Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Trouble in Paradiso?
A crowd of 500 teens at an East Memphis theater complex rattles some nerves.
Posted by John Branston on Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 12:48 PM
The incident has prompted Malco to change its policy toward underage teens being dropped off by their parents. They will no longer be allowed in the building.
Police spokesman Karen Rudolph said an initial report that three squad cars responded was wrong. In fact, 23 cars responded, including every available car in three substations, plus special units. She said the crowd in the parking lot numbered at least 500 people between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., when police began closing entrances on Mendenhall, Sanderlin, and Poplar Avenue.
The faux-Italianate Paradiso is a something-for-everyone multiplex that shares the parking lots west of Clark Tower with Houston’s, Ben and Jerry’s, Whole Foods, McAlister’s Deli, and other popular businesses. The center is common ground for different ages, races, high schools, and neighborhoods and is especially popular with teenagers. Patrons are accustomed to lines, traffic snarls, and crowds of kids hanging around outside, but Saturday was different.
Rudolph said one possibility is that two horror movies showing that night were sold out, leaving hundreds of teens with nothing to do and time to kill. But Ann Forbis, who was there for a 7 p.m. movie, is skeptical.
“It takes a lot to rattle my cage but that rattled me big time,” she said. “We could not go out the exit door, the lobby was packed, and there was an ocean of kids outside and cars cruising in the parking lot. They were not in line and were not there to see a movie. If I had been a parent trying to pick up my girls I would have been mortified.”
As she and two friends walked to their car, they saw a group of young men on the ground and thought that someone was hurt or performing CPR. When they got closer they saw “six or eight guys were shooting dice.”
Rumors began spreading Saturday night and Sunday. Cyndi Blair, who lives in East Memphis, said people on her neighborhood watch have been talking about a “fight club” outbreak. A man leaving the theater broke up a fight between two girls that was being videotaped. He reported that three security guards were “trying in vain” to tell people to disperse. A police report that night says 10 teens were charged with misconduct for fighting.
Jane Williams, an East Memphis resident, said there’s a lot of buzz among neighborhood groups.
“We are now being urged to e-mail Mayor Lowery to see if we can get him to make a public statement and take action. What upsets many of us is that incidents like this in the Paradiso and Ben and Jerry’s area have gone unreported for at least six weeks. This is dangerous.”
Malco spokesman James Tashie said the crowd was drawn by a promotional flyer sent out by a local disc jockey touting the R-rated horror movies Halloween and Final Destination. Malco employees are instructed to card young people and deny them a ticket if they are underage, but teens skirt the policy by having someone else buy a ticket for them.
The flyer from “G. Webb & S.O.H.K." touts “Hanging With The Stars Part 2” at Paradiso “08.29.09.”
“We were aware of it (the promotional flyer) and beefed up our security but had no idea it was going to bring in such a large number of underage kids,” Tashie said. “Parents are dropping kids off and they are not old enough to go to the movie, so they are out there for two or three hours with nowhere to go.”
Malco executives have been meeting about the incident for two days. They say they believe the Paradiso is drawing some of the rougher segments of the crowd that went to the Muvico theater downtown in Peabody Place before it closed. “We are going to hit [the situation] with all the firepower we have, because our investment there is so great,” Tashie said. “We don’t have car break-ins or muggings. The perception is worse than the reality.”
Comments (39)
Showing 1-39 of 39
What's stupid is the mixture of clientele. Look at the brochure for this event . "It's produced by G Webb and S.O.H.K". Whoever decided to sponsor this event at Paradiso should be fired. This was a ridiculous mistake.
This event, AT BEST, should have been held at Majestic or somewhere far from the affluent areas of Memphis.
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Not sure banning the dropping off is the answer. Why don't they just ban loitering? Not sure what else kids age 14-18 are supposed to do in this town if they can't meet their friends for a movie.
I have never heard of a disc jockey sending out fliers, have you? It is not a disc jockey's fault. When I called the Malco Corporate office about this, they told me "an advertising agency" had targeted 13 and 14 years olds regarding the opening of these 2 movies and that caused the problem.The Malco needs to have stronger policies regarding who they let in to R rated movies and not allowing unaccompanied kids in the theater. The fact that 500 kids' parents felt comfortable dropping them off at The Paradiso on a Saturday night says it all.
The Paradisio has drawn teenagers to its parking lot as a hangout spot and has had a problem controlling the crowd long before this incident occurred. There are more kids dropped off to just hang out at Ben and Jerrys or McAllisters than there are kids actually going to the movies from what I have seen. It is also a known fact that teenagers can usually find someone to purchase cigarettes or beer for them there in exchange for a small fee.
