When CM's Go a Bit Overboard

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I've noticed this a bit more over the past several years. Personally it doesn't really bug me all that much......but there are times. This last trip was one of those times.

CM's....mainly the ones in charge of the shows (i.e. HoP, Muppets, Laugh Floor, Country Bear, Tiki Room, CoP, and in general any ride that is theater themed).......seem at times to get a bit carried away. They try a bit too hard to incorporate themselves into the show. Thus, they try to become part of the show.

I mean I get it with something like Jungle Cruise where there is a script and the CM wants to improvise a bit. Got it. No problem

I'm talking about an experience at a show (that will remain nameless) where the audience was subjected to a 3 minute stand-up comedy routine that was neither particularly entertaining nor funny. It was rather uncomfortable. To the point where the children of the families sitting around me were all gasping "When is the show going to start?" or "Can we start the show please?"

This is an attraction I've visited many times before, so no, it was not part of the "show". The CM IMO tried just a bit too hard, and the interaction with the guests (which is a good thing) lasted a bit too long. It was very awkward.

Anybody experience something similar?

 

[Driver]

I've noticed this a bit more over the past several years. Personally it doesn't really bug me all that much......but there are times. This last trip was one of those times.

CM's....mainly the ones in charge of the shows (i.e. HoP, Muppets, Laugh Floor, Country Bear, Tiki Room, CoP, and in general any ride that is theater themed).......seem at times to get a bit carried away. They try a bit too hard to incorporate themselves into the show. Thus, they try to become part of the show.

I mean I get it with something like Jungle Cruise where there is a script and the CM wants to improvise a bit. Got it. No problem

I'm talking about an experience at a show (that will remain nameless) where the audience was subjected to a 3 minute stand-up comedy routine that was neither particularly entertaining nor funny. It was rather uncomfortable. To the point where the children of the families sitting around me were all gasping "When is the show going to start?" or "Can we start the show please?"

This is an attraction I've visited many times before, so no, it was not part of the "show". The CM IMO tried just a bit too hard, and the interaction with the guests (which is a good thing) lasted a bit too long. It was very awkward.

Anybody experience something similar?

Without knowing which show you are referring to it's hard to comment. However every CM is considered part of the show. If a CM is taking it upon themselves to create their own little " pre-show" it won't take long till a GEM shuts that down and the CM will receive a correction. Again not knowing the show/situation it's hard to give accurate input.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Without knowing which show you are referring to it's hard to comment. However every CM is considered part of the show. If a CM is taking it upon themselves to create their own little " pre-show" it won't take long till a GEM shuts that down and the CM will receive a correction. Again not knowing the show/situation it's hard to give accurate input.

I'm also curious to know which show it was. Do you mind me asking why you don't want to name the show, OP?

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I'm also curious to know which show it was. Do you mind me asking why you don't want to name the show, OP?

As I know there are many CMs and other Disney folk that stumble on to this forum, my intent isn't to call attention to anyone specifically. It may have been a one off occurrence - and it may have been my lucky day.

I do agree with @Driver that CMs can be and in many cases are an integral part of "show". But in some cases though they may overstep a bit.

I also agree that if the CM did try to take too much initiative and because of that - it detracted from the experience - it will be corrected.

The intent of my post wasnt necessarily meant to be a complaint per se (though in re-reading it I can see how it can be interpreted as one) I just wanted to relay a recent experience to see if others had noticed some of these types of interactions.

For the most part, a quick one liner or 2, a brief interaction for quick laugh -that's all great.

In this case the interaction seemed to me a bit awkward, a bit forced, and a bit long.

Again, just curious as to others experiences and if they had encountered these types of interactions as well.

 

[Shouldigo12]

As I know there are many CMs and other Disney folk that stumble on to this forum, my intent isn't to call attention to anyone specifically. It may have been a one off occurrence - and it may have been my lucky day.

I do agree with @Driver that CMs can be and in many cases are an integral part of "show". But in some cases though they may overstep a bit.

I also agree that if the CM did try to take too much initiative and because of that - it detracted from the experience - it will be corrected.

The intent of my post wasnt necessarily meant to be a complaint per se (though in re-reading it I can see how it can be interpreted as one) I just wanted to relay a recent experience to see if others had noticed some of these types of interactions.

For the most part, a quick one liner or 2, a brief interaction for quick laugh -that's all great.

In this case the interaction seemed to me a bit awkward, a bit forced, and a bit long.

Again, just curious as to others experiences and if they had encountered these types of interactions as well.

No, no, you're fine. Three minutes is a bit long to be improvising your own routine for a show, especially if Disney is as hard on deviating from the script as I've heard they've been. It's just not the time or the place to be doing that.

