SAN FRANCISCO — Santa Claus has been fired from a San Francisco Macy’s department store for being a bit too jolly.
According to CBS affiliate KPIX, John Toomey, who played Kris Kringle at the Union Square store for 20 years, was told Saturday that his “ho-ho-ho-ing” days are over after an adult couple complained about his dirty jokes.
The 68-year-old Toomey told the station that he asks older people who sit on his lap if they’ve been good. When they answer yes, he replies: “Gee, that’s too bad.”
If they ask why Santa’s so jolly, Toomey says it’s because he knows where all the naughty boys and girls live.
Toomey told KPIX that he has told those jokes for decades without any problems, and emphasized that he didn’t make such jokes with kids.
“Everything was going OK until this couple came in,” Toomey told the station. “I don’t know why they reported me. I don’t think I said anything untoward.”
He said he had asked Macy’s to reconsider their decision to terminate his employment, but apparently to no avail.
Macy’s spokeswoman Betsy Nelson said Tuesday that the store would not comment on personnel matters.
(via khou.com)
