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Hello all, I'm Ryan and I'm new here...i was just wondering, has anyone on here been contacted/issued a complaint by anyone offended by the concept of a haunted mental/insane asylum? Last year our house was contacted by NAMI (National Association of Mental Health) and they threatened to picket out side of our house because it was a horrible and offensive theme to use mental illness in a haunted house setting. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, what did you do about it? We had to change our theme THE DAY OF OPENING to avoid angry protesters at our house.
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-Ryan Evans
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Hey Ryan, We also were contacted by that organization and the newspaper had a pretty nasty article about it. But because of that the news crew from a local station came down and down to our place and did a story on us. Here it is on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5-9BEoiWHY
Check out how she ends it. In fact a bunch of people came through that last weekend and said that they saw us on the news.
So we ignored the whole thing and everything turned out fine. It was quite amusing.
Good luck. Let me know what you think of the news clip.
Wayne
www.trailofterror.com
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haha wow...we were actually thinking of contacting media if we wouldnt have cooperated, but unfortunately because we are a local jaycees haunted house who gives back to the community, we didnt think it would look good! o well....now i need to figure out what the theme for this year is! (with out being offensive...
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-Ryan Evans
Makeup Effects ArtistComment
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Nami
We had the same problem about 6 years ago. We always change our themes every year anyway, and they hit us late in the season, so it wasn't awful. But we did lose a sponsor over it and that was bad. Ask Larry about this, he fights these guys every year. They do have some points to consider but they are pretty hypocritical going after haunts. How many blockbuster movies feature insanity? They should take on BATMAN...look at the Joker!, How about the Green Goblin in Spider Man?
If you don't have sponsors to worry about it probably won't matter, heck it might help. Every year we have church protesters, it gives our crowds something more to look at. But if you are hooked in with sponsors this can hurt you.
Good Luck!
Ben Armstrong
NETHERWORLDComment
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We also have an Asylum theme. So far we have not had any protests, maybe if we featured killers that had "gambling addictions" we'd be in trouble!!!
A year or so ago there was a complaint about a haunt in California with an asylum theme. It was on the wire and one of the DJ's at our radio station who sponsors the event read it on air. I was listening at the time and I'm thinking "what the hell is she doing!!!" After reading the story she started her own rant. She kept saying "this is only a haunted house people, it's NOT real!!" A good point she made was that people would find a haunt about an asylum scary because it IS real. There is always the possibility that we could ourselves end up in an institution. Not many people would worry about meeting or becoming a vampire, or an alien, or a corpse, or a ghost. But you have the real potential of meeting or even becoming someone with a mental illness it IS disturbing. It's scary BECAUSE it's real.
Her suggestion was first “… get a life”. IF they wanted to protest the haunt, they should then protest damn near every movie out that fall, several TV shows, several best sellers and probably their local congressman!! If anything they should use the haunt as a tool. "Help us fight mental illness. Don't let THIS really happen." She stated she had a relative that was committed to a hospital yet SHE did not find an asylum haunt insulting or offensive, it's merely entertainment!
I am glad to say we never had any repercussions from either the original story or our DJ's rant. I persoannly think alot of mental heath organizations will stear clear of confronting us strictly because there is the potential that all they will really do is provide us with a lot of free publicity.
Always take the high road. Do NOT condemn the Mental health group. Acknowledge the good work that they do and you support them. You are no different that any other entertainment venue or medium that has used mental health as a theme. You're just more visible at this time of year.Comment
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This thread has caused me to be a bit concerned since the haunt we're doing this year has been taken over by the clowns commited at the nearby institution for the comically insane. Of course, there is no such thing. But, we're a clinic who's having a special for coulrophobics which has been proven to be a real phobia.
If someone protests, then they just will. I will be distrubed by it, of course, but will try to take it in stride and see it only as a way of publicity.Comment
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Read this...this is the sort of stuff they do.
http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentG...n_Horrors_.htmComment
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Why not throw some actors out there protesting them with picket signs dressed as zombies... Make sure you get on your media interviews you thanking them for bringing media attention to you event. Theses people are just sad and annoying... so use them against them... make their media into your event...
