Nothing says Halloween like the fake skeleton of an NFL quarterback murdered by his mistress. At least that was the initial opinion of King's Island Amusement Park -- because, as part of their Halloween Haunt show, a skeleton depicting Steve McNair wearing a No. 9 jersey and holding a Titans helmet with the top blown off was on display, an apparent reference to the two bullet wounds McNair suffered on the night he died. As if that weren't enough, a skeleton depiction of Sahel Kazemi, McNair's 20-year old mistress who Nashville police have said murdered the football star in the early morning hours of July 4, 2009, lies across the McNair skeleton's lap, wearing a piece of slinky red lingerie. Videos of the display emerged courtesy of a sneak peak given to WLWT in Cincinnati and immediately drew intense scrutiny.
George Plaster, the host of Nashville's highest rated radio show at 104.5 The Zone, reacted with outrage. So did the callers on his show Wednesday evening. "I don't think the city is going to take it well at all," Plaster said, "This is a city that prides itself on having some taste and values, and I just can't see anything about what they're doing that has any good taste at all. I was shocked and totally appalled, and I think most people in Nashville are as well."
Kings Island is located 24 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio, roughly 260 miles from the city of Nashville. It is the second-most visited seasonal theme park in America, behind Cedar Point, and the park does a Halloween-themed event each year. This year's Halloween Haunt debuts on September 25 and runs for 16 nights through Halloween. The Web site advises parents: "Halloween Haunt includes graphic scenes, suggestive themes, and intense imagery and is intended for mature audiences; not recommended for children. No one and nothing is off limits!"
Including an NFL quarterback and his murdering mistress.
When reached by FanHouse, a spokesperson for Kings Island, Don Helbig, said the following, "There will not be a scene at our Halloween event that features Steve McNair or anyone that resembles him."
With video and pictures of the skeletons circulating online, Helbig at first declined to acknowledge that they had ever existed. "There was no reference to Steve McNair at all. No jersey, nothing." Upon being informed that the pictures and video were already online, Helbig again insisted that the skeletons would not be featured on Friday when the event opens. Pressed as to when the skeletons were removed from the park, Helbig stuck to his talking points. "Our event does not open until Friday," he said, "We meant him no disrespect."
Clay Travis is the author of three books. His latest, "On Rocky Top: A Front Row Seat to The End of an Era" chronicles the 2008 Tennessee football season and is on sale now.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 25)
9-23-2009 @ 9:40PM
Mel said...
Nothing surprises me anymore.....
Reply
9-24-2009 @ 12:06PM
Poindexter said...
Regardless, it is still funny. Of course, they can't show it publicly. They must have anticipated it wouldn't fly, ultimately. (Or will it?)
9-24-2009 @ 12:13PM
me said...
How is that even supposed to be scary?? Skeletons of murder victims and people who committed suicide is tasteless, not frightening.
9-24-2009 @ 2:53PM
triathlon chick said...
Honestly I wonder fi the owners of the amusement park would find hmor in th edepictions if a dead family member fo theirs was depicted in that way. Honestly it is people like that who will become the next victims most likely.
9-24-2009 @ 6:31PM
qballmike69 said...
I think the whole thing is Tasteless and disturbing! People have to take to the most disgusting thing and ride with it b-cuz they "think" it's cool or funny. The fact is,he was a PRO football player from CHICAGO that wasn't "the best", but he was good enough to make the pros!!! Let him rest!!!!
9-23-2009 @ 10:11PM
Samuel said...
Im not even sure what to say. Sometimes I wonder if people think things like this through before they do them? What good was going to come from this? What did they think people would say: "Look there is an NFL quarterback that was murdered by his mistress! Thats hillarious!" I cannot imagine how they thought anyone would not be offended by this. The skeleton of Heath Ledger is also out of line. Both of these man have children that will have to read about this. This park's management obviously has no class.
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9-24-2009 @ 11:46AM
DONNA said...
you took the words right out of my mouth! i cant help but think about their innocent children.
9-24-2009 @ 12:09PM
phil said...
No Samuel. People sometimes do not think things through before they do them. (i.e. President Clinton/Monica) Halloween is for children. It is up to parents to protect younger children, and to teach older children to differentiate good entertainment from what appeals to our base nature.
This "dead man" display was obviously designed to provoke comment and, in a simple description-classless.
