(Image courtesy of dermRounds via Flickr)
When news broke last week that the Sheepshead Bay United Artists movie theater (3907 Shore Parkway) is suffering a bed bug infestation, everyone was aghast. Cue the fearmongering videos, complete with stock footage of the scurrying suckers, on myFOX New York. From there it hit the blogs over at Gothamist, then the Tweets of Terror spun into overdrive on Twitter, and Facebook friends began swearing off movies like it was, well, the plague. As it turns out, the UA was never closed, news reports were based on rumors, and follow-up reveals that it’s likely false.
Over at Sheepshead Bites, while the media had their fun we just gnashed our teeth and grumbled. You see, we heard rumors about bed bugs at Sheepshead Bay Multiplex more than a month ago. But we couldn’t confirm it: no witnesses or victims, no employees saying anything of the sort, nothing but a brief denial over the phone by management. So we weren’t quite ballsy enough to publish a story that would inevitably hurt business at Sheepshead Bay’s largest attraction without a shred of evidence.
Not so with the mainstream news. Read carefully and you’ll see the news reports were based on a single anonymous, unverified claim to the Department of Health, with no violations issued. While we were working up contacts within the UA, News 12 and FOX jumped on the mere whisper of a scandal and began plugging away, even reporting at one point that the movie theater had closed down. (Interestingly, News 12′s report appeared one morning several days before FOX’s. It promptly disappeared around noon, and was never posted on the website. Maybe they realized their folly?)
Well, we finally got to our contact, a senior employee at the theater, and here’s what he had to say:
About a month and a half ago, we had a couple patrons who came to our theater and left with bites. It was technically in only two theaters. The first person, we had no clue what it was, so we thought she was just bit on the arm by a mosquito because it wasn’t severe. To this day we still don’t think it was bed bugs because after checking that auditorium with dogs and Ecolab, they found nothing but cleaned it anyway. Then about a few days later, another patron came out of one of the other theaters with bites on the neck. She showed us the seat and being that it was the last show, Ecolab came and started their treatment in that row. We haven’t had a complaint since.
Remember, it was around this time that news reporters were working themselves into a frenzy about a bed bug infestation over at John Jay college, where buildings had been shut down. Bed bugs, clearly, where on the public’s consciousness, and just as every runny nose these days rings of H1N1 Swine Flu, every bug bite victim suspected bed bugs.
In reality, if the UA had bed bugs, it’s a perfect nesting ground to spark a pandemic. Complaints would roll in by the dozen. Yet, as the senior employee notes, this all occurred as the film Law Abiding Citizen came out, and every auditorium was packed. The result?
“Not one complaint. So did we have them? We aren’t sure but they still treat those theaters just in case,” said the employee.
So the media clearly bungled this one for sensationalism’s sake. But who pays for their sins? Sheepshead Bay’s largest business. According to the UA employee, the theater saw lower sales as a result, and a lot of confusion over whether they had been shut down by the Health Department.
“In the 8 years I’ve been there, not once were we ever closed. There was no need for alarm because nothing was really ever found,” he said. “The news messed with business since everyone thought we were closed. We had dozens of calls asking us if we were open. Horrible news reporting on FOX’s and News 12′s part.”
That’s the real story, but do you think we’ll ever see a retraction from FOX or News 12? Not likely. And the tweets, status updates, and forum posts continue to spread the myth.
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Bedbugs have supposedly been found on benches in the subway system.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/05/08/2008-05-08_now_were_bedbugged_in_subway-1.html
In theory, they could be anywhere.
Yeah, it’s not good when rumors and exaggerations run rampant like that. A retraction would be the professional way to go.
Disgusting… About the bed bugs and the shitty journalism the mainstream media did.
Good job by you guys for sitting on the rumor. It’s refreshing to see someone try to substantiate a rumor before posting it.
That’s the kind of care in reporting that I think readers – and the community – notice and appreciate.
Of greater concern to many of us Bayites, than the ficticious rumor of bed bugs, in what this writer believes was once a fine multiplex, is the banality and mean spirited behavior, of a good number of patrons of this cinema. In the past few years, my wife and I have been limiting our attendance, and going to other venues, because whenever we have attended, no matter where we have sat, crowded or not, some crass and juvenile louts usually wind up sitting in our vicinitly, and causing a disturbance. Not to wax nostalgic, but if only they brought back, the Loew’s Kings, Oriental, and wonderful Walker in Bensonhurst, and I guess we also miss the more civilized patrons, of those other fine southern Brooklyn cinemas!
If someone is being a prick and being loud during a movie don’t ignore it. Say something. Embarrass them into shutting up. If they DON’T say anything get up and ask for the manager. They’ll send an Usher or security to watch and if they really ARE being loud and disruptive then someone from the theater will talk to them.
