Denis O'Hare and partner had airport troubles- Page 3

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 5:47pm

Well, it IS GWB's fault . . . it's his post-9/11 policies that have setup this environment of paranoia that has really made a minimal impact on the true safety of this country. Believe me . . . I ride the trains every day and know that I'm not safe. And the security at the airports is helpful, but not really good enough. There are reports of individuals testing the system to see how well it works . . . and it doesn't

Still, Denis' partner should have thought before speaking. Jokes of that nature are not allowed -- most everyone knows that.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 5:56pm

It's never a good idea to make comments like that. However, I once made them wait while I drank my Starbucks coffee before proceeding through the metal detectors to show them there wasn't a bomb in the empty cup. They actually thought it was rather funny.

Updated On: 11/2/05 at 05:56 PM

[442namffug]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 5:59pm

Good God. Someone ALWAYS has SOMETHING to complain about! The guy is gay. The didn't say "Fag" or "Queer" arrested. They simply said he was gay.

They wanted to highlight the fact that the person involved in the arrest was a minority. So, you people should be happy that they mentioned it!

The article was published in a gay magazine. It was also on YAHOO.com. Who honestly believes that if they put "Dennis O'Hare" in the title, any one would know who the hell he was? Who would read an article about some supposed Broadway actor if they didn't recognize the name? Nobody.
Updated On: 11/2/05 at 05:59 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 6:09pm

"So we now have to give up our freedom of speech in the airport because these people have short fuses? I'm sorry that is BEYOND ridiculous! We have the right, as Americans, to say whatever we want!"

HAHAHAHAHA!! Sure we do...

By all means, go exercise your right to make terrorist jokes in airports. Nobody is stopping you. And after you have satisfied your need for making irresponsible jokes simply to exercise your right and ignore the safety of yourself and others around you, be sure to tell the judge s/he is a stupid f*ck because that certainly is your right. Surely the judge will see that your right to free speech trumps anything you actually say no matter how inappropriate or thoughtless.

The reality is that there are limitations to free speech in this country. It is not carte blanche to say whatever you want whenever you want with zero consequences. Despite what you may see and hear on reality shows and MTV, you actually can be sued or arrested for saying things to others including cases of racism and sexual discrimination. That goes for security measures regarding terrorism as well.

By the real question is, why such a burning need to make jokes about terrorists in airports?

[Phantom2]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 6:09pm

I'm surprised they weren't strip searched.

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 6:47pm

What really irks me about this is that he didn't even say something like "Oh, they're on to us!" or "Yes, we're terrorists!" or something that MAYBE could be SLIGHTLY serious. But "I guess we must be terrorists" - okay, this is just silly.

Just silly.

I can't even finish my original thought because all I'm thinking is 'What. The. Crap.'

God, this country...!

...Oh man.

[442namffug]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 6:49pm

It was definitley an inappropriate thing to say.

It maybe didn't warant the type of attention it got, but still. Anyone stupid enough to say something like that and be disrespectful to people who are trying to do their job deserves to be chastised.

Hopefully he learned his lesson.

Updated On: 11/2/05 at 06:49 PM

[Millie42]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 6:57pm

I <3 you, Mister Matt.

[roquat]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 11:39pm

That kind of remark doesn't even sound like a deliberate joke at all, just one of those "automatic response" jokes that slips out before you notice it. The fact that it could have led to a week essentially in solitary (or a year in jail) is a subject for George Orwell. I cannot believe the "well, it was too much, but he sort of deserved it" postings on this thread. Mr. O'Hare's response was too restrained. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY????!!!!

[justme2]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 1:26am

When I took two kids to the airport in 2002, going through security was no joking matter. They pulled the 10 year old aside and let her older brother and I go ahead. We were seperated off to a side while they scared the crap out of her. I was pissed, but knew better than to f*ck around with some stupid comment to incite the security to make the situation worse.

Common sense.

That said, no one deserves to be treated like a criminal because of a stupid ass comment. We all make inappropriate jokes and comments at various points, but we also know just how seriously our "government" is taking the threat of another hijaking. Whether we agree with Bush tactics or not, (and I don't!), the reality is still that you WILL be f'd with if you mock security.

