. I can imagine your posts are reflective of what it is probably like to work with you. No one likes to work around someone who feels sorry for herself and complains all the time. Geniegirl, by contrast, is someone who I'll bet is a delight to work with. I don't say this to be insulting (though I realize it may sound that way), but I'm just bluntly telling you how it comes across. That outlook is not going to get you to the position of "president of one of the parks someday". Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no doubt that you work hard and that you "put up with a lot". But I think your fellow CMs put up with just as much and the vast majority have more positive attitudes about it. Those are the ones who are likely to go far in their lives and careers. The good news is that it is never too late to change one's outlook. :animwink:

Disney is all performance, yes? Well, I am a "cast member," therefore I have to act happy sometimes, even when I'm not. I do love my job. And you would be surprised upon meeting me that your first impression of me was so poor. Because there are people on this site that have spoken to me on messaging programs, through private messages, or even in person, and they could all vouch that I am a sincerely nice person.
I just get irritated when people are saying it's all the cast members' faults, and refuses to look at how we get treated. I keep returning as seasonal because I love seeing people smiling. If all the bad experiences I've dealt with were the only ones to note, do you think I'd be trying to reach for a high goal like that? Do you think I'd stay with the company? Or refuse a job at the Disney Store because I would have had to self-terminate my status in Walt Disney World? No. I stay because I want to. Because there are people that make my day. There are other CMs that welcome me with open arms whenever I'm there, or say "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" when they see me.
Last winter break, I told one person my family was coming for a mini-vacation to Disney World, and just announce to the CMs at the Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade that there would be a "special guest" standing at [location my family was going to be at]. In turn, people that recognized me gave a wink, or a tongue flick (with the puppets), or any variety of things that meant that they knew me. It then spread around that I was there. And when I returned this past summer, people came up to me and were asking "Why didn't you work?" "I missed you!" "I thought it was just a rumor that you came, but you really did?"
It's the people that I come back for. The guests are people, too, and it's the good guests that I think about when I've just been hurt (emotionally, by other cast members or guests, or physically, on purpose or by accident). Because most likely, the next guest I meet after having an experience that could make my day bad will make extra effort to be nice.
Does that sound more like the type of CM you would like to encounter?

 

[Merlin]

Disney is all performance, yes? Well, I am a "cast member," therefore I have to act happy sometimes, even when I'm not. I do love my job. And you would be surprised upon meeting me that your first impression of me was so poor. Because there are people on this site that have spoken to me on messaging programs, through private messages, or even in person, and they could all vouch that I am a sincerely nice person.
I just get irritated when people are saying it's all the cast members' faults, and refuses to look at how we get treated. I keep returning as seasonal because I love seeing people smiling. If all the bad experiences I've dealt with were the only ones to note, do you think I'd be trying to reach for a high goal like that? Do you think I'd stay with the company? Or refuse a job at the Disney Store because I would have had to self-terminate my status in Walt Disney World? No. I stay because I want to. Because there are people that make my day. There are other CMs that welcome me with open arms whenever I'm there, or say "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" when they see me.
Last winter break, I told one person my family was coming for a mini-vacation to Disney World, and just announce to the CMs at the Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade that there would be a "special guest" standing at [location my family was going to be at]. In turn, people that recognized me gave a wink, or a tongue flick (with the puppets), or any variety of things that meant that they knew me. It then spread around that I was there. And when I returned this past summer, people came up to me and were asking "Why didn't you work?" "I missed you!" "I thought it was just a rumor that you came, but you really did?"
It's the people that I come back for. The guests are people, too, and it's the good guests that I think about when I've just been hurt (emotionally, by other cast members or guests, or physically, on purpose or by accident). Because most likely, the next guest I meet after having an experience that could make my day bad will make extra effort to be nice.
Does that sound more like the type of CM you would like to encounter?

I think it "sounds" like the type of CM ANYONE would prefer to encounter (and frankly, EXPECTS to encounter after the expectations set by Disney's reputation). I'm just not sure I believe it. After my very first post in response to one of yours, you jumped to the conclusion that I was "one of the difficult and demanding guests". This was in response to my assertion that there's no justification for a CM being rude to a guest (an assertion I still maintain). Your response struck me as immature, closed-minded and reflecting a poor attitude and work ethic. Perhaps the fellow CMs who "missed you" also share that poor attitude. It has been my experience and observation, over the years, that misery loves company and complainers are drawn to other complainers.

 

[mkt]

BTW, what must a guest actually do before they are told/made to leave the parks? I want to know what I can get away with!!! :fork:

JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!! :hammer:

lets see.... the worst thing a guest did to me to get kicked out (as myself, and not as a friend ) was push me onto the floor forcefully.

the probably most forgivable, but the guy did deserve it, was curse me out calling me several derogatory terms.

 

[Merlin]

Hi, my name is vanessa and I've worked at Disneyworld!! *waves* >_>; Anyhow, I was a housekeeper for a year in the college program at the Yacht and Beach Resort. I'm amazed at how people nowadays are. Seriously, they're paying 400 bucks a night and they treat the room like it was thier own damn home. Anyhow, the worse ever treatment was when I was cleaning a room in front of the guest. They sterotyped me and while I am a mexican, I can ovbiously speak and write english. Mexican American actually. ANYHOW!! I started cleaning in the bathroom and I was already a bit behind on cleaning when I heard them say "I hope that damn dirty mexican hurrys up so we can leave already." Make sure to hide away the toys and jewlery."

Vanessa, I think what that guest said was inexcusable and ignorant. I'm sorry that happened. It must have felt horrible. Stereotyping can be a dangerous thing. There is a company called J Howard and Associates, which is considered one of the renowned organizations specializing in the topic of diversity and inclusion. They define stereotyping as follows: A commonly held, usually negative, belief about a group, which is attributed to all members of that group. What you experienced was an example of that. For whatever reason, it is a widely held belief that certain ethnic groups are more prone to theft, even though the statistical data doesn't back up that belief. Being a member of one of those ethnic groups, you were victim to someone's ignorance.

Likewise, when a CM makes assumptions that an individual guest is going to be "difficult or demanding" simply because they fall into the same category as other guests who WERE that way (i.e. guests who save up to stay at a deluxe resort), this is also an example of stereotyping.

Again, I'm sorry that happened to you. I can't say, however, that I agree with how you chose to handle it. While it didn't necessarily put you at that ignorant person's level, it brought you down a few notches in terms of professionalism. I'm glad, overall, that your manager backed you up, but I don't think it set a good example for her to back up the remark you made about stealing their valuables. I think that simply letting them know you spoke English probably would have put them in their place and still would have allowed you to be the bigger person because of it.

 

[Merlin]

lets see.... the worst thing a guest did to me to get kicked out (as myself, and not as a friend ) was push me onto the floor forcefully.

the probably most forgivable, but the guy did deserve it, was curse me out calling me several derogatory terms.

I agree both of these actions should be grounds for ejection from the park, without a refund. And of course the first one should have been grounds for arrest (after all, that was much more than simply a tap on the shoulder). In the case of the first one, certainly if a CM is being threatened with bodily harm, I think they have every right to fight back and defend themselves if there is no other alternative (such as call Security or escape the situation somehow). But just so we're clear, I wouldn't define that potential behavior on the CM's part as "rude".

In the case of the second one, I think that if the CM in question were to spout obscenities back, that would be an unprofessional way of handling it. Something more along the lines of "Sir (or Ma'am), that language is unacceptable. This is a family environment. Please do not speak in that manner."