Yee Haw Bob Sexual Harrassment

[andrewilley]

It's entirely possible she just doesn't quite remember exactly when it occurred but that sounds odd from someone who has actual proof of when it happened with a photo, presumably kept some sort of log of communication she had with Disney, and had a check sent to them.

As far as exactly when this event allegedly occurred, we know from a number of sources that the photo session in question was at one of Bob's shows after a RunDisney event when the group went to River Roost in the evening to celebrate. I did have a quick look online to see if I could find any photos from such a community meet (presumably it tied in with the Mickey Miles podcast given the attendees, Michelle, Mike Scopa, etc?) but haven't had any luck so far.

Andre

 

[AngiTN]

I asked if the mods could make the thread title a bit less inflammatory too - even if this allegation was 100% true (which currently seems to be rather doubtful) then it is still hardly full-on "sexual harassment". I suggested something along the lines of "YeHaa Bob Jackson: Allegation of Inappropriate Behaviour" would be more accurate. Or even as far as "YeHaa Bob Jackson denies allegation of Inappropriate Behaviour". Mods, I'm guessing you must be watching this thread like a hawk, any chance you could do this?

Oh, and I can confirm that Bob performed his normal show at the River Roost Lounge last night, as usual.

Andre

FWIW, Bob performed at the River Roost last night. Disney continues to support and stand by him: 4-6 years ago, 2 weeks ago and now.

Best news I've gotten today! I was wondering, as was DH, if he performed. And if anything happened when he performed, since some claimed they planned to heckle. I have no way to let Bob know I'm with him in spirit but I am. Until more info is provided than we currently have, I'm firmly planted on Bob's side here. If facts change, my opinion may also. I hope he can feel his supporters, even if we can't all communicate with him.

 

[Sue M]

There is always the possibility that he has been doing this to women for years, and if that is true it will come out. He should face consequences and if there are more serious allegations of assault then he should face legal consequences as well.
However at this point it is one woman's word and she is using that to try to ruin his career. That makes him a victim of a witch hunt.

Yes, that is what I meant. He is the victim of a witch hunt, smear campaign, without any proof of wrong doing.
I personally believe him when he told me he did not do this.

 

[Boatsanbeaches]

I asked my wife about this situation because she had something very similar happen to her. And I wanted to get her perspective.

We were in a casino in Atlantic City a few years ago walking on the casino floor. I was walking ahead of her looking for a table game or slot machine and a man grabbed her butt as he walked by. Full palm, grabbed, and squeezed. She immediately turned to him and said “don’t touch me again and don’t treat women like that”. The man looked shocked and walked quickly away. She decided not to tell me about what happened until the next day as I was drinking and probably would have reacted in anger. Which was probably the right move that night.

I asked her if this was somehow traumatic and she said she hasn’t thought about it until I just brought it up and she just thought the man was a jerk. She could not care less what this jerk is doing 4-6 years later.

Now I realize I’m comparing two separate people and two separate incidents and individuals can react very differently to similar scenarios.

So my question is, “Is this an appropriate response to the incident?” It’s quite obvious men certainly shouldn’t be going around grabbing butts. I have no reason not to believe Michelle’s story. Is it possible Bob just put his arm around her and squeezed without realizing exactly where his hand was or how it was being perceived? Michelle obviously didn’t think this was the case or she wouldn’t have persued it with Disney. It is it responsible to have people call for his job after this much time? I don’t have the right answer but this trial by Facebook and subsequent uproar seems like it’s not the right way to handle things.

 

[AngiTN]

I asked my wife about this situation because she had something very similar happen to her. And I wanted to get her perspective.

We were in a casino in Atlantic City a few years ago walking on the casino floor. I was walking ahead of her looking for a table game or slot machine and a man grabbed her butt as he walked by. Full palm, grabbed, and squeezed. She immediately turned to him and said “don’t touch me again and don’t treat women like that”. The man looked shocked and walked quickly away. She decided not to tell me about what happened until the next day as I was drinking and probably would have reacted in anger. Which was probably the right move that night.

I asked her if this was somehow traumatic and she said she hasn’t thought about it until I just brought it up and she just thought the man was a jerk. She could not care less what this jerk is doing 4-6 years later.

Now I realize I’m comparing two separate people and two separate incidents and individuals can react very differently to similar scenarios.

