Universal Studios Orlando has fired an actor for throwing up a racist symbol while in costume in a photo with two black children.
What We Know:
- Universal Studios has fired Gru from Despicable Me for throwing a white power symbol in a photo with two black children. The person, who is yet to be identified, was in costume posing alongside a Minion with a 2-year-old boy and his 6-year-old sister.
- It was not until later that Tiffiney Zinger the kids’ mom noticed that the children’s movie character was making an upside-down “OK” symbol, which the Anti-Defamation League recently added to its list of hate symbols. The trip was in March but after finding a video of the incident she and her husband, Richard confirmed that the employee deliberately made the symbol while pretending to warmly welcome the children.
- The concerned mom had this to say about the incident: “We just wanted to take them to see the Minions, do something special for our family, and this person ruined that special warm feeling…I’ve been emotionally distraught about it. I’m still pretty upset that someone felt they needed to do this to children.”
- Universal Studios released this statement: “We never want our guests to experience what this family did. This is not acceptable and we are sorry — and we are taking steps to make sure nothing like this happens again. We can’t discuss specifics about this incident, but we can confirm that the actor no longer works here. We remain in contact with the family and will work with them privately to make this right.”
Thanks to a hateful person putting up a hate symbol an innocent family vacation was ruined.
