Wookie Gone Wild

You know what they say: it’s not wise to upset a wookie. It’s even less wise to upset some idiot dressed up as one.

A man dressed as Chewbacca was arrested after police said the street performer head-butted a tour guide operator in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Frederick Evan Young, 44, of Los Angeles was booked Thursday for investigation of misdemeanor battery, police Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Police said the 6-foot-4 street performer was seen arguing Thursday afternoon with a tour guide who had expressed concern the Star Wars wookiee impersonator was “harassing and touching tourists” in violation of city law.

The city passed ordinances last year seeking to crack down on the colorful assortment of actors who perform outside the landmark theater. The move was prompted by complaints from tourists who said the actors were aggressive and abusive if they refused to pay for pictures.

Security guards escorted Young off theater property, but he decided to strike back and head-butted the tour guide, Vernon said.

“The lesson here is you can have the force with you,” Vernon said. “You just can’t use illegal force.”

Damn! Vernon just used up a potential punchline to this post. Not to worry..

Young could not be reached for comment. His telephone number was unlisted.

Why not try his parent’s house? He’s bound to still be living with them.

The tour guide, Brian Sapir, told the Los Angeles Times that he asked the Chewbacca impersonator to stop harassing two young Japanese tourists when the actor exploded in anger.

“He said, ‘Nobody tells this wookiee what to do,'” Sapir said.

First Elmo, then Tigger, and now Chewie. If you can’t trust some middle-aged man dressed up as a fictional character, who can you trust?

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