Fiends (Das Festhaus)

[Shafor]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

On the train right now, there was a warning about show content. Dispite the argument whether warnings are effective or not, they're really pushing them.

Keep in mind, the complaints came before the warnings. It's not fair to tell parents "you've been warned" when complaining about a show that may not have had any warnings when they saw it.

The sign out front is new. It wasn't there on Friday. I rode the train twice yesterday and didn't hear any announcement. Must have added that today. It's good to see them responding to concerns. But let's remember which came first. (BTW, the Fiends description on the HOS website contains no warning or disclaimer whatsoever. However MSR does.)

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

That's fair, but I really do commend the effort they're now putting forth.

 

[shb5007]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

My questions really lies with the fact, "Is it really necessary to have a show at Busch Gardens with stripper nurses"?

I just can't find a reason to answer, "Yes".

 

[Zachary]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

I still don't see how the nurses are the problem. Their outfits aren't bad as long as the actors can keep their hands to themselves. Reaching up skirts, spanking, and pretending to grope the actresses isn't appropriate in the park's main eating establishment during a show that encourages the kids that are present to get up and dance with the cast.

 

[RocketChk]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

My questions really lies with the fact, "Is it really necessary to have a show at Busch Gardens with stripper nurses"?

I just can't find a reason to answer, "Yes".

The nurses have been in Fiends since I can remember going to the show. I dare to say that they have always been in Fiends. Mad Scientist/Doctor needs fillers to put on a show= nurses. Their costumes have changed from year to year. This isn't the first time their costumes have been this 'suggestive,' and it really puzzles me as to why everyone's been acting like this is new. It's not.

And I don't know what show you went to, but they didn't take any of it off when I went, so I don't understand the stripper part.

Open minds people. You are never going to please everyone, and that includes yourself.

You know what I was more offended by last night? The amount of single parents there with a child under ten, carrying around a beer (not shots) and dragging their kids around the park to different houses. Who is driving them home? I personally don't like it that Busch changed the rule where you can wander around with an open container of alcohol, but what can you do? Either come have fun and ignore what you can't change, or sit at home while Busch makes more than your entrance ticket cost off of Jello shots in 5 minutes.


-----Edit: I see the posts that mention where the dancing and other actions may be more of the problem with this show that people are having, but all I saw in my viewing that could be remotely too sexy was a dancer bouncing up and down while doing the splits. But honestly, all I was thinking at that moment was, damn I'm too old to do that now. I think this show is more of chance of what you're going to see at any given show, at any given seat. While I do agree with dumbing it down during the day, I don't agree with moving it unless to the RPT so they can expand the show. It's always been in the Festhaus, again, why is it such a big deal now?

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

The best reason people have given against the nurses (who don't take any clothes off, thus not strippers) are "what about the children?" and "this isn't /my/ bgw".

 

[Shafor]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

Like I said earlier, the outfits don't bother me in the least (I've taken my kids to Hooters before). I just don't get all the suggestive activity. There's a point where the dancers all bend forward toward the floor and we saw the werewolf guy go up behind her put one hand on her back, one hand behind his head, and start thrusting his hips (in addition to the examples of other stuff I gave earlier).

I mean, putting aside "the children" for a second, what the hell am I even looking at there? Is this talent? Is it choreography? What does it add to the show? It's not funny, or whimsical, or irreverent. It's just crude. I don't understand who thinks that's funny or why you'd want to see that in an amusement park show? It's idiotic frat boy, Jersey Shore type behavior.

On top of all that, again, I just think the shows pretty bad. It seems lazy to me. The only part that made us laugh is when Frankenstein and the Dr go up into the balcony. (BTW, a tip: make sure you see the show in the front of the theater, not the back.)

 

[shb5007]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

Like I said earlier, the outfits don't bother me in the least (I've taken my kids to Hooters before). I just don't get all the suggestive activity. There's a point where the dancers all bend forward toward the floor and we saw the werewolf guy go up behind her put one hand on her back, one hand behind his head, and start thrusting his hips (in addition to the examples of other stuff I gave earlier).

I mean, putting aside "the children" for a second, what the hell am I even looking at there? Is this talent? Is it choreography? What does it add to the show? It's not funny, or whimsical, or irreverent. It's just crude. I don't understand who thinks that's funny or why you'd want to see that in an amusement park show? It's idiotic frat boy, Jersey Shore type behavior.

On top of all that, again, I just think the shows pretty bad. It seems lazy to me. The only part that made us laugh is when Frankenstein and the Dr go up into the balcony. (BTW, a tip: make sure you see the show in the front of the theater, not the back.)

Exactly. There is NO point to the show.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

I don't think the suggestive stuff was sutable for kids or well done, I just think that there's nothing wrong with a park having that kind of content for Halloween. I'm all for dumbing it down during the day, announced warnings, all that jazz. However, and this is my main point, this is not a holiday designed for kids and the park should not cater only to kids.

 

[RocketChk]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

The best reason people have given against the nurses (who don't take any clothes off, thus not strippers) are "what about the children?" and "this isn't /my/ bgw".

My four year old had no clue that what he saw was supposed to be wrong, because as a parent I don't make a big deal out of it. When you start telling your kids that something is 'wrong' and they shouldn't look or that we should leave in the middle, etc., that's when they start getting interested and your life as a parent gets more complicated then it has to be at an earlier age. Do these parents allow them to get on the internet? Curious kids will find a way to see what they want, god knows I did. Friends, google, tv's in their room. All I'm saying is don't dramatize it, but don't throw it in their faces either, and the kid won't know the difference and won't care less. This show is for entertainment. Not entertained, don't watch it. Simple.

