WDW Spirited Quickees

[NoChesterHester]

Here's one for you ... what if he is a CM?
What if Disney is paying him and he's playing a role and not being forthcoming about it?

I don't believe it, but someone I know has said he has a maingate. If he does, he's cast and Disney is playing a VERY dangerous game.

That would be something. I'd love to watch the fallout online if this were discovered true.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

like this guy??

Holy smokes I never really put two and two together before, but I'd bet at least 75% of guests think he works for Disney when he shows up in the parks dressed like this! Not to even mention his "entourage"! They let this continue on a regular basis, but some poor teenager who spends hours on her hair and makeup can't dress up like Tink at DAK?

I always thought Mongello was a former attorney -- in other words, that he no longer practices law.

However, according to the website of Mongello & Scialabba (which is linked to the WDWRadio site), he is still described as "of counsel" to the law firm, whatever this designation means. Furthermore, his bio on the law firm's site also notes that "he is currently the Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Operations" for Tricat, which ostensibly provides "medical imaging information services."

All of this raises a number of questions.

Is it ethical for a practicing attorney to contemporaneously own and/or operate multiple, other non-legal businesses?

Conversely, is it ethical for a non-practicing attorney to continue to draw an income from a law firm, even if that firm is owned in part by the attorney and/or other members of his family? (I don't know whether Lou in fact derives any income from Mongello & Scialabba, but it would be odd to publicly hold oneself out as professionally affiliated, in a presumably non-volunteer position, with an entity for which one does no paid work whatsoever.) Keep in mind that what is "ethical" from a layperson's point of view (e.g., having a family member paying you for work you didn't really do by characterizing such payment as a gift) may not be ethical from the standpoint of a professional organization that regulates the practice of law.

And how much law can someone really practice if he not only lives hundreds of miles away from his law firm, but also spends seemingly all of his conceivable free time wandering around theme parks and working on material for his podcast, blog, and website? If I were a potential client, would I really want to engage the services of a law firm, one of whose attorneys seems to have little actual commitment to or interest in the practice of law?

I'm no expert on legal ethics, but most of the above questions arise naturally as a matter of common sense, as well as the general understanding that certain professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, operate within strict sets of ethics guidelines that regulate how they must practice their professions.

(As an aside, the website for Tricat has no content of any substance, nor any indication of what exactly the company does, who runs it, or where it is located. No address or phone number is provided, and the only way to contact anybody is to fill out an online inquiry form. You'd think that a company that purportedly provides medical services -- much like one that provides legal services -- would fully document their relevant accreditation, etc. As it stands, the website for Tricat almost makes it seem like an entity that was solely created as a shell for other purposes.)

I think the "lifestyler" lifestyle is creepy, too, but isn't this veering towards personal attacks that don't belong here, delving into his personal dealings like this? I'm no ethicist, but why is it improper for a lawyer to also run separate, non-legal businesses? He could be listed on the firm's website for several reasons... I really don't see how that is our business. Trash the way that he has appointed himself to the position of Disney CM all you want, but what the heck does [what I assume is] his dad's law firm have to do with anything? There does appear to a really-for-real Tricat medical imaging center in Edison, NJ. The website is such a shell that maybe it is just that... a shell. I'm not even sure what you're implying by bringing up the quality of this website... if you're making a fictitious website for SPECTRE or KAOS, you'd probably do a better job of making it look functional. Archive.org shows what seems like a functional website there in the past, then it went to godaddy, now there's this.

I don't see how these types of attacks help our discussion of the problems in WDW, does someone care to explain?

 

[71jason]

Eh....that would be a pain, truly. But our Club was open to all, even the extremely annoying.
(I learned that when I got cornered and babbled at by the tattoo guy one night in the Salon.)

No offense, but if George was the most annoying guy you ever met in the Club, I don't think you can even qualify as a regular. I can think of a dozen worse off the top of my head.

 

[unkadug]

How many people can a CM bring in?

I believe it is still 16 sign-ins a year with a limit of three guests per visit.

If I'm incorrect, I'm sure someone will correct me.

 

[71jason]

Here's one for you ... what if he is a CM?
What if Disney is paying him and he's playing a role and not being forthcoming about it?

I don't believe it, but someone I know has said he has a maingate. If he does, he's cast and Disney is playing a VERY dangerous game.

That would explain a lot--his blatent copyright infringement, the fact he (apparently) doesn't use releases, how he managed to write himself into a show with Equity actors--but embarassing as hell to TDO if this ever proved true.

