“Who wants to see a midget bleed?” That’s how Worlds of Fun is promoting hardcore wrestling at its family amusement park. Critics say the word “midget” is as offensive as the n-word. They know wrestling events featuring little people are nothing new, but they can’t believe that Worlds of Fun is willing to put them on.
The brochure for Halloween Haunt at Worlds of Fun reads, “Who wants to see a midget bleed? Half the size, twice the brutality. More blood and hilarity than they can shake their tiny fists at.”
“Watch a midget bleed, that’s not too cool for me,” Jeffrey White said. White is a commercial actor based in Olathe. He’s had lots of calls about what’s taking place every weekend in October at Worlds of Fun.
“About, ‘watch a midget bleed,’ would we want to say, ‘watch a nerd bleed?’ Or watch somebody else bleed? I mean come on,” White said.
Lindsey Pollock’s 10-year old brother Jesse loves amusement parks but says what Worlds of Fun is promoting would devastate him.
“If he were to see something like this happening, I think it would hurt him so much,” Pollock said.
Meghan Oberzan works is a social worker at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She works with kids at the genetics clinic.
“I am horrified that this event is taking place there,” she said. “On a daily basis at work I’m talking to kids and families about why are people teasing me because I’m different.”
“I don’t see the word midget being offensive, it’s a marketing tool,” Puppet, the wrestler who promotes and performs in the events. “Nobody is going to come out and see little people wrestling. They want me to call it little people, I’m not a little person, I’m a huge personality.”
In a statement, Worlds of Fun says the shows take place at night and “are not intended for the younger crowd. We do not intend to offend anyone, but instead offer a chance for people to come see something different, much like our entire Haunt event.”
But critics say Worlds of Fun is making a huge mistake. This is the first time Worlds of Fun has hosted “Hardcore Midget Wrestling.” The shows continue through October 29.