On July 8th, my old pal Chris Dennis, aka “The Hollywood Boulevard Superman,” was arrested and hauled off to the pokie for doing something that he’s been doing out in broad daylight for nigh on twenty years now.
Chris Dennis arrested in Hollywood on July 8th
And actually, he wasn’t really doing it.
Evidently he was passing out flyers while in his Superman costume and some people wanted to have a picture taken with him because hey, he’s rather famous, and then they tipped him, which he didn’t ask for, and then the cops hauled him away.
The official account is here.
This battle has been going on for years because some of the people who don a costume and wander the boulevard hoping to make a killing in the tips-for-photos trade can be real assholes – they harass tourists and get very aggressive at times.
But not Chris.
He was my next-door-neighbor during our Hollywood stint, and I can personally vouch that a nicer, more helpful man clad all in red-and-blue can’t be found. Except Superman himself I’d reckon, but he’s somewhat elusive.
Chris helped us move twice – the first time was out of the Hollywood apartment building where we’d gotten to know he and his wife, Bonnie, and the second time was when we left LA altogether. He worked harder than any of us including me, and it was my stuff we were moving.
The city put the kabosh on the costumed characters a few months back and told the cops to arrest any of them who are seen plying their trade. They arrested a Batman character first, who was openly defiant of the ban and went right on hustling, and then Chris and someone else got popped on the 8th.
Now, I have more than a personal perspective – I also have a professional one, having worked as a security supervisor at the Hollywood & Highland Center which is next to all this madness. We kept an eye on the costumed characters because they were told not to enter Hollywood & Highland property in costume. Some did, and became quite arrogant when confronted and asked to leave.
Not Chris. He’d walk around the long way to go to and from the apartment complex, and he’d urge the others to do the same. He’d urge them not to be pushy with tourists and remind them that asking for tips is illegal. The vernacular always was, “We happily accept tips, just to let you know.”
Unfortunately, the easygoing characters quickly became a minority as rough, aggressive ones started to move in and push people around. I saw it firsthand and I saw Chris balk at how they treated people. They were arrogant, pushy and rude, and at times they’d demand cash, which is bordering on strong-arm robbery.
Chris goes to court on July 29th so, if you’re Alan Shore, or an Alan Shore type in LA, which means you’re a smug bastard of a lawyer who is very good at what you do and enjoys taking on a pro-bono case to help the little guy, then consider rescuing Superman for a change.
Contact me and I’d be happy to put you in touch with Chris, and while we’re at it, I’d provide you with the following testimony, which may or may not be helpful. You’re the smug bastard of a lawyer, so you decide..
- In my time knowing Chris, I never witnessed him hustle for cash or otherwise strong-arm a person into tipping.
- I did witness Chris coach other costumed characters not to engage in aggressive tactics and to obey the law when on the boulevard in costume.
- As a security supervisor at the nearby Hollywood and Highland complex, I observed that Chris obeyed the ban on costumed characters on the personal property of the complex, and I often witnessed him coaching other characters as to the delineation of public vs. private property on the Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk.
A few final thoughts..
I don’t like the aggressive characters either. Sometimes it would get so that there would be thirty of them in front of Grauman’s Chinese, and one would feel intimidated pushing through all of that. They would have dirty, disheveled costumes and would block your path.
It would be nice to have it as it was early on.. a few costumed characters who didn’t harass people, took pride in their appearance and made a few bucks in tips while giving visitors some cool photos to show back home.
Yes, the bad ones have spoiled it for the good ones. Posing for pictures on Hollywood Boulevard in costume – tips or not – is now illegal. It will probably stay that way, so this thing comes down to Chris, his character and the fact that a good man is biting it because of the assholes.
Let’s hope the judge sees it as I do, with common sense. Chris isn’t the one to use to “make an example” of anything. He’s already an example of how to do it right, but they didn’t listen.
Check out Morgan Spurlock's documentary on HULU, "Confessions of a Superhero" featuring Chris Dennis.
ADD Chris on FACEBOOK
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