I have a teenage son and one night when I came to pick him up from the movie I found him in the back of a police car along with several other boys he had never met before. Apparently someone reported minors drinking in the parking lot and the police just started apprehending whoever was in the area regardless of whether they were the guilty parties or not. The police officer indicated to me that this was their way of getting a grip on the many kids who were running rampant that night. I am new to the Memphis area...and even coming out of Los Angeles had never experienced anything like this before.
My son was not a participant in the drinking and was released to me on the spot. That incident was enough for both of us. Needless to say we do not go to that theater unless it is before 5:00 pm...
I went to Muvico Downtown every week. Sometimes twice a week. Took my twin daughters often from the time they turned 4. I never felt like we were in any kind of danger or hanging with a rougher crowd. I certainly never saw anything like what's being described at Paradisio.
It's frustrating that folks from the burbs see young people with a hat cocked sideways or low-slung pants and assume it's a rough crowd. On the other hand you never saw that at Muvico since the mall had a dress code.
I live in East Memphis and attended a movie at the Paradiso the preceding Saturday night. Although as usual there was a big crowd and lots of teenagers in the lobby, there was no problem or feeling of danger whatsoever.
Having said that, before my son began driving, for years his preppy East Memphis crowd liked to go to the Paradiso. It was impossible as a parent to police whether they actually went to the movie although that was the understanding (I was one of the dropper offer parents). I know of instances where drugs and alcohol were being sold in the parking lot to white kids who live or go to school in East Memphis, not kids from other areas of town. I have also heard white kids cursing like sailors on the porch of McAllisters on weekend nights, so the bad behavior is not limited to any one type of teenager. We are kidding ourselves if we believe that these troubles are caused by "those other children" and that everything was fine when it was just East Memphis kids there. I've long wondered what the Paradiso owners thought about their potential liability with this teenaged hangout and all the activities that go on there.
It's also worth noting that Muvico was designed for large crowds (that never came). If there was such a "Muvico crowd" there would still be a Muvico. And Muvico closed an awfully long time ago for the crowd to suddenly find the Paradisio. Not only was someone using code it was bad code.
...this is a job for our Police Department...they can take some of the hundreds of useless weekend Beale Street and Downtown cops and give them something to do...there is so much shooting and stabbing and killing and such going on all over town (just read the paper)already on Saturday nights, and if you go Downtown there are cops EVERYWHERE...doing NOTHING...I work Downtown on the weekends and I see this all of the time...
...since our Police Dept have always dodged the "scary neighborhoods", we need to keep our "safe" neighborhoods safe...Paradiso needs the Police presence that Downtown has already...
The Paradiso has been Memphis' biggest baby-sitting service for years. I hate going there because of all the kids milling about. That last time I tried going to a movie there a few weeks ago I gave up. The crowd seemed to me to be evenly mixed. To say that "those kids" from "those neighborhoods" are the ones causing the problem is just stupid. The Noura Jackson trial made it pretty clear that East Memphis teens engage in just as much bad behavior as teens in other parts of town.
I was there Saturday night and it wasn't private school or east Memphis kids. They were north, south and Hickory Hill kids. The white people were the "tokens" last Saturday night. I was the token white guy. I don't have a problem with anyone as long as they are helping the economy, but these kids weren't spending money, they were just standing there. No telling how much money was lost from the over 50 crowd who saw the crowd and skedaddled back out east. The mayoral candidates should of been working that crowd.
The dirty little secret I hear from some white kids is that Saturday night is known as AA night (African American) at the Paradiso. How's that for perpetuating self segregation in this city rich with diversity? Enroll them all in Common Ground right now is what I say.
"This event, AT BEST, should have been held at Majestic or somewhere far from the affluent areas of Memphis."
Ah, the old out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality. When will the inhabitors of these "affluent areas of Memphis" ever realize that they can run but they can't hide, i.e. the social problems that we all deal with daily -- yes, even the rich contribute to social problems -- can't be solved by running away. Not unless they plan on running to North Dakota...
What was spreading around East Memphis was an email sent Monday describing what the Blair's experienced Saturday at The Paradiso. The purpose was to inform the neighbors because the only published news as of Monday was a few lines buried in the Commercial Appeal. The words "fight clubs" were not a part of the email. If you are going to quote me talk to me first.
People from the rougher areas of the city is more apt to go to this sort of event. Look at the sponsor. I'm from Bartlett and we have a whole kind of different fun like you see in the teen movies where the hot guys get the way too hot girls. We set the trends around town and it's the out of style crooked hats that start ALL the trouble. They sure are jealous of our hot girlfriends because they yell at them every chance they get. But then again, look at some of their rot that are with that are 13 and have 2 kids. They smell like a large pizza with triple onions. Shew wee.
