If you needed an excuse to stay home for Easter and avoid traveling, look no further. The TSA hates the holiday and would sooner detain the Easter Bunny than let him carry his decorated eggs through security. Don't get me started on the pat-down the poor guy would have to endure. "That's not a carrot, officer!!"
Valerie Baul, a radio personality from Kansas who dresses like a bunny to spread cheer and laughter, knows first hand just what the Easter bunny might experience. She spent three hours in the Philadelphia International Airport holding cell for pissing off a not-too-friendly TSA official who didn't find Valerie and her bunny costume funny ... at all.
Valerie, or the "Bunny Lady" as she's known, was wearing fuzzy pink rabbit ears at the time of the incident, and was carrying a basket of colorful eggs. After the Bunny Lady had made it past security and her eggs were safely back in her possession after going through the x-ray machine, a TSA official asked the Bunny Lady what was in those eggs, anyway?
The Bunny Lady had no choice (she's a member of the clown family, after all) but to demonstrate what the eggs could do. She explained to the officer:
"They're eggs filled with confetti. You want to see what's inside? Here you go, you win, let's find out together." And I put it on her head. And I didn't think anything of it.
The agent wasn't amused that she was sprinkled with confetti. The Bunny Lady was handcuffed and put in airport prison -- a place I, like the Bunny Lady, have survived. It wasn't because I had an expired Visa, or illegal drugs in my purse, but for a similar (if slightly more offensive) reason than the Bunny's. They took the Dr. Pepper out of my purse because obviously it was more than three ounces of liquid, which I couldn't argue with, then after I went through the metal detector, it was sitting right there, on their console, slightly sweating with the heat of the experience on its cold can, just begging to be enjoyed by yours truly who had forked over $1 for a deliciously refreshing treat, forgetful of the 'no liquids' policy. I reached for the soda, which was, turns out, a big no-no.
As the Bunny and I both now know, confetti-spreading and soda-retrieval are quick ways to get yourself a private tour of the TSA's maniacal underbelly. (Let it be known that while I was being questioned, the Dr. Pepper was again put in arm's distance of my reach. They are really in tune with torture methods.)
The Bunny Lady is due in court in Philadelphia in September on misdemeanor assault charges. In the case of the Bunny Lady vs. the TSA, the verdict goes in favor of the defendant. Bunny ears + confetti = good time, not jail time.
Beware if you're traveling this Easter, and for the love of Cadbury Eggs, do not crack open any confetti or a Dr. Pepper in the security line.
Do you think the TSA is justified here in prosecuting the Bunny Lady?
Photo via guy schmidt/Flickr
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Comments 33
oh for pete's sake, they need to get the stick out of their a$$, thank god i don't fly.
LOL! I LOVE confetti eggs. Those things can get pricey. The TCA agent should feel privileged.
Well, he asked what was in the egg, he got what he deserved and that woman shouldnt have even been takin into custody. While their wasting time screwin with regular people the true terrorists are slipping passed their noses lol, honestly, what is this world comming to...REDICULOUS!!
Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame... WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?
I'd kinda be pissed to if I was the officer at work, who is now suddenly covered in confetti by a smart ass rabbit lady?! I don't think it was out of line for her to be detained.
sprinkling someone with confettii does NOT equal assult, even if it's on a TSA agent. If it wouldn't be considered assult on your everyday person walking down the street then it shouldn't be assult on anybody who's been given a little authority either. The TSA once again abused the power they have been given. I don't care if the agent wasn't happy about being sprinkled with confetti it's still not assult. The TSA agent asked, was told and then warned they were going to find out together what was in them, she got what she asked for. She shouldn't have been asking the lady anyway since she had already been processed through security with the eggs. The lady just tried to turn her frustration into a bit of humor. TSA lady needs to go find a sense of humor and new job where she has no authority to abuse.
Wow...