A Florida theme park actor has been fired after flashing a symbol of hate in photos taken with children of color.
A Colorado family visiting Orlando in March attended a Universal Studios character breakfast event, where their two young children encountered two life-size characters from the hit movie Despicable Me: Gru and one of the popular Minions. Photos were taken, video was shot, fun was had. Months later in August, Tiffany Zinger was going through the photos and discovered that the Universal employee in the Gru costume had very clearly made an offensive hand signal over her daughter’s shoulder. The “OK” sign has been made infamous by white nationalists, and was recently added to the Anti-Defamation League’s list of racist symbols used by hate groups.
Tiffany and her husband Richard are an interracial couple, and their children are biracial. They told USA Today that their daughter, now 7, is also autistic, and she was very excited to meet the beloved characters. The Zingers, after seeing the still image, did more digging until they found video that clearly showed the Gru actor deliberately creating the “OK” hand sign over their daughter’s shoulder.
USA Today received a statement from Universal Orlando Resort condemning the actor’s actions and noting that he was no longer employed by the theme park.
"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."
This may seem like a “swift” action, but it comes after the Zingers reported the issue to Universal Orlando and heard nothing for a month; that silence was followed by an attempt to buy their silence with free tickets, according to the family. Yet they aren’t trying to get money out of Universal, Richard Zinger told USA Today. “I just want somebody to take responsibility for it, because nobody is taking responsibility for anything.”
One of the hallmarks of white supremacist complicity in our country is the defense, argued by mostly white men, that people are “oversensitive” to acts of racist aggression. One of the prime examples of this is the use by racists and other avowed white nationalist types of the “OK” symbol. Whether they argue that it’s ”just a joke” or claim it’s just a game, all of these young white men seem to find it impossible not to use a symbol that has become synonymous with bigotry. Notably, the photo was taken just days after the horrific massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand—and the white supremacist shooter in that tragedy also flashed the “OK” symbol.
Actions have consequences. Sure, the actor got fired, but his small and stupid symbol of hate means the Zingers’ daughter has a cherished memento that’s forever tarnished.