Where are young people supposed to go when Memphis has turned its back on that population? No venues, no skate parks, no Libertyland... When my husband was a teenager in the 1980s he worked in a teens-only club. There were teen dance clubs during the 60s and 70s as well. Amy LaVere said (four years ago) that if you are not yet 21 in Memphis, there is not much to do. She is still right.
www.savethepippin.com
A crowd of 500 unaccompanied minors should not happen anywhere. Such a crowd will only lead to trouble of some kind or another. I agree with Kalisa in that people should not be allowed to loiter. If the security guards cannot dispurse the crowd then the police should. Call the kids' parent and tell them they have 15 min. to pick up their child in the parking lot or they can get them later from Juvenile Court. Several commentors opine that there is nothing for minors to do. I disagree. First, the teenager can get a job and work on Fri. or Sat. night. Second, get together with a group of parents and agree on a rotation for the kids to hang out at different houses where they can socialize while being supervised. Third, churches all over this area sponser teenage night where teens can socialize away from their parents. Fourth, wake teenagers up early on Sat. and Sun. mornings for work or church and they'll need to get home and to bed at a decent hour in order to get enough sleep. What would they do when they get up on Sat. a.m. and get busy you ask - volunteer and help this community or, once again, go to a job.
A Bartlett man faces an array of charges, including criminal attempt first degree murder, in connection with the assault of a woman late Monday night. Commercial Appeal story Sept. 2, 2009. Classy Bartlett...
The Muvico crowd???? What the hell is Tashie talking about. Sounds like he is just making something up so he has something to say.
Yea...That "classy" man happens to be an AFRICAN...you know, that ethnic group you hold so dearly and the only movie you can make about your history is that ultra low budget movie "Roots"?...Get with it. My lineage is the movie Braveheart. Aren't I lucky.
People shouldn't be scared to go to the movies. Young parents, hell i've seen grandparents in their 30's...take better care of your kids...their running wild in the street. Even if they supply you with crack, it's still your responsibly to keep them from attacking ordinary citizens. If my son went to the movies with me, It would take 5 of your best street kids with a bat to bring my son down, and thats after he snaps many limbs. He fights in MMA. He prays for a 5 on 1 attack so he can "practice"
There were two problems here:
1. Kids being dropped off to the "Paradiso Daycare". As far as I know, Paradiso doesn't have a Child's Daycare License to watch out for their welfare. So they shouldn't be admitting them without a parent/guardian (of atleast 18yrs old) also attending the movie theater with them.
And if they aren't admitted, then why aren't the parents being criminally charged for abandoning children in a parking lot with $20??
2. Why would this advertising agency (targeting a certain racial demographic) hold a movie night for 13-14 yr olds in a neighborhood they obviously don't live to see a movie they aren't old enough to see?????
Hey B... Whitey and you sure do think differently...Maybe you are the threat...Have you or any of your kinfolk been engaged in a gang? Chances are you have. We (whitey) don't want that in our curriculum. Keep it on your side of the tracks since it works so good for you.
Sean, my heritage is also Braveheart, along with Goodfellas, and you make me sick. but I'm just a whitey who hates his own race, no?
we were there, and the only thing that bothered me was that the security guard stopped 8 different groups (group = 2 people) of african american teens for doing different variations of NOTHING WRONG... but when I told them that a white dude and his gang of 10 obnoxious kids jumped in front of the entire ticket line, they did nothing. and i saw another lady telling him on someone else of caucasian persuasion right in front of him, and he again did nothing.
In May 2008 (I think it was), an impromptu “fight club” consisting of a large group of people occurred in Union Square in Manhattan. There are still YouTube videos of the event online. Funny how there it was seen as the combination of a fringe activity merged with the a phenomenon made possible by a simple text message alerting individuals to the event spread in a viral fashion among several thousand people in a short period of time. In the end it became an news blurb on the evening news and a 5 minute topic of conversation at the local bar. In Memphis, similar events occur in separate sections of the city and it’s a sign of the moral collapse of our community and no doubt a sign of some approaching apocalypse.
OK. There's so much to address here. the coded (barely and badly) comments about Muvico crowd and the whole other side of the tracks deal is total racist and/or classist BS. Yes, there are too many people hanging out at the Paradiso but guess what? it's a movie theater!!! yes, kids will hang out there. i did as a teen and i'm sure you did too. their being black and supposedly dangerous is the big issue here to many of the people writing these comments. kids can act like jackasses no matter where they're from. people in general can act like jackasses no matter where you are. the hick in the sticks (bartlett) needs to stay there. we need to take care of the crime in this city, pronto. the cops have to get off their asses and people need to recognize that $12/ hour on a rent-a-cop is not a good return on investment. the city government needs to get off their asses, now. we need to push them. or get them out of office.