Second, this has been your Busch Gardens for years. It's not a valid arguement if you wait years after something has happened and just now want to say something because you just now did notice it.

 

[DrMoneyReturns]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

My four year old had no clue that what he saw was supposed to be wrong, because as a parent I don't make a big deal out of it. When you start telling your kids that something is 'wrong' and they shouldn't look or that we should leave in the middle, etc., that's when they start getting interested and your life as a parent gets more complicated then it has to be at an earlier age.

Can we please refrain from giving parenting advice? Needless to say there are a lot of different opinions on this topic, that approach, and the subject of parenting, in general. Nothing gets heated faster than an argument over who is doing what right/wrong with their kids.

 

[Shafor]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

The bottom line for me: As a parent I don't want my kids to think that I endorse or enjoy lowbrow entertainment like having some guy simulate fondling himself.

As a Busch Gardens customer, I expect a better quality of entertainment from them. They just threw on a dozen pre-recorded songs from the 70's and 80's, sing about half of them, have a bunch of sexy girls dance around for 20 minutes, a bunch of guys in costumes shuffling around awkwardly bouncing back and forth between being crude and just silly, and called it a show.

(BTW, not all of us have been coming to BGW for years. I've never seen Fiends before.)

 

[Gavin]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

My four year old had no clue that what he saw was supposed to be wrong, because as a parent I don't make a big deal out of it. When you start telling your kids that something is 'wrong' and they shouldn't look or that we should leave in the middle, etc., that's when they start getting interested and your life as a parent gets more complicated then it has to be at an earlier age.

Can we please refrain from giving parenting advice? Needless to say there are a lot of different opinions on this topic, that approach, and the subject of parenting, in general. Nothing gets heated faster than an argument over who is doing what right/wrong with their kids.

*sighs* *points to every Pixar Film ever made*

 

[RocketChk]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

My four year old had no clue that what he saw was supposed to be wrong, because as a parent I don't make a big deal out of it. When you start telling your kids that something is 'wrong' and they shouldn't look or that we should leave in the middle, etc., that's when they start getting interested and your life as a parent gets more complicated then it has to be at an earlier age.

Can we please refrain from giving parenting advice? Needless to say there are a lot of different opinions on this topic, that approach, and the subject of parenting, in general. Nothing gets heated faster than an argument over who is doing what right/wrong with their kids.

Wasn't trying to give advice and really don't want this to get heated. Wasn't where I was trying to go. Just giving my opinion on what I do.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

It's fine that it's a bad show, I agree. I'm just talking about content.

Let me ask you this, would you have as much of a problem with same content with a better show?

 

[Zachary]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

It's fine that it's a bad show, I agree. I'm just talking about content.

Let me ask you this, would you have as much of a problem with same content with a better show?

Yes.

Clean up the show before 6 or move it somewhere like the Globe and I'll be happy. I honestly couldn't care less about what they do after 6- they're not supposed to be family friendly after 6. This all goes back to the whole "Advertise what you want to do" argument from last year's Howl-O-Scream. They can't claim to be family friendly during the day and say that the park's most popular (and arguably best) eating establishment isn't appropriate for families. It doesn't work.

 

[shb5007]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

I just think the money and space could have been put towards something MUCH better...that doesn't require the 'nurses'.

Also...this show is in an eating facility...

 

[Applesauce]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

I'm a bit late to the party on this, but in relevance to the "Who finds this sort of humor funny?" question. Essentially the answer is: Busch Gardens Tampa.

We had Fiends in Das Festhaus. A year or two later, Tampa got a hold of it and called it Fiends. [And I want to say for a while it was in their main eating place.] Theirs was and has been [from what I recall] adult humor, dry humping, and sexual gestures. Igor has generally been the one to make all the jokes and gestures. While ours was a bit more innocent. We didn't have many sex jokes [Or if we did, I was too young to understand them.], and little to no sexual gestures.

Ours was replaced by Festhaus Fright Night, then Frankenrock. People wanted Fiends in Das Festhaus back, and Busch Gardens did bring it back... just not our original version. The music that's playing during the show is almost identical from its original run, its just the outfits changed, and so did the content of the actors.

Unfortunately it's a hit or miss with the show.

Me personally, I'm on the fence with this one. Tampa has the right to make it as adult as they want, since they charge extra for the event. Ours... not so much. I know I'll probably laugh an enjoy the show, sex jokes and gestures in all, providing it keeps to the stage. Once it leaves the stage and on to audience participation, that's where I'll make the decisions on whether or not I'll like it.

[And of course since my only chance of going is late in the season, they may/probably change it to fit the audience better.]

EDIT: Wow I take my time to make sure I'm clear with what I think and it jumps a few posts. My post isn't even relevant anymore. oops.

 

[Shafor]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

Let me ask you this, would you have as much of a problem with same content with a better show?

Not sure how to answer that.

Let me put it this way: Even if this show was 18+, I wouldn't have enjoyed it. I just thought it was pointless and lowbrow. Some people called it a "Burlesque" show (which is really an insult to Burlesque shows). I actually wouldn't have an issue with that. Something done tastefully with choreography that a little more sophisticated than what you'd see from a dance squad at a basketball game.

I don't have a problem with "risque" or adult-themed in general. Even if I saw it with the kids. Like RocketChk said, typically if you don't make it a point to point out to kids that they shouldn't be seeing something, it usually just goes over their heads. But I can't think of any context (at BGW) where I'd enjoy a show with butt-smacking, dry humping, and crotch fondling.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Fiends (2011 Howl-O-Scream)

I'm all for moving them, taming them during the day, making the show better, all that jazz. But for them to be removed all together during Halloween defeats the purpose of a non-child friendly expirience.