So my question is, “Is this an appropriate response to the incident?” It’s quite obvious men certainly shouldn’t be going around grabbing butts. I have no reason not to believe Michelle’s story. Is it possible Bob just put his arm around her and squeezed without realizing exactly where his hand was or how it was being perceived? Michelle obviously didn’t think this was the case or she wouldn’t have persued it with Disney. It is it responsible to have people call for his job after this much time? I don’t have the right answer but this trial by Facebook and subsequent uproar seems like it’s not the right way to handle things.

Your wife handled it, and has the same reaction to it today, that I would. And that any woman I know would. I do not know a single female that would be turned in to stone, unable to even view a photo of it, or still traumatized by it years later. Heck, hours later they would have moved on. I too acknowledge that I can't say how Michelle should have reacted but I can say her's is an odd reaction and I can't quite comprehend it. A 10 yo sure. A grown woman? No way.

As to the bold, this is exactly what I imagine could have happened. For some reason, it rubbed her the wrong way (no pun intended here, I promise) and it set her off. Some people are really hyper-sensitive about where they are touched. Plus, I have to consider intent and no, there are times you can't tell intent but there are times when you can.

 

[cabanafrau]

It can be a pretty big fall when you climb up so high on your assumptions in the hypothetical and find it's a much different situation in reality for yourself or someone you love. It's both unfair and plain wrong to assume you know how someone should have reacted because you're so certain you know how you yourself would react.

 

[AngiTN]

It can be a pretty big fall when you climb up so high on your assumptions in the hypothetical and find it's a much different situation in reality for yourself or someone you love. It's both unfair and plain wrong to assume you know how someone should have reacted because you're so certain you know how you yourself would react.

Has that or has that not (the bold) been acknowledged?

As for your assumptions that something similar hasn't happened in my life (or others) I wouldn't assume if I would you.

 

[cabanafrau]

Your wife handled it, and has the same reaction to it today, that I would. And that any woman I know would. I do not know a single female that would be turned in to stone, unable to even view a photo of it, or still traumatized by it years later. Heck, hours later they would have moved on. I too acknowledge that I can't say how Michelle should have reacted but I can say her's is an odd reaction and I can't quite comprehend it. A 10 yo sure. A grown woman? No way.

As to the bold, this is exactly what I imagine could have happened. For some reason, it rubbed her the wrong way (no pun intended here, I promise) and it set her off. Some people are really hyper-sensitive about where they are touched. Plus, I have to consider intent and no, there are times you can't tell intent but there are times when you can.

Has that or has that not (the bold) been acknowledged?

As for your assumptions that something similar hasn't happened in my life (or others) I wouldn't assume if I would you.

That's not assuming how someone should have reacted?

Not to mention it assumes a complete understanding of someone's history, which can impact greatly how traumatic something like this could be.

 

[AngiTN]

That's not assuming how someone should have reacted?

Not to mention it assumes a complete understanding of someone's history, which can impact greatly how traumatic something like this could be.

And the sentence you didn't bold? Where I said specifically that I can't say how Michelle should have reacted? I said how I would react and how the women I know would react. I stand by that as 100% accurate. Not assumptions.

 

[cabanafrau]

And the sentence you didn't bold? Where I said specifically that I can't say how Michelle should have reacted? I said how I would react and how the women I know would react. I stand by that as 100% accurate. Not assumptions.

You can 100-percent say you know how "women you know would react"? I hate to break it to you, but you can't even guarantee how you would react with 100-percent certainty. I can say that with absolute certainty after a lot of years of job experience, some of which haunt me years after hearing the accounts.

But you're not saying how she should have reacted??

 

[Mermaid02]

Has that or has that not (the bold) been acknowledged?

As for your assumptions that something similar hasn't happened in my life (or others) I wouldn't assume if I would you.

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner!

 

[Ajax]

It had occurred early on to me that someone hacked into MSM’s Facebook and MS’s Twitter accounts. They both seem like such credible people that I struggle to understand why they launched a campaign to get an entertainer fired from his job at Disney for something that happened long ago.

That was also my initial thought, though fleeting. And they seem to have tossed this mess into the punchbowl and walked away, though I don't have access to the FB page of Mr Scopa. As to the date discrepancy, it might be a typo. But like The Dis, FB has an 'Edit' feature in its toolbox. If I were demanding that someone be fired, I would take great pains to make sure that my IP was correct in every respect, and would not hesitate to return to it to make a correction if one was needed. You just can't be sloppy when you're playing with fire.