9-24-2009 @ 12:19PM
WELCOME 2 MY HSE said...
i live in cincy & this town is NOTORIOUS 4 doing crap that is offensive...how funny that the park 'official' tried 2 LIE about the display ever existing...had it NOT been caught on tape he would have continued to LIE thru his teeth which is the NORM for this city...in the word of Shaggy - it wasnt me...lol...
i hope the entire state of TN protest & NOT spend their dollars @ Kings Island...@ $50/pp ppl here in cincy should NOT attend but thats like saying a drunk shouldnt drink & drive but in this city they do it all the time...from college coaches to judges...good job KI!!!
9-24-2009 @ 12:32PM
whatever said...
Tasteless ? Yes ...But I remember a National Lampoon photo of someone whispering into Ted Kennedy's ear- the cartoon caption, " ...BANG! ... Just kidding, Ted ..." ... We loathe to admit we quietly snicker at dark humor.
That being said, I think the McNair murder is too recent to joke about ... We had Space Shuttle jokes too ...
9-24-2009 @ 12:27PM
michele said...
Then they should have thought about their reckless actions BEFORE tragedy occured if they cared so much about their children.
9-25-2009 @ 11:42AM
Kathleen said...
Trashy people do trashy things and thing it's funny. This is the trashiest, most insensitive thing I've heard in a long, long time
9-23-2009 @ 10:40PM
billyp01 said...
that is just trash, plain and simple
Reply
9-24-2009 @ 2:54PM
phantasyz said...
The fact that he cheated on his wife thats real classy!!!!
9-23-2009 @ 10:50PM
sandcastlemgmt said...
this country and people have no class...it's all about money money money money
Reply
9-24-2009 @ 1:03PM
shawn said...
It's called capitalism, it's what made this country and gave you all you have. Dont like it, leave.
9-23-2009 @ 10:58PM
Kris said...
I used to work at the "Halloween Haunt" at Knotts Scary farm in Ca. for 13 years. There was a show there called "The Hanging" that made fun of the years biggest news stories. This is the same company doing the same thing they have done since the "Halloween Haunt" started in the mid '70s! All other Halloween amusement park attractions copied the Knotts family/Ceder fair format(Universal is the only one to do it better). None of this is new! So why have people started to complain? Have we become that week that we suddenly get offended at satire? Or did we just forget that there is such a thing as satire? THIS IS WHAT HALLOWEEN IS ABOUT!!!
Reply
9-24-2009 @ 8:18AM
kyrstenfox said...
I am sorry but you are wrong. And as entitled to your opinion as you are, I feel confident that if they were depicting a murder victim that was a loved one of yours, you would be leading the witch hunt to find out who was responsible and remove it. It is not satire, it is tasteless and crude. These were not merely characters from a play or script, these were real people with real lives and real loved ones who have met tragic ends to their short lives and you find this funny how? How would it be any different if someone had depicted victims of 9/11 falling and burning? If you have any kind of soul, I am sure you would be appalled....yet it is the same thing as what they did here.
9-24-2009 @ 9:03AM
Lori said...
Sorry, but you're wrong. Halloween is not about mocking the death's of real people. Universal Studios does Halloween better, and do you know why?? Because they have enough class to know that it isn't 'scary' to mock a murdered football player, or an actor who died of an overdose. They stick to what Halloween is really about: Being scared out of your wits by horror CHARACTERS from books, plays and movies, not belittling the lives and deaths of real people and real tragedies. This was a classless, shameless attempt to make a buck. Is there not enough inspiration from horror movies these days to satisfy these greedy fools? Regardless of McNair's bad choices when he was alive, he has family, friends, children, and they at least deserve better than to see or hear about this crap. They should pull the scene of Heath Ledger too, that one is just as disrespectful. When did we as Americans become such a low-class crowd?
9-24-2009 @ 9:24AM
Shane and Mary said...
It does teach a lesson to an extent. Don't cheat or your mistress might go beyond mere jealousy and take that old saying 'if I can't have you no one can' to an extreme. Or how about the fact that people know that overdosing will kill them but they still try to push their limits - now that is scary! That someone knows the possible consequences of their actions but they still do it. I wouldn't display something like that in my yard - I'm good with the old fashioned mummies and vampires and the old 'torso emerging from the grave' decor myself!