Family Sues Universal Studios After Employee in Beetlejuice Costume Allegedly Threw Up White Power Symbol
July 18 2023, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
A family claims their visit to Universal Studios Hollywood was ruined when an employee dressed as Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice threw up a white power gesture in front of a minor child, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, John and Marisol McGee and a minor John McGee filed suit against Universal Studios and “Beetlejuice Doe.”
John and Marisol said they visited Universal Studios on July 18, 2021. They claim an employee dressed as Beetlejuice was “greeting visitors just inside the main entrance.”
“Plaintiffs, who were fans of the Beetlejuice film, stopped to take a picture with defendant “Beetlejuice Doe.” Plaintiff Marisol McGee, a Latin-American woman, posed for the picture with defendant “Beetlejuice Doe” while plaintiff John McGee, an African- American man, took the picture and plaintiff Dylan McGee, a mixed race minor boy, watched,” the suit read.
“In the picture, defendant “Beetlejuice Doe” displayed the racist, offensive White Power hand gesture,” the family alleged.
The suit explained the "White Power" hand gesture is a "symbol used to express hatred towards a segment of the population based upon a person's race, ethnicity, color, and national origin.
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Michael Keaton in the film "Beetlejuice"
The suit accused the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
“Defendants’ conduct was so extreme that it went beyond all possible bounds of decency. A reasonable person would regard defendants’ conduct as intolerable in a civilized community,” the complaint read. “Indeed, defendants abused a relationship that gave them power to affect plaintiffs’ interests and knew that their conduct would likely result in harm due to mental distress.”
The family said they have experienced “anguish, fright, horror, nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, shock, humiliation, and shame that has been so substantial or long-lasting.”
The McGee’s accused Universal Studios Hollywood of being negligent in hiring employees.
RadarOnline.com has reached out to a rep for the park but has yet to hear back.