 

[Mermaid02]

It can be a pretty big fall when you climb up so high on your assumptions in the hypothetical and find it's a much different situation in reality for yourself or someone you love. It's both unfair and plain wrong to assume you know how someone should have reacted because you're so certain you know how you yourself would react.

I 150% know how I would react.
My point is WHY is her word so much more believable than his. WHY? In this country we are innocent until PROVEN guilty- I am not as ready to give this up as so many seem to be. It is terrifying.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I think this opinion piece brings up some interesting commentary on how we as a society tend to react to these allegations.

http://theweek.com/articles/737056/myth-male-bumbler

I don’t know either of these people. Either could be lying. But I do find it disheartening that after so many recent allegations that have been proven true where the victims lives have been dragged through the mud that the gut reaction is still to protect the poor, good man (who is the real victim!) having his reputation ruined by the lying harpie who just wants attention.

 

[Mermaid02]

I think this opinion piece brings up some interesting commentary on how we as a society tend to react to these allegations.

http://theweek.com/articles/737056/myth-male-bumbler

I don’t know either of these people. Either could be lying. But I do find it disheartening that after so many recent allegations that have been proven true where the victims lives have been dragged through the mud that the gut reaction is still to protect the poor, good man (who is the real victim!) having his reputation ruined by the lying harpie who just wants attention.

Your point is well taken- a certain person immediately comes to mind who had actual rape allegations (many victims with many convincing stories) and the establishment protected him to the hilt. I wonder what would happen if a new victim of this man came forward at this time?
But I think immediately assuming guilt is wrong too. And calling a tush grab sexual assault is beyond ridiculous.

 

[LSUmiss]

Your point is well taken- a certain person immediately comes to mind who had actual rape allegations (many victims with many convincing stories) and the establishment protected him to the hilt. I wonder what would happen if a new victim of this man came forward at this time?
But I think immediately assuming guilt is wrong too. And calling a tush grab sexual assault is beyond ridiculous.

That’s where I am with all of it. I take it all with a grain of salt until there are multiple victims. It just doesn’t make sense that anyone would do this type of behavior once.

 

[andrewilley]

I have no way to let Bob know I'm with him in spirit but I am ... I hope he can feel his supporters, even if we can't all communicate with him.

Why not just send him a quick email? His email address is on the front page of his website (yehaabob.com). I doubt he'd be able to comment very much on this matter (the Disney Lawyers will have asked him not to get into discussions) but I'm sure he'd love to know that people out here are supporting him.

Andre

 

[Ensusieasm]

I asked if the mods could make the thread title a bit less inflammatory too - even if this allegation was 100% true (which currently seems to be rather doubtful) then it is still hardly full-on "sexual harassment". I suggested something along the lines of "YeHaa Bob Jackson: Allegation of Inappropriate Behaviour" would be more accurate. Or even as far as "YeHaa Bob Jackson denies allegation of Inappropriate Behaviour". Mods, I'm guessing you must be watching this thread like a hawk, any chance you could do this?

Oh, and I can confirm that Bob performed his normal show at the River Roost Lounge last night, as usual.

Andre

Oh! I am SO glad to hear that he performed his regular show last night! Yay!
Thanks for sharing, Andre!

 

[AngiTN]

You can 100-percent say you know how "women you know would react"? I hate to break it to you, but you can't even guarantee how you would react with 100-percent certainty. I can say that with absolute certainty after a lot of years of job experience, some of which haunt me years after hearing the accounts.

But you're not saying how she should have reacted??

Correct, I have said point blank, I can't say how she should have reacted. Several times. In writing, here in this thread.

And yeah, I'm 1000% (extra zero on purpose) sure how I'd react to someone grabbing my butt

Why not just send him a quick email? His email address is on the front page of his website (yehaabob.com). I doubt he'd be able to comment very much on this matter (the Disney Lawyers will have asked him not to get into discussions) but I'm sure he'd love to know that people out here are supporting him.

Andre

Thank you. I hesitated for a few reasons but after encouragement both DH and I have done so

 

[AngiTN]

Your point is well taken- a certain person immediately comes to mind who had actual rape allegations (many victims with many convincing stories) and the establishment protected him to the hilt. I wonder what would happen if a new victim of this man came forward at this time?
But I think immediately assuming guilt is wrong too. And calling a tush grab sexual assault is beyond ridiculous.

In this instance I have said several times that if it came out that it was shown he is a habitual/intentional butt grabber my opinion/position on the matter would change. The one report as provided thus far just doesn't fall in to place as an intentional assault