‘Will no longer be going to SeaWorld’: Man says Seaworld Orlando fired him after 36 years. He can’t believe why
A man is deeply upset after being fired from Seaworld Orlando after more than 36 years of employment at the amusement park and aquarium.
TikTok user Lynn Frey (@lynnthemime) is a professional mime artist based in Florida. He posted a video two days ago in which he explains why he is no longer performing at SeaWorld. “I am no longer working at SeaWorld,” he says in the video. “It was not my decision; it was theirs. And I will tell the story.” The video has amassed more than 2.3 million views as of Wednesday.
According to Lynn, the incident that prompted the decision by SeaWorld occurred more than a month ago. He says the day started out just like any other. He drove his car into the parking lot and parked it, and then got on his bicycle to enter the park. “As I ride my bike through the security guard, I see some security ladies that I’ve seen quite a few times over the years, and just said good morning,” Lynn says. “And I got on my bike and rode away. And as I rode away, I heard some gentleman yell at the top of his voice, ‘Hey, come here!’”
The person yelling turned out to be another security guard. “And he goes, ‘You’re not allowed to ride your bike in this park,’ and I said, ‘Excuse me? I’ve been riding my bike in and out of this park for years,’” Lynn recalls. “And he said, ‘You’re not allowed,’ and I said, ‘Again, I understand you’re saying that, but I don’t understand why I’m not.’”
Lynn says the security guard ordered him to park the bike nearby. “As I parked my bike, I walked away from him, and I said, 'Great, now I can’t ride my [bleeping] bike through here anymore.’ And I didn’t understand,” Lynn says. That’s because, Lynn says, he has a place to park his bike in his dressing room.
“Again, been doing it for years,” Lynn says. “He says that I cussed at him. As I walked away from him, I looked at him and he had sergeant bars on his shirt. And I said, ‘Oh, give some guy some sergeant bars and it goes to his head.’ Something to that effect. It wasn’t swearing.”
According to Lynn, the security guard then went to HR. “He proceeded to go to HR and tell them that I cussed at him, that I threw my bike and that I went down to my dressing room and told people that I was going to get him fired,” Lynn says. “But here’s the problem: They never called me into HR and said, ‘What happened?’ I came home after two days of work and my boss—who I work for, who is the company that hires me to work at SeaWorld—he called me up and told me I’m not allowed on SeaWorld property anymore because I cussed at the security guard.”
Lynn denies the allegation. “I didn’t cuss at him. Everybody out there knows me and knows that I wouldn’t do that,” Lynn says. “I don’t cuss at people. I don’t have that in me. That’s not in my nature. If you push me hard enough, yeah, I might say something. He didn’t push me that hard. The conversation wasn’t that tense.”
He concludes, “So, SeaWorld never let me tell my side of the story. They just judge, jury, and executioner … that quick. Thirty-six years at SeaWorld. Evidently, that means nothing to them. I asked them if I could come in and do one last show. They said no. I asked if I could come in and tell my side of the story. They said no. There’s nothing I can do about it. I”m sorry, folks.”
Did he get closure from SeaWorld?
In a follow-up video, Lynn thanks his fans, past colleagues and the prior SeaWorld management. He also promises that he will continue to perform in some capacity or another and asks fans to stay tuned.
In the comments section of both videos, users rallied to Lynn’s defense. Many tagged SeaWorld demanding a response to Lynn’s story.
One user wrote, “Security guards always have an inflated sense of ego. I'm so sorry.”
@lynnthemime I am sad the way it ended but happy but excited for new adventure #mimesoftiktok #lynnthemime #terminated #funnyvideos #fyp #themimespeaks #speakout #updates #updated #mime #entertainment #fypシ #hashtags #trending #speakup #speakupspeakloud #newadventures #sad #staypostive #comdey #spreadhappiness #lifeupdate ♬ original sound - Lynnthemime
A second user wrote, “@SeaWorld Orlando I was planning a trip to SeaWorld but not anymore.”
Another user wrote, “@SeaWorld Orlando Seriously??!!! 36 YEARS and not even the courtesy to talk to him.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Lynn the Mime via TikTok comment and email and SeaWorld via email for comment.
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