If you have ever been to Hollywood, you have probably seen the superheroes that appear in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. It’s a gimmicky thing that tourists love – or do they?
The Los Angeles Police Department has shut down the impersonators because they received several complaints of harassment. I watched a documentary about these impersonators titled Confessions of a Superhero. In the documentary, Christopher Dennis, who has been portraying Superman for 19 years now, has his picture taken with tourists and reminds them that the superheroes only work for tips. He definitely looks the part, but I remember someone not offering them much, if any money, for the photo and I think it was Dennis that made a few slightly aggressive remarks about it. There have also been reports of Chewbacca headbutting a tourist, Spider-Man punching Charlie Chaplin, and KISS guitarist Gene Simmons doing nasty things with his exceptionally long tongue.
Apparently actions such as that are what prompted the complaints to LAPD, who banned the impersonators from the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. The first bust garnered Dennis a little bit of celebrity – I think I remember him appearing on “The Jimmy Kimmel Show.”
Now Dennis is a bit of an eccentric character, to say the least. His apartment is filled with Superman memorabilia. And by filled, I mean to the ceiling! When he married his girlfriend, a moment captured on the documentary, he dressed as Superman. And, perhaps the strangest thing is he claims to be the son of actress Sandy Dennis. Sandy passed away in 1992, but her family claims there is no way he could be her son.
Dennis was busted again earlier this month for loitering. Dressed as Superman, he was arrested for passing out flyers for a local store. Dennis said, “There were some tourists who asked for photos, and it would be rude to say no, so I posed and continued to walk.” However, he estimated he posed with about 30 or 40 people before moving on. He said he didn’t mention tips, but people were giving him money anyhow.
At least right up until the po-po showed up and handcuffed him.
Tomorrow I will tell you more of the ongoing saga of the Hollywood superheroes.