Profanity and You

[Empressnightshade]

My lights are currently on and someone is home -- in other words, I'm thinking haunt again. Those thoughts are heading toward a haunt that has a "Deliverance", "Motel Hell", "Ed Gein" type feel.

Question: Do you allow your actors to use profanity? I never have, but if I go with this type of theme this year and we continue with our signs that say we're a "PG13 Rated Haunted House", I'm seriously considering it. Maybe not the "S" word and definitely not the "F" word, but the "D" word, "H" word, "B" word and "A" word. The "P" word, too.

[Killer Katie]

For what it's worth

In the past 5 years as a cast manager - we have a no swearing policy, besides swearing is so much a part of everyday language, I've found it really has no shock value anyhow. Besides, all it would take is one customer who may be "offended" and that's the end. I think that your actors would be much more effective by being creative, something like "cutting off your face and asking your Daddy to dance", "wearing your skin as a bath robe", or I'll hump you just like my momma" (deliverance, hillbilly speak). I personally don't swear the times I act, because I am of the old school of thought that swearing just means you aren't creative enough to think of something else. Of course, i swear in everyday life so what does that say about me? LOL

[xxxdirk]

Because I have my 12 year old working in the haunt, I ask my actors NOT to swear. I guess as I think about it, I really see no need for it and as was stated, swearing is so easy today, it might be not as powerful as some other twisted stuff you can say.

[gadget-evilusions]

In the past 5 years as a cast manager - we have a no swearing policy, besides swearing is so much a part of everyday language, I've found it really has no shock value anyhow. Besides, all it would take is one customer who may be "offended" and that's the end. I think that your actors would be much more effective by being creative, something like "cutting off your face and asking your Daddy to dance", "wearing your skin as a bath robe", or I'll hump you just like my momma" (deliverance, hillbilly speak). I personally don't swear the times I act, because I am of the old school of thought that swearing just means you aren't creative enough to think of something else. Of course, i swear in everyday life so what does that say about me? LOL

You forgot, "I'm gonna put you on like a pair of pants!"

I guess my answer must be the same as Katies, seeing that she was our cast manager.

[Jim Warfield]

If the customer is swearing we tolerate certain levels of it then sometimes ask them to stop or they will have to leave. (No "F" word)
People reacting to really being scared is something else all together though, we all know that)
Of course sometimes I listen for awhile then artfully return the same to them, making it sound really stupid, ignorantly repeating what they just said, making them sound VERY stupid.

If I was the customer and alot of swearing was what the haunt workers were purposely engaged in (for "entertainment" value??), I would be wondering why I had paid an admission for this kind or a show? Just go to a roudy tavern, get the same "show", nurse a Pepsi and get it all real cheap!
"I paid $12.oo for this? I could have nursed a Pepsi for a buck and got the same show!"(And had a soft drink too!)
If you are a adult show, then go for it, but don't the majority of us try to entice all ages from 12 on up, hoping familys and youth groups show up by the van or busload? It's called making that necesarry money-thing.
Of course most swearing comes from the drunky customers, keep a leash on them and automatically eliminate alot of problems.

[MDKing]

Absolutely, positively no swearing at all at my place, at any time. Lke Dirk said there is no need for it and it's just plain low brow and reflects poorly from your haunt. As an industry we need to work on cleaning up our acts, appearance, and put our best foot forward. There are already enough preconeived notions on our industry as it is. Train your actors well enough that they can convey their message in a scary way without being crude.

Empress, I know you benefit a great cause with your show. I strongly discourage you to allow swearing at your show....

Allan

[actiondeath]

Hahahaha... The BEST "PG-13" line I've ever heard in a haunt was "C'mon! We ain't got all night, get yer fuzzy little crotches in here!". I spent the next 5 minutes or so clearing my drink out of my nose.

[Nightmaretony]

Planning a no swear with the caveat that they can PLAY at swearing in a laugh manner to elicit comedy. For example, someone can use a noisemaker to censor themselves so they don't have to say such words, or as another fun one, huge angry type, "I'M GOING TO BEAT YOUR" (then they turn sideways, pull out a cigar and do a Groucho Marx impersonation and say in a comedy voice "biblical beast of burden" then back to the roaring angry voice. Or a total non sequitor of an innocent word instead, for a SAY WHAT? kind of response.

[shawnc]

Ever see Scarface?

I think if you could filter out the hour of cussing there might have been an interesting movie in there somewhere.

[Jim Warfield]

To make it more clear, if a group of college kids or older teenagers slip out a few bad words, I see it as no harm, no foul but if it's a large group that may include some younger teens or children, then there is a no tolerance policy.
If you don't divide up into groups, just have a continious feed of customers , then it would be alot more difficult to make any allowances at all for bad language .
Bad words never helped me to ever get any allowance!
We had a young woman making complaints during her house tour because of what she called questionable lanuage then about two minutes later her boyfriend mooned everyone in that group!?
He just couldn't resist the temptation of that 4' by 10" piece of plexiglass with everyone on the other side ..the lights were "on"!

[bodybagging]

I dont believe theres a need for swearing in a haunt, ActionDeath That was definitely a great line,

[Warren Vanderdark]

At The Baxter Avenue Morgue, we make it a point to try to keep obscenity to a minimum among both the customers and cast members, although we do realize that when a customer gets a sudden fright that they'll sometimes let fly with a few choice words. It's the ones who come in already swearing like a bunch of longshoremen with Tourette's that we seriously try to muzzle...

[MDKing]

I think she was referring more to her own staff using profanity, not the guests...

[Empressnightshade]

Empress, I know you benefit a great cause with your show. I strongly discourage you to allow swearing at your show....

Allan

Yes, the haunted house benefits the nonprofit, but is not the nonprofit. Most people that come aren't coming because it benefits children. They don't give a care -- they are there just to get their scare on. That's a fact that took me some time to come to grips with which is why I don't plaster my marketing tools with that fact -- I put it there once on the bottom and that's that. What we say and do at the haunt, does not reflect on the nonprofit other than some what to know "Did you turn a profit??"

You're forgetting that these are actors. Actors portray their parts as closely to the real thing to make themselves believable to the audience. If you watched the video of my haunt on another thread, you'll see how fast pace I create my haunts -- there's no time to say a long sentence like the ones suggested. On TV, I'm hearing "A" this and "D" that ALL the time -- regular TV. I was told yesterday that the "B" word was said in Harry Potter!

If I was giving a theme about broken bedtime stories or going with a clown theme like last year, cursing wouldn't be something those characters would do, but the theme I'm tossing around.........yeah. I'm not talking about every single character in the haunt -- give me a break. But, one or two tossing it appropriately...we'll see.

[MDKing]

I understand Empress, however for sake of running a professional haunt, I wouldn't advise it. I know for a fact that if your actors are using profanity many people who spent their hard earned money to tour your show with their family will make their feelings known. I know, I've seen it before with a local haunt near me. People think by swearing they make themselves seem more "edgy". I think they sound more stupid myself....


Of course, that is my opinion. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do!

Allan