Let me be very clear on that last line. I am in no way implying that people with a true mental illness are sad and or annoying. But the current American attitude of protest and drug people up without giving them the time and understanding they need to deal with their problems is sad and annoying. If these people really wanted to help they would go after the endless string of drug companies with products that have frightening side effects rather than something this simple. Or maybe the doctors that hand out antidepressants like candy rather than spend 15 minutes with a patient. They are grabbing the low hanging fruit on their large tree of issues... .... and they deserver to be used as a marketing tool if and when they show up at your event.....
.... ah' Never mind me... this is just a "sore spot" for some.......Last edited by dr0zombie; 06-07-2007, 08:04 PM.Comment
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Originally posted by Speculo View Post
I wonder what would happen if one of the haunts using the Asylum theme made NAMI their main charity....Ironic, Hmmmmm?Comment
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"Whew!?" I read this intensely and quickly because I assumed the mental illness aspect of this thread would be about the mental illness of the people owning, running and working in haunted houses!
(That was close!)Comment
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Wow, Ben. That would have been quite hurtful to me. How did you take it in stride?Originally posted by Speculo View PostComment
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I just read the whole NAMI thing. In a perfect world............there would be enough love, money, jobs , respect , food for everyone. Will this ever be?
Of course not.
They make it sound as if everyone, no matter what their mental problem should be treated like everyone else. Does NAMI hire sociopaths to work in their office answering phones and providing security? I bet they don't.
Would they not "discriminate" against people who have already shown themselves to be very unpredictable and unstable people over a long period of their lives?
There is the arguement that all people commiting suicide are mentally unstable when they do this, even though often times the self-victim is a teenager who may be difficult to "read" or reach with any logic or understanding........
I really wonder if some haunted attraction calling itself an asylum or having some characters acting "crazed" ever pushed anyone into being more depressed or anti-social? I really doubt it.
Has the state of our country's politics, economy and world problems ever caused anyone real distress?
Yes, I bet it has!
Let's just not talk about these problems and they will solve themselves...right?
......in a perfect world........I Would be KING!!! Sure, why not?
Right.
I feel everyone should already be treating their fellow man with respect and positive emotional feelings. We all need to do this to make our own way through this life smoother and more tolerable, causing us fewer problems, but we all also seek and need predictability and personal safety in life, along with numerous minny successes to make it.Comment
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We were lucky for a number of reasons. Number one we change our theme every year so not doing an Asylum the following year was always in the plan, it wasn't giving in. Number two they found us late in the season - by the time they started attacking it was almost over anyway. They actually went after sponsors even before they tried to contact us.
I wrote a huge email response to them, but thought better of it and never sent it. We pretty much never spoke to them at all.
It was a sneak attack and they were gone. But it looks like they search for haunts now, so be ready for them if they come around. You never know, the controversy might actually help you, unless they manage to make sponsors or Landlords skittish.
Good Luck!
Ben
NETHERWORLDComment
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For the past several years I've had haunted houses come to me and ask me my advice on this subject... everytime those people contact a haunt and make threats I contact them on the haunts behalf. I've written them SEVERAL letters in the past... they have always written me back.
I have even been called by the media who wanted a quote from some haunted authority (magazine editor), and I've told the media the same thing every single time (and btw, if the media does a story feel free to contact me)
Anyway these guys do NOT pick on Hollywood, do they? I ask them every single time why don't you do something to Hollywood...why do you pick on haunted houses? Well because they can thats way!
Hollywood would laugh in their face...how many movies are made yearly about some asylum or crazy person killing people? Heck even Batman fights criminals from Arkam Asylum right?
Tell them to ask Warner Brothers to STOP what they're doing with Batman. Fat chance... picking on haunted houses is a way to get the media's attention thats all... because they can.
You have to fight them, there is no other option! You can't let them bully you, because most people and I mean most pay it no attention what so ever.
You have to be professional but if you back down one inch, or act weak, they'll hammer you...
LarryComment
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