 

[Andrew C]

So...what show was it?

 

[Shouldigo12]

So...what show was it?

They don't want to name the show because they don't want to call out the cast member working there.

 

[PUSH]

So...what show was it?

It was on the bus out of MK after the fireworks. Everyone just wanted to get back to the resort, but the bus driver went rogue and thought, you know what this group really wants right now? A high class comedy routine! Time to dust off the old Meg jokes...

 

[TARDIS]

I guess since I’ve seen and done it all I tend to enjoy when this happens ( usually it’s funny so maybe that’s why I enjoy it) But I can see where one could take it too long or go a bit overboard. Is it possible they where delaying the show due to some unforeseen technical issue? I’ve had that happen before.

But if this is a continuous thing that cast member just does, then I’m sure it will be corrected pretty soon.

 

[DisneyAndADoleWhip]

I've seen this with a ToT CM. And a bus driver. I enjoyed both, but I'm sure others might not. We still use the bus driver's jokes to this day.

 

[Jwhee]

What drives me crazy is the people who ride on the back of the parking lot trams. Some of them are great, some are obnoxious.

Great one- Had an older person at Epcot who was nice and calm, no shouting, and kept calling the park Epcot Center.

Bad one- obnoxiously Loud CM at Epcot telling us about princesses.

Also awful when they're shouting Disney trivia at 10pm at night after a long day at the park and you just want silence.

 

[celluloid]

CMs are always part of "the show" but that includes knowing your role and boundaries. The oddest CM trying to be positive story I have occurred last week. A woman pointed at the ground behind my three year old and shouted "look out! There's a Snake!" She watched him walk a bit fast, not sad but concerned towards us and we look to him knowing she was making some kind of joke. As we continue she adds "...In your boot" A case of the heart being in the right place but not knowing how to tell a joke.

 

[Jon81uk]

Yes I've seen this too, where they think they are funnier than they are. Also seen the unintentially funny, such as the Canada CM doing the spiel before the Canada circle-vision show who had the most monotonous voice that just droned on. She didn't go off script, but her voice just made it sound "oh, Canada" instead of "OH! Canada!".


One reason I've seen for managers cracking down on those who go off-script when spieling (even on Jungle Cruise, old Great Movie Ride) is that someone doing a performance should be equity union cast, whereas a regular spieler is a member of the standard union. Apparently Equity can get on Disney's case if they allow cast members to do "improv" roles without being Equity members.

 

[Tuvalu]

@scorp16 I know exactly what show you are talking about, as we experienced the same comedy routine that left us going, “Huh?” It was totally pointless.....although afterwards I wondered if there had been some technical difficulties behind-the-scenes and the CM was asked to “stall” the audience.

 

[Driver]

It was on the bus out of MK after the fireworks. Everyone just wanted to get back to the resort, but the bus driver went rogue and thought, you know what this group really wants right now? A high class comedy routine! Time to dust off the old Meg jokes...

A "rogue " bus driver!.... bus drivers are allowed to play with the crowd.

 

[larryz]

A "rogue " bus driver!.... bus drivers are allowed to play with the crowd.

Try this line and see how it goes over... "You people better start laughing at my jokes or I'm gonna drive this bus right over a cliff."

 

[ppete1975]

@scorp16 I know exactly what show you are talking about, as we experienced the same comedy routine that left us going, “Huh?” It was totally pointless.....although afterwards I wondered if there had been some technical difficulties behind-the-scenes and the CM was asked to “stall” the audience.

This is exactly what I was wondering after reading this. If the person just thinks they are funny and/or bored then they need to be reprimanded.

 

[jloucks]

@scorp16 I know exactly what show you are talking about, as we experienced the same comedy routine that left us going, “Huh?” It was totally pointless.....although afterwards I wondered if there had been some technical difficulties behind-the-scenes and the CM was asked to “stall” the audience.

The dreaded stall routine. From what I have heard, stage performers often hate it as much as the audience.

 

[wdisney9000]

That doesn't bother me as much as seeing Haunted Mansion Cast, assigned to parade control in Liberty Square, dancing around throughout the show. They are supposed to be miserable!!

It irks me to no end when a HM cast member puts ZERO effort into the role they have. Especially the ones at the front door of the mansion. It is a pretty easy role to play, just stand there and stare at people with a creepy look. Or when they rush the spiel in the chamber room and it has no spook at all.

 

[JohnD]

In attractions like Jungle Cruise, sometimes the CMs are forced to ad lib, particularly if the boats are stacked up waiting to dock. They need to have the source material ready. You're not going anywhere anyway. Hopefully, the other instances are for stalling also and not just because the CM likes to hear themselves act.