 

[unkadug]

No offense, but if George was the most annoying guy you ever met in the Club, I don't think you can even qualify as a regular. I can think of a dozen worse off the top of my head.

If you think that a dozen people were annoying, then why did you even go there....I would have found a bar that catered to people more of my liking !

 

[71jason]

I believe it is still 16 sign-ins a year with a limit of three guests per visit.

If I'm incorrect, I'm sure someone will correct me.

Varies with your job, and seniority. Management types get the coveted silver maingate that allows them to get in up to 3 people every day almost all year (I think there are a couple blackout dates); a few people who have worked there over a decade have been grandfathered into that as well. BTW, it also lets the Cast member in every day. But the main point is, you don't get one unless you are on the payroll as a Disney employee.

 

[71jason]

If you think that a dozen people were annoying, then why did you even go there....I would have found a bar that catered to people more of my liking !

Part of its charm in an odd way. And many dozens more I liked. But there's no question if was a fanboi/fangirl freak show magnet.

 

[asianway]

I believe it is still 16 sign-ins a year with a limit of three guests per visit.

If I'm incorrect, I'm sure someone will correct me.

That's a blue pass I think, silver is (theoretically) no limit and as many as on the backof the pass

 

[Lee]

No offense, but if George was the most annoying guy you ever met in the Club, I don't think you can even qualify as a regular. I can think of a dozen worse off the top of my head.

Actually he was.
I didn't spend a lot of time mingling with people I didn't know at the Club. The Mrs. and I were more interested in watching the shows and just....chillin'.

As for being a regular....I was as regular as I could be while living a thousand miles away for the vast majority of the Club's existence.

 

[bferrara16]

I always thought Mongello was a former attorney -- in other words, that he no longer practices law.

However, according to the website of Mongello & Scialabba (which is linked to the WDWRadio site), he is still described as "of counsel" to the law firm, whatever this designation means. Furthermore, his bio on the law firm's site also notes that "he is currently the Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Operations" for Tricat, which ostensibly provides "medical imaging information services."

All of this raises a number of questions.

Is it ethical for a practicing attorney to contemporaneously own and/or operate multiple, other non-legal businesses?

Conversely, is it ethical for a non-practicing attorney to continue to draw an income from a law firm, even if that firm is owned in part by the attorney and/or other members of his family? (I don't know whether Lou in fact derives any income from Mongello & Scialabba, but it would be odd to publicly hold oneself out as professionally affiliated, in a presumably non-volunteer position, with an entity for which one does no paid work whatsoever.) Keep in mind that what is "ethical" from a layperson's point of view (e.g., having a family member paying you for work you didn't really do by characterizing such payment as a gift) may not be ethical from the standpoint of a professional organization that regulates the practice of law.

And how much law can someone really practice if he not only lives hundreds of miles away from his law firm, but also spends seemingly all of his conceivable free time wandering around theme parks and working on material for his podcast, blog, and website? If I were a potential client, would I really want to engage the services of a law firm, one of whose attorneys seems to have little actual commitment to or interest in the practice of law?

I'm no expert on legal ethics, but most of the above questions arise naturally as a matter of common sense, as well as the general understanding that certain professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, operate within strict sets of ethics guidelines that regulate how they must practice their professions.

(As an aside, the website for Tricat has no content of any substance, nor any indication of what exactly the company does, who runs it, or where it is located. No address or phone number is provided, and the only way to contact anybody is to fill out an online inquiry form. You'd think that a company that purportedly provides medical services -- much like one that provides legal services -- would fully document their relevant accreditation, etc. As it stands, the website for Tricat almost makes it seem like an entity that was solely created as a shell for other purposes.)

As a non-practicing attorney, the answers to your questions are - (1) of course, (2) plenty - there's these things called the internet and email and video conferencing, and... (3) sure, since clients are usually hired or brought in by specific attorneys, they are not going to worry about the other attorneys in the firm that have nothing to do with their file. Also, the fact that Tricat is a shell is probably because it is a shell - that's how businesses work these days. Good luck tracing any corporation or LLC back to actual members/owners/stockholders without going through a few "holding" companies. Tricat most likely has zero obligation to provide anything that you listed there.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

That would explain a lot--his blatent copyright infringement, the fact he (apparently) doesn't use releases, how he managed to write himself into a show with Equity actors--but embarassing as hell to TDO if this ever proved true.

