[Michlib-l] Last week to register

[Mark Jemerson]

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Hi team,


I hope your summer reading programming is going well and you’re all 
having lots of fun! I just wanted to make you all aware of a poor 
experience with a performer that we had at the Grand Rapids Public Library.


Mark Rosenthal of “Animal Magic” was invited to perform during our 
summer reading program. There were a few different incidents that 
occurred that made our staff and patrons uncomfortable. In his contract 
we made it clear that his audience would be mostly young kids and 
families, which he readily agreed to. With live animal shows I normally 
make an announcement to the kids to listen carefully and follow the 
directions of the handler. Mark told me that this wouldn’t be necessary 
for him because he would make his own announcements. Throughout the show 
he chastised mothers specifically to remove their crying babies because 
“they ruin it for everyone else.”


At his performances at our other branches that same day and the day 
following, Mark was reminded politely by staff that our programs are age 
inclusive and we cannot ask an age group to leave. He became combative 
with staff and made similar announcements at all of his performances. He 
made an announcement that “I don't want babies in the front, please sit 
in the back with them.”


During his performance Mark spent a lot of the time promoting his books 
and plush snakes. He was very self important and talked more about how 
“exotic” and “rare” his animals were, but didn’t spend the same amount 
of time on showcasing the animals. He talked very highly of his animals 
and their rarity, but we felt like he did not deliver. He showed off a 
hedgehog, a parrot, and a possum. One family left before he brought his 
binturong on stage because “we can see a hedgehog at the zoo,” as 
reported by a staff member.


He also kept mentioning his “full show” and how he couldn’t bring it 
because of time constraints. We felt that this was an inappropriate 
comment to make because we were under the impression that we were paying 
him for a full show. Other comments in bad taste included a “trick” with 
his parrot where he shot it with a finger gun and the parrot played 
dead, and another where he held up one of his books and said it was 18+ 
because he “died” in that one. He also talked about how his sloth is 
named “Seven” for the Biblical deadly sin “sloth,” but for some reason 
he segued into that story by referencing the movie “Se7en” with Brad 
Pitt. That is absolutely not a movie for children.

Some comments from the surveys:

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    "Too much talking, especially about himself. Too much build-up, not
    enough time with animals. Not very polite to patrons who did not
    know where to sit."

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    "Less commentary/shorter program maybe sound system helpful?"
    Shorter program for kids attention spam a lot less talking, more
    showing of animals - what the kids want, will remember. Adults
    don't' need the jokes/stories."

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    "Less talking, more animals. This is a great program for 5 and up.
    Too much talking for younger kids - they don't' understand all the
    specifics of it all."

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    "more age appropriate for the young kids. the animal show was great
    for my 7&9 year old sone but my 4 year old said to me: there's' too
    much talking and he doesn't' show animals." The presenter was kid of
    intense and loud and some of what he said could have frightened
    little kids."

And this is a message that we received on Facebook:

"Just thought you should know that your Animal Magic Event yesterday is 
getting horrible reviews from Moms. In multiple parent groups the man 
has been described as "full of himself", "scary to the kids", "pretty 
much an ass", and "butthole". It has to be really bad for so many to 
have this type of option. They go on to say he took over 20mins per 
animal and all he kept talking about was his seven gigs this week and 
his voice. And babies asked to leave if make noise?! At a summer kids 
library event?! Please do not invite this man back and please screen 
  better in the future. You have an apology to make to all the parents 
that attended. They are not happy their tax dollars went to frighten 
their kids and listen to an asshole for over an hour."


Our library was very embarrassed to have invited him. I will say that 
there was an enthusiastic group of people who really enjoyed his show. 
Two families went to more than one of his performances. In our mind, 
though, this does not make up for the way that he behaved in front of 
our patrons, and treated our staff. Some of our staff looked at his 
Facebook and google reviews and while most of them are glowing, the 
minority that are negative seem to have had the exact same experience as 
us. I wanted to make you all aware of this for the future that he might 
be okay for your library if you are holding an adult event or maybe one 
for teens. Please let me know if you have any questions.


Thanks!


Mark


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-- 
*Mark Jemerson*
/Youth Services Librarian/
Grand Rapids Public Library
Main Library | 111 Library St NE | 49503
616-988-5402 x5546 <tel:161698854025546>
www.grpl.org <https://www.grpl.org>
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