Macy's Santa Fired After Couple Takes Offense To Joke
A man who has been portraying Santa Claus at Macy's in San Francisco's Union Square for over two decades was out of a job Tuesday night after a couple took offense to a risque joke he said he's been telling for years.
The story has picked up national attention and has been definitely creating a buzz in San Francisco's busiest shopping area.
John Toomey has been known to a lot of local San Franciscans as Santa John, not just because of his many years playing the part at Macy's, but also because he looks and acts the part complete with a jolly laugh.
"He's the famous Santa from Union Square," said Lefty O'Douls owner Nick Bovis. "Macy's Santa."
But this year not everyone is smiling. That's because Toomey was fired by Macy's because of a complaint about a joke he told to an adult couple who sat on his lap.
Santa John began as usual by asking them if they had been good:
"And they said 'Oh yes Santa.' And I said 'Well that's too bad.' And then I said 'You know why Santa is so happy and jolly all the time?' And they said 'No.' And I said 'That's because that's where Santa knows where all the naughty boys and girls live.'"
Toomey said he never jokes with children and only will tell the jokes to adults hoping to get a laugh.
"I've used it for over 20 years and no one has ever complained about it," explained Toomey. "And they didn't complain about it to me. They went up to management."
Some said the controversy has a strange similarity to another Macy's Santa Claus depicted in the classic holiday film 'Miracle on 34th Street' who was fired for claiming to be the real Santa Claus.
Macy's for its part confirmed that Toomey had been let go, but wouldn't say anymore beyond describing the firing as 'a personnel issue.'
Many outside of Macy's had heard about Toomey's firing. Most who spoke to KTVU on Tuesday felt the store's management had overreacted.
"I think it's ridiculous that someone could be fired for just a simple mistake," said Gary Hall of Sonora.
"I'm sure it was taken very seriously by Macy's, but I don't know," said San Francisco's Julie Johnson. "That seems a little harsh."
"It seemed to be that it was a pretty harmless thing that he said," agreed Jim Bradley of San Francisco. "But when you do a job like being Santa at Macy's, you've got to be extra careful with what you say. You may offend somebody."
Bovis said he offered Toomey a job offer at double his Macy's pay to work as Santa at Lefty O'Douls just up the street from the department store.
"I think Santa should get a pass on this," said Bovis. "He'll have a permanent job. I have the chair being made if he wants the job and we need his help."
Tuesday night, KTVU learned that Toomey had accepted the offer.
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Víctor Lei
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