What is the bolded part???

 

[menamechris]

Varies with your job, and seniority. Management types get the coveted silver maingate that allows them to get in up to 3 people every day almost all year (I think there are a couple blackout dates); a few people who have worked there over a decade have been grandfathered into that as well. BTW, it also lets the Cast member in every day. But the main point is, you don't get one unless you are on the payroll as a Disney employee.

Or live in Golden Oak, apparently...

 

[stevehousse]

Never seen the guy at the parks before myself, but I do have to say that i would definitely think he worked for Disney looking like that. This story is so odd to me...

 

[WDW1974]

I think it's time to get a new, better computer.

Heck, I bet you could use the smiley even on an iPad!

I don't have an iPad. I guess I need a career change ... (insert the Dr. Evil smiley!)

 

[WDW1974]

I always wondered how Lou Mongello was ALWAYS in the parks... They let him have free access so he can do his videos and podcasts when he's in the parks? Am I correct that they let him in for free.? Or no..

I have no idea. But an AP isn't very pricey when you are running a business that rakes in money off of your host.

 

[WDW1974]

How many people can a CM bring in?

That depends on their status with the company.

 

[invader]

That depends on their status with the company.

I thought it was generally your spouse and the amount of people in your immediate family.

 

[WDW1974]

Holy smokes I never really put two and two together before, but I'd bet at least 75% of guests think he works for Disney when he shows up in the parks dressed like this! Not to even mention his "entourage"! They let this continue on a regular basis, but some poor teenager who spends hours on her hair and makeup can't dress up like Tink at DAK?

Yes, they do. And tell me how most people, even those guests who actually have brains that function, wouldn't think he was a Disney employee? And tell me how that doesn't open up all sorts of potential ethical and legal questions for the company?

I think the "lifestyler" lifestyle is creepy, too, but isn't this veering towards personal attacks that don't belong here, delving into his personal dealings like this? I'm no ethicist, but why is it improper for a lawyer to also run separate, non-legal businesses? He could be listed on the firm's website for several reasons... I really don't see how that is our business. Trash the way that he has appointed himself to the position of Disney CM all you want, but what the heck does [what I assume is] his dad's law firm have to do with anything? There does appear to a really-for-real Tricat medical imaging center in Edison, NJ. The website is such a shell that maybe it is just that... a shell. I'm not even sure what you're implying by bringing up the quality of this website... if you're making a fictitious website for SPECTRE or KAOS, you'd probably do a better job of making it look functional. Archive.org shows what seems like a functional website there in the past, then it went to godaddy, now there's this.

I don't see how these types of attacks help our discussion of the problems in WDW, does someone care to explain?

First, I don't like the use of the word 'attacks' here. It seems whenever someone brings up legit criticism of PUBLIC figures (and Lou has made himself one and any court would agree with that), that often is tossed out to get the discussion neutered or shut down entirely.

I think what anyone who makes themselves a public media figure in the Disney world does, is open to discussion. Where do so many of these folks get their money to spend 4-7 days a week at WDW? Who is backing them? And why are they getting special treatment? Just what is the deal with Lou that neither he nor TDO wants to talk about?

Since we know TWDC is NOT vetting these people, I'd advance the point that it is our obligation as members of the fan community to move these kinds of discussions to ensure the safety of guests to the parks. If we're not looking, who is? I think many of these bloggers are counting on the fact no one is, which is why when they start having their names discussed, they get very nasty and attempt to get the discussions closed down (many have not ever held a real job ... what does that tell you?)

Not being able to discuss them would be like going to a celebrity gossip site and being told Linday Lohan and Tom Hanks are off limits ... or a political forum where you couldn't mention Obama or Romney.

 

[WDW1974]

That would explain a lot--his blatent copyright infringement, the fact he (apparently) doesn't use releases, how he managed to write himself into a show with Equity actors--but embarassing as hell to TDO if this ever proved true.

I suppose it would.

But I still don't see how others get around the rules ... the Ricky Brigantes and the Jeff Langes and the Rosebooms and countless others all use Disney IP as if it is theirs.

You know, the New York Times can't do that. Hell, WABC can do that. Owned by the same company too.

If WESH (Ch. 2 in O-Town) can't place a reporter on Main Street USA with a mic how is it that these folks have carte blanche to do what they do?

Very simple question and one I've now been asking for a few years ...