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View Full Version : Lagniappe Has Updated His Website



draydanman
10-27-2005, 12:03 AM
Has anyone else noticed that Mark Wenzel, who played Langiape in New Orleans Square until about a year ago when he was unceremoniously walked out the front gate, has updated the Disney page on his website? http://www.markwenzel.com/wenzeldland.htm There are some very nice new shots of him interacting with guests as only he could, and we've always thought the "behind-the-scenes" photos were funny.

We miss him there - we thought his work was terrific - he was always so witty, so helpful and kind, and you could tell he was having as much fun as you were. Some friends of ours said they say him last weekend at Downtown Disney in the House of Blues, working a big convention event. I wonder if he misses the place.

Anyway, we wish him the very best. If we could afford a big, fancy party, we'd hire him in a minute.

SoCalSteven
10-27-2005, 12:44 AM
I miss him too. Thanks for pointing out the update!

Whittibo
10-27-2005, 05:54 AM
Who is Mark Wenzel and WHY was he "Unceremoniously" walked out the front gate???

3894
10-27-2005, 06:00 AM
Who is Mark Wenzel and WHY was he "Unceremoniously" walked out the front gate???

According to posts in this forum, Lagniappe was given two weeks' notice. He and his supporters started a letter-writing campaign to keep his job. This letter-writing campaign included getting the news out via threads on fan websites like this one.

You and I might say that this only fanned the flames of love for Lagniappe. Disneyland management might say that it was insubordination.

Whittibo
10-27-2005, 06:02 AM
OK, read the website, got the 'who' figured out, just still curious as to the 'why'?

Whittibo
10-27-2005, 06:08 AM
Thanks 3894! Humm.. sounds like a real tragedy.
Were there more then 1 mime in DL? Because I remember (somewhere in the back of my memory) seeing a mime there before, but I might be making it up too?

Loteki
10-27-2005, 07:27 AM
I first ran across this fantastic entertainer at Sea World where he performed as a warm-up for the Seal & Otter Show (back when it was actually good) in the early '80's. He picked my little sister, who always took herself VERY seriously even at a young age, and did a whole routine with her that had everyone (including her!) laughing.

My husband and I saw him again at the L.A. County Fair about eight years back and when we saw him again at Disneyland (my husband actually recognized him... I said "All mimes look the same"), complimented him upon his performance.

Lagniappe, or perhaps we should call him simply Mark now, was, of course, at all times humorous, but also surprisingly "talkative" for someone who never once broke character to actually speak, and most importantly, never-failingly gracious. He became a staple stop in our visits and we took time to search him out when we brought friends to Disneyland for introductions to this topnotch artiste.

SoCalSteven
10-27-2005, 09:14 AM
Thanks 3894! Humm.. sounds like a real tragedy.
Were there more then 1 mime in DL? Because I remember (somewhere in the back of my memory) seeing a mime there before, but I might be making it up too?
AFAIK, he was the only one. If you saw a mime in NOS, that was him.

Whittibo
10-27-2005, 09:23 AM
AFAIK, he was the only one. If you saw a mime in NOS, that was him.

What's funny to me is, I remember things and I do have vivid memories, but I guess there's so much at Disneyland it just gets filed away in my memory until something draws it back out.

I have been thinking about this, and I DO remember it. I remember someone walking by him and he took the persons hat off. Very "playful" and we all sat and watched.

Now I am sad that I won't see that again. :( What a shame.

I know on this last trip, I MADE my family stop and really soak things in. Like the music and recordings in NOS. Another thing I think we have always taken for granted and just really never "noticed" completely.

One thing I did notice that was missing this last trip.. the lightning bugs/fireflies in PofC. I love fireflies and am very much looking forward to moving to TN JUST to see the fireflies. :) so I noticed they were there. :(

tink360
10-27-2005, 09:30 AM
I miss seeing him in NOS, the place isn't the same without him. I remember him trailing after a guy who looked lost & confused, swiveling his head left & right - it was a dead-on impersonation right down to the facial expression.

dws_60
10-30-2005, 05:55 AM
hi,
we posted the picture taken with Mark last year and he answered us...
everyone who liked him around and want him back to Disneyland please email the entertainment director saying how he made ur day special at disney and how much u miss the place without him
thanks for him
adrian.fischer@disney.com
take care everyone
David

samkj
10-30-2005, 06:28 AM
Has anyone else noticed that Mark Wenzel, who played Langiape in New Orleans Square until about a year ago when he was unceremoniously walked out the front gate, has updated the Disney page on his website? http://www.markwenzel.com/wenzeldland.htm There are some very nice new shots of him interacting with guests as only he could, and we've always thought the "behind-the-scenes" photos were funny.

We miss him there - we thought his work was terrific - he was always so witty, so helpful and kind, and you could tell he was having as much fun as you were. Some friends of ours said they say him last weekend at Downtown Disney in the House of Blues, working a big convention event. I wonder if he misses the place.

Anyway, we wish him the very best. If we could afford a big, fancy party, we'd hire him in a minute.

WOW< I'm new here and I never knew he was gone either! I'll miss him at our trip next month! We were there for my daughters 4th birthday(next months trip is for my son's 4th b-day!) and he made a wonderful impression on us. Not only did he deck her out in beads he brought us over and had the saxaphone player play happy birthday to her. Then he proceeded to charm my other daughter who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. I wish I knew Disney's reasoning, because he will be missed.

Amy