[Anakela]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 1:43am

my contribution to airport screening stories: I love flying, and switched from wearing my usual boots/socks to wearing flip flops to the airport, so that I could get through the checkpoints faster. Until I was stopped twice in a row (out of LAX, back from JFK) to take the flip flops off; the rubber soles were too thick, so they had to come off and go through the machine just like the thick heeled boots do. So I went back to wearing my boots and walking around the airport in my socks. They're always nice socks. :)

SWA's terminals in Burbank used to have extra special signs posted, *everywhere,* (like 2-3 at each counter), warning people that jokes about having a bomb, being a terrorist, and the like will be severely dealt with by the TSA, something to that effect. I guess apparently folks on their way to Vegas (it's where a lot of SWA goes from BUR) like to make a lot of 'jokes,' or at least moreso than at JetBlue at the same airport, where I never saw the signs at. It was strange.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 1:45am

"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY????!!!!"

What is happening to this country is that a little over four years ago, nineteen people hijacked American jets and flew them into buildings. Almost 3,000 people died. Would you like that to happen again? This is not a George Bush thing, this is a Denis O'Hare and his partner thing, who should know better than to make off-handed remarks about terrorists in an airport.

Please excuse me for thinking that making terrorist jokes in the airport is in bad taste.

As for the TSA workers, far be it from me to defend them (because I've encountered some pains in that department), but since this is a theater board, think of them like you would the box office staff. Everytime someone posts a story about how rude the Spamalot box office workers were to them, there is a flood of responses defending them- "You know how many stupid questions they get asked every day?" "You'd feel the same way if you had to deal with the people they do every day", etc. Undoubetedly the underpaid TSA workers deal with quite the same lot of people. Imagine how annoyed everyone gets they are pulled out of line (the same way the tourist from Peoria is annoyed when he learns he cannot get orchestra tickets to Spamalot for that evening). Who do they take that anger out on? The TSA employee, who's just trying to do their job.

As for free speech, as someone already pointed out, there are restrictions on freedom of speech in this country. If someone had used a derogatory remark to describe Mr. O'Hare or his partner, we'd want that person thrown in jail. Well, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

The bottom line is, seasoned travelers (as I'm sure Mr. O'Hare and his partner probably are) should know better than to make such an idiotic statement.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 2:08am

the TSA is a joke......you know, it's one thing if you say you have a bomb....it's another to just say what he did.

As were no safer than we were (flying) before 9-11, it's apparent the entire TSA is a joke......the walk around as if they are some kind of Imperial Guard.......give me a break

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 2:16am

"The reality is that there are limitations to free speech in this country. It is not carte blanche to say whatever you want whenever you want with zero consequences. "

Well, technically, we can say almost anything that isn't slanderous or libelous, or that isn't a threat to National Security. Jokes about being a terrorist, regardless of whether or not they are appropriate, do not fall under the exception. Clearly it was a joke. If I were the U.S. Attorney in that Circuit I would have had the TSA Agents involved fired. If TSA didn't cooperate, I would charge them with civil rights violations. I meaan clearly one can tell the difference betweebn a joke and an actual statement. Does TSA really think a terrorist is going to claim to be a terrorist at the security checkpoint? I mean this was beyond abuse of power.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 3:21am

The fact that TSA is the final authority and don't have to answer to anyone when they HAVE done something wrong, as in this case, gives them entirely too much power.

They're not disgruntled employees, they're on this power-trip of knowing they can't get in trouble no matter what they do. If I acted towards people at my job the way TSA employees have acted towards me, I would have been fired the first day.

[Brodybaby03]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 8:36am

I understand that a "terrorist joke" seems to be in poor taste but I doubt Mr. Redwood was trying to make light of the situation....believe me I myself did it just recently ...I was in APPLETON , WISCONSIN....APPLETON>...and they made me take my shoes off....I looked at the man and said , "What do you think I'm going to do",....I think when you're ready to go home, and you just wanna get on the plane you say whatever, I think that they his race, and I'm assuming Denis pointed out he was an actor and then the police had that "lets make an example" attitude...i just think it's ridiculous.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 11:37am

"Well, technically, we can say almost anything that isn't slanderous or libelous, or that isn't a threat to National Security."

Well, technically, that's not true either. One need look no further than the message board guidelines on this site to see that. And making comments about being a terrorist at airport security could fall under the guidelines of being a threat to National Security. Yes, the agents probably overreacted, but their job is not to determine whether a comment made is a joke or not. It is to follow procedure, and it's not like this is something totally new. We've been living with this for a few years now and airport security has been under relentless scrutiny since 9/11.

