I've been a loyal kan-goer since 2001 and I've loved every minute of it. However, I feel I must address my concern for the behavior trend I watched develop this weekend regarding the projection of authority by certain staff members. What started off as instruction and guidance for lines and manners has quickly escalated to barking orders and screaming at con-goers over the slightest infraction or, in certain instances, zero provocation.
I completely understand the need to maintain order among so many attendees for the purposes of safety and to expedite the transitions between events and panels, but the methods being used are completely unacceptable. I did not pay $50 to have a complete stranger shriek at me like an epileptic banshee for pausing in a hallway to read a text message or try to find the group I was walking with. I do not believe that con volunteers have the right to wrongfully blame me for the actions of a completely different person, leading to me being interrogated by hotel staff. I will never again tolerate a staff member shoving a finger in my face with wild accusations. These incidences were absolutely unprecedented in my experience with NDK, yet they happened in rapid succession and will be the most prevalent memories I will have about this year.
As far as helpfulness goes, staff members are generally top-notch at providing information on the location of lines, booths, and services. Thumbs up in that regard. And when it comes to con safety or emergencies, like a guest collapsing in the atrium needing to be moved to an EMS station or to an ambulance, I fully recognize the authority of the con staff to do whatever is necessary to get that person to safety. Politeness is not a prerequisite when it comes to a persons health and well-being. Shouting, "Clear a hole" or holding human traffic back is exactly what the doctor ordered in these instances, do what you have to do. But screaming at people, not speaking loudly or clearly, but angrily growling or even insulting con-goers should not be tolerated as a professional manner.
I experienced these debacles several times over the weekend, only once where it was actually me being directed to move, but overhearing or witnessing all the others. I was absolutely shocked at the behavior of the staff member who was trying to direct me. Near the dealers room and behind the registration area there is a T-intersection of hallway. At the particular instance there was a line forming along one wall, and was bifurcated by the intersection. The line was not moving at this time, the event had not even opened up yet.
I had become separated from my group and I paused to turn around and see if they were still behind me. Within
seconds, this staff member began barking at me with a fervor I've never seen. Thinking I was about to get run over by a gurney or that I was in the middle of a picture or that people were moving behind me, I spun around. Nothing. There was no emergency and people were not flowing around me as though I had become a human dam. Upon further observation, I found that this line only had 25, maybe 30, people in it. It was not moving, and I was the only person standing in the intersection. This was later on Friday, when traffic from registration had died down and only the few Friday-goers were wandering around. People were not being help up and I could have easily done cartwheels without coming near anyone else.
So why was this staff member screaming at me? He wasn't shouting, he wasn't directing, he was absolutely screaming. I understand that the con can be a madhouse at times, and that this year experienced record numbers. I also know that lines can get incredibly hectic and require forcefull direction to keep traffic moving, such as near the main events hall and during the costume contest. And I'm definitely on the same page when it comes to how stupid and inconsiderate the masses can become, and how frustrating it can be for staff members to wrangle these people for their own good. I know many of you on the staff are positively burnt-out by the end of the weekend, but this mans behavior on the
first day was absolutely uncalled-for.
This year alone I was given the incredible opportunity to branch out into several other conventions. After going to NDK and StarFest for years and years, I finally got to attend San Diego Comic Con and the New York City Comic Con. Both of those events drastically overshadow our local annuals by orders of magnitude. I truly got to experience human swarms and endless lines. To be honest, I came away frustrated. While the bigger cons have more stuff, bigger stuff, and cooler stuff, I preferred NDK where I could turn around without my costume breaking, and there was enough space that stopping to take a picture was even possible. I love our homebrew Colorado cons, to this day. But imagine me, who had only a few months ago stood in line with 60,000 people without incident, being shouted at for "blocking" a line of 30 people that wasn't even moving.
Another personal instance occurred around 10pm on Saturday. I had walked outside with my friends to cool off from our costumes when we saw a gothed-out hearse with bat wings pull into the parking lot. The hearse is owned by a friend of mine, but I did not know he would be coming by, and I only got to talk to him much later. This hearse was equipped with propane smokestacks, and a 5-foot torch was burning on it's hood. A crowd quickly gathered to take pictures and investigate the commotion. It wasn't five minutes later until an officious-looking staff member equipped with a radio headset stomped up to me with two hotel managers behind him. He promptly shoved his finger in my face and shouted, "It's
his car. This guy is the owner." The hotel managers then descended upon me and began shouting that I they were going to call the fire department and that I needed to turn off the flames and move the car immediately.
Now, mistaken identity is something I deal with a lot. I own two movie cars, one of which has been copied several times, and it is very common for me to be mistaken for someone else, and vice-versa. If the staff member had asked me if I owned the car, it would have been a different situation. But instead he abrasively accused me, and sicced the hotel goons on me without any kind of confirmation on my part. What this caused was, even though I calmly and clearly denied owning the car, in the hotel's minds I was now somehow associated with it, and need to be interrogated further on why it was here and what it was doing.
After the flames had been quelled, the staff member started to leave. A person in the crowd said to the person beside them, "I wish they would turn it on just for a minute so I could get a picture." The staff member lunged toward this person and shouted, "It won't be turned back on,
ever."
Now, maybe shorter shifts or longer breaks are in order for staff members. Or maybe more screening needs to take place so that those wearing staff shirts are assured to be professional and not succumb to power-mad tendencies of Hall Monitor Syndrome. I understand that you may cosplaying as a riot cop or SWAT member, but do not think for a second that that will keep your behavior from falling under the legal classification of harassment.
As a staff member, this person is a representative of the convention and the organizational body behind it as a whole. I would personally very much like to never see this person in any position of authority ever again. I left the con shortly afterwards, heading home to get out of my costume and cool my head. I headed back to enjoy some the wonderful late-night conversation, but I was still pretty skeeved about the whole ordeal.
I did register my complaint with Ops, and they were more than eager to apologize. However, it was not them that needed to apologize. It was not their behavior that upset my group of friends and they should not have to be accountable for it any more than I should have been accountable for parking a flaming hearse in front of the hotel.
Needless to say, the incidences I encountered and witnessed this year have absolutely changed my opinion of the convention itself. Having been to the coastal cons I can say that I have experienced far worse situations that were dealt with in far better manners. I honestly feel like the staff attitude has changed, and new blood is needed to keep the attitude towards people who are paying to be there helpful and polite. One more, I understand the need for this type of direction at the necessary times, but what I saw went far beyond what can be seen as acceptable and serious changes will need to be made before I can attend or sincerely recommend this convention again.
If any of you have experienced or witnessed this sort of behavior, please post about it in this thread so that we may get the word out on these bad apples that are bringing down what was otherwise an enjoyable convention.
