Love the Chewie on vacation look
I'm sure Disney just wants to avoid something like this (Article from 2007):
CHEWBACCA ARRESTED!
Hollywood - The buzz on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday was over the Chewbacca who police say crossed over to the dark side in front of hundreds of tourists at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
LAPD officers arrested "Star Wars" street performer Frederick Evan Young, 44, of Los Angeles in his furry brown wookiee costume Thursday for allegedly head-butting a tour guide who complained about Young's treatment of two visitors from Japan.
The incident — witnessed by Superman — is the latest clash outside the landmark cinema between visitors and performers dressed as movie and cartoon characters. Tourists have complained that some costumed characters turn abusive when they refuse to pay them to pose for pictures. Two years ago, actors dressed as Elmo the Muppet and the dark-hooded character from the movie "Scream" were arrested for aggressive begging.
Authorities said it began when a Star Line Tours guide allegedly observed the Chewbacca character harassing two young girls from a rival Japanese tour company. Guide Brian Sapir said that when he asked the performer not to touch the visitors, Young became angry.
"You could see in his eyes he was exploding beneath the mask," Sapir said Friday. "He yelled at me, 'Nobody tells this wookiee what to do!' "
After a security guard suggested that the 6-foot-5 Young take a walk down Hollywood Boulevard to cool off, he became more agitated, said Sapir, 32. "He threw off his mask and walked toward me and slammed his head into my forehead."
A police source said that a Superman performer witnessed the altercation and was interviewed by police. Other street performers said that before police arrived Superman called producers from ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Show," which is taped across the boulevard from the theater, and a cameraman videotaped Young being led off by officers.
Continuing disputes led to a "superhero summit" last year between authorities and about a dozen performers, which police said significantly reduced conflict on the boulevard. "People all over the world come to Hollywood looking for movie stars and film characters," said Councilman Eric Garcetti, who represents Hollywood. "These folks are our ambassadors. I don't feel that individual incidents require new legislation but we do need to keep a watchful eye on the crown jewels of the city."
"The city will do something eventually. Yesterday's incident probably shortened that time span," said Thomas Fox, wearing a pirate's suit reminiscent of Capt. Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean."
"Things like this happen around Chewbacca all the time. I saw him in a fight with a music vendor. They knocked over a baby stroller," Fox said.
Nearby, Chris Mitchell, posing for tourists snapshots in a Darth Vader costume, said Chewbacca often had run-ins with other performers.
The whole thing has the creators of the "Star Wars" character shaking their heads. "The street performer doesn't have any affiliation with Lucasfilm," said company spokeswoman Lynne Hale. "Nevertheless, we are disappointed Chewbacca would behave in this way."