"I meaan clearly one can tell the difference betweebn a joke and an actual statement."

Only if you were there and heard the exact comment and how it was said. Even if they file a civil liberties claim, they would have to have witnesses who heard the comment and how it was made. Otherwise, it is nothing more he said/she said (pun not intended). If TSA procedure does not outline the extreme measures in the detention that took place for that type of situation, then O'Hare and partner would have something to work with.

I think what disturbs me most is how Denis was treated as a nobody because they were not legally married. Nobody has really responded to that and that is what saddens me most. I can only imagine how stressful it must have been not to know what is going on or for how long his partner would be detained. It makes me sick. THAT, to me, is a far more distressing issue than security overreacting and/or doing their job.

Case in point - When I flew to Spain a couple of years ago, I had a layover in Warsaw (don't ask). When I attempted to get on my connecting flight to Madrid, I was stopped by Polish police because I had a pocket knife in my bag. It was a gift from my father (he was always giving me pocket knives for Christmas, for some reason) and I forgot I had it. They didn't make a big deal about it. I simply had to drop it in a box and have my bags searched, but they were very nice about it. Obviously, O'Hare airport in Chicago security was not doing a very good job because this item should have been GLARINGLY obvious and it was not much smaller than a box cutter.

Personally, I'd rather security do their job than not, and I'd rather excericise common sense than my right to make terrorist jokes in airports. It's not the biggest sacrifice and American can make in his lifetime. Let's have some perspective.

[roquat]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 2:27pm

adamgreer--"Bad taste" and "rudeness" are one thing; threats and incarceration are another. I can understand a severe reprimand, but not everything that followed. What is most upsetting is that the airline is now trying to justify itself by charging Mr. Redwood with "disorderly conduct", instead of letting the whole thing drop after giving him their little scare. As someone pointed out, this could conceivably lead to a year in jail--and Mr. O'Hare would, of course, not be eligible for conjugal visits or any other privileges because of the "nonlegal" status of their union. Am I the only one who sees faint echoes of Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghirab in this? Or do those events also seem "reasonable" responses to terrorist threats, in your way of thinking?

MisterMatt--I agree that the callous way Denis was treated is unforgivably upsetting--particularly since the officials seemed almost gleeful about it. I knew a woman who was late getting to the airport who accidentally picked up the wrong bag in her haste--a bag containing a (prop) sword she had just used for her acting class. When it showed up on the scanner, she was taken away, interrogated, and placed in a holding cell for about three hours. During this time, the officials were stern but understanding, and they eventually apologized for the mistake and helped her get alternate transportation. I think this shows that "following procedure" does not have to include rudeness, arrogance, and intimidation.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 3:28pm

As I mentioned earlier in the discussion, I think there was a bit of an overreaction here. The airline should have let it go after they realized there was no evidence to suggest O'Hare's partner was a terrorist. That matter should have been dropped at that point. I agree with you there.

As for the nonlegal status of their union, that's another issue entirely and not relevant to making remarks about terrorists in the airport. Even if the workers were sympathetic (I have no idea if they were or not- the article doesn't say anything about it) to their plight, legally there is nothing they can do. That's not the fault of the TSA workers. They (and you and I) may not agree with that law, but it is the law at this point in time.

[roquat]

Posted: 11/3/05 at 11:49pm

This is all conjecture, of course, since none of us were there, but the article makes it sound as if the officials made a special point of telling the (blameless) Mr. O'Hare he was effectively cut off from his partner, perhaps indefinitely. I doubt that would have happened if they had been platonic friends or business associates travelling together.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/4/05 at 12:54am

Well, after practically being strip searched for my flight back here a month ago, I can see the idiocy of it all. I was sick, sweating and obviously had a fever, but they went through EVERYTHING of mine, including having my cell phone x-rayed (Three times).
I was wearing flip flops and they had those x-rayed as well...FLIP FLOPS...Cheap, thin plastic flip flops.

I wanted to barf all over them.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/4/05 at 1:06am

See, I assumed that O'Hare had asked about seeing his partner, and had asked for updates, and was told by the TSA they couldn't give him any information. When yout spouse is taken away, it's natural to ask questions, and I'm sure O'Hare did.

But like you said, this is all conjecture since the article doesn't make that clear.