Ya'll need to stop being so damn racist, who cares if you're white and you "think" you bring the most money to a movie theater just by attending one night. Kids will be kids. And if you all didn't know there was rumor of an afterparty when the movies were finished so please talk, or in this matter type what you know, and these kind of racist comments are why black kids act the way they act towards white people. Stop acting like you (gbbarnes) are needed to keep this world turning and prospering because I guarantee when you pass away this world will keep on moving. And that couple being interviewed act like they have never seen anything like that in their life when people of their kind actually trample people to death during Christmas time just to get gifts for people who could care less about them. Stop acting like black people are so bad when you all are no different from any other race because every one has flaws.
Some of these comments are so very, very discouraging. As a college student, I had hope that the world (and especially the city of Memphis) was turning away from its racist past. It is my hope that people in my generation will, if they haven't already, learn to see past someone's skin color. I'm pretty sure every single person who has said something negative about another race knows that every race, ethnicity, and religion has people who commit crimes. No one is immune to having some kind of "tainted" individual.
Yes, it was wrong for 500 teens to be in one area unsupervised. Yes, some of the teens were probably engaging in illegal activities. Let us look at what we can agree on with this issue and work towards correcting it so it doesn't happen in the future.
I don't live in Memphis right now, but it is my hope that someday I can return to my hometown and find less racism and hate. Unfortunately, posts like some of these make me sad about the future of the Bluff City.
Parents, become more involved. Love your children.
You would think ,they could look around and see the theater is only going to hold so many people. These parents dropping kids off to a full parking lot, should be picked up and arrested with their kids. Maybe ,that would actually make some of these parents spend some time, with their kids. Why would, ANY PARENT, drop their kids off, in a mob of 500 teenagers+?????? Do they really think, there won't be any trouble there????????DUMB!!!!!DUMB!!!DUMB!!!!!!!
Actually this world and country as we know it might not function or exist in it's current form in as little as two years. Massive government debt to a level that almost equals 99% of GDP is going to happen in the next year or two. At that level the federal Government can't keep up the programs that keeps Memphis from sinking into the river (School lunches, subsidized housing, free education). Raising taxes on the wealthy is only a short term solution, as with a high national debt the ability for wealthy to replenish the funds that disappear from increased taxing decreases over time. White flight from any more areas of Memphis, such as the Clark tower area, could hurt the Memphis tax base, and then the huge drop in federal funding down the road could create more blight.
People can wish for all the racial harmony in the world, but racial harmony is learned and taught, not forced. Mayor H does nothing to bring Harmony to this city. You can bus all the minorities that you want to into a area, but all you will get is white flight. Until the gaps in the economic disparity between parts of Memphis are closed ,we all attend school together, and we learn how to respect others culture's by being flexible with our own, we are not going to bring any harmony to Memphis.
The biggest problem in this city is that so called liberal open minded parents are willing to spend thousands of dollars for private school, then thousands more to ship there kid off to a private college. Then that kid in the liberal spirit moves back to Memphis, pat's themselves on the pack for being open minded and liberal, but moves into a gated community and then sends there kid to a private school.
Perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that apparently the Final Destination series has such a strong presence in our society.
Bunch of kids with nothing to do. How many got their money from their parents for the show. How many of them got nothing at all to do. They saw the opportunity for a large social gathering and they took it. Then the cops came, which happens every time. Then things went back to normal. Then everybody came here and posted something.
This is just shameful. You have taken an incident that had absolutely nothing to do with anything more than parents not being responsible for their kids, where they were or what they were doing and turned it into a racial debate. This has absolutely nothing to do with race but of course as I am so often reminded this IS the South and with attitudes like this it shall remain racist and backward. White parents or people for that matter need to realize that white kids are just as capable of doing the wrong thing and it doesnt matter which way you wear you hat.
I quit going to both Muvico and the Southaven Malco because of large groups of kids. I really don't care what color they are. Because I teach high school, I know how large groups of teens can become volatile with no warning, and bystanders can get hurt when fights break out. I would just rather not put myself in that situation. The kids of Memphis need more to do. I don't blame them for congregating where other teens are. That's just human nature. However, I will not be there.
Also, the Paradiso has always been a place to avoid because of the poor traffic flow at the entrance. The lines are not clearly defined and the only way to get a ticket is to elbow yourself to the front. It's much easier to just go to Studio on the Square. However, I hope they can deal with the crowding problem because the Paradiso is at a great location with nearby dinner and ice cream. I would go there if it weren't such a hassle.
This is not something new. This is my neighborhood theatre and I really like it. About a year ago is when a large, dark, roudy group started showing up. I am sure that some of these people drive past at least 2 other theatres to get to this one. My family and I love the movies and I estimate that I spent appx $150.00 a month there. It is no longer safe, and I dont like the crowd with the language and attitudes. I will no longer go there. They have run me and my family off. The people that they are allowing there, will run them out of business in 24 months. Remember Appletree? Jeff G
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