The problem wont go away if we run away and ignore it.
Where there is smoke there is fire. As a victim of bed bug bites recieved at Sheepshead Bay UA theatre, I can confirm that these rumors are unfortunately 100% true.
On Tuesday, October 27 I was bitten by bed bugs in Sheepshead Bay UA theatre. I was in theatre 4, sitting in the top row, and I was watching a 10pm showing of “Law abiding Citizen” (great movie).
I got bitten three times. Two bites on my left arm and one bite on my right arm. Within hours I began to have a bad reaction to the bed bug bites. Both of my arms became swollen to twice thier normal size. The bitten area was inflamed and filled with pus. It was extremely painful to move my arms and the itching was almost intolerable.
I went to my doctor to get the bites examined and he confirmed that I was suffering from a bad reaction to bed bug bites. I was put on antibiotics as the bites were severely infected. It took about a week for me to recover from the bites and it was not a pleasant one.
I have been bitten by bed bugs twice in the past and am therefore all too familiar with bed bug bites. The bites were also diagnosed by my doctor as bed bug bites. In addition, many of my friends and family members have seen the bites and can corroborate my story.
I am certain that I recieved these bed bug bites in Sheepshead Bay UA theatre and I clearly rember feeling the first itch and seeing the bites. My friend who was watching the movie with me can also attest to my getting bitten (as I did not stop comlaining for the rest of the movie). However, I did not raise an issue with Sheepshead Bay Theatre because I did not think that they would believe me. I did not see how I could factually prove to the theatre management that I recieved the bites on their seats. I do have pictures of the inflamed bites but otherwise have no proof. You must chose to believe my word because I have no reason to lie.
I write my story not to point blame. I do not hold anything against Sheepshead Bay theatre because I doubt they had any idea that bed bugs had moved in. I am glad to hear that they addressed the problem and the theatres have been treated. I am writing my story as a confirmation of facts that have otherwise not been confirmed until now.
damn i got bedbugs.. i cought them in theater 4 watching law abiding citizen on november 10th about 4 oclock sitting on the last row in the back.. me and my girlfriend both got bitten on our backs and arms. its a shame they dont close the theater and clean it out. they should at least warn the people. shame on u UA not going there ever agian smh!
This story gives a whole new meaning to the term “Sensurround”. If I went to some creature feature there I guess I was get more than my moneys worth?
Haha, Sheepshead ‘Bites’ amirite?
Now there are reports of an infestation at a Park Slope theater.
http://gothamist.com/2009/11/24/bed_bug_scare_at_park_slope_movie_t.php
Did you see comment 14?
There are only 12 comments here.
I own a pest control business and deal with bedbugs on a daily basis.
They are so widespread now, they can be transported anywhere.
Train, bus, schools, offices, etc.
The UA can’t be blamed for having an outbreak. They just “hitchhiked” on someones belongings and stayed in the theater.
All the theater could do was to call in a pest control company to address the problem.
[...] Bed Bugs At The UA? Not Really. Here’s The Whole Story (October 29) – When News 12 and FOX jumped on the rumor of bedbugs at the United Artists movie theater, we were the only ones who actually attempted to get the real story out of managers. In our report, an employee of nearly a decade told us the behind-the-scenes of what happened, and the harm to business the unconfirmed report caused. Still, as seen in the comments, readers and patrons are leery of returning. [...]
even if it is truE or not true I AM NEVER GOING INTO THE U.A. THEATHER EEEEVVVVVEEEERRRR AGAIN!!!!!!!
I really hate bed bugs. They are disgusting that's why I always change my mattresses and always clean my bedroom regularly.
Great post… I like bed bugs, soft
I'm pretty sure that the story about bed bugs found on subway benches is true. I was taking the morning subway the other day when I say a flea jumping on one of the seats. I was terrified and I thought maybe I'll have a similar experience with the memory foam mattresses on the hotel beds. Fortunately the hotel was pest-free.
There are so many similar stories here on the internet. For instance, a woman was bitten by bed bugs while she rested in a four stars hotel. She said that the itching sensations kept her three days with no sleep. Of course the woman hired a lawyer but I'm not sure how that ended up. Ever since I first heard such stories I went and bought a tempurpedic mattress just to make sure I don't end up the same way. These little critters are just too scary.
There are so many similar stories here on the internet. For instance, a woman was bitten by bed bugs while she rested in a four stars hotel. She said that the itching sensations kept her three days with no sleep. Of course the woman hired a lawyer but I'm not sure how that ended up. Ever since I first heard such stories I went and bought a tempurpedic mattress just to make sure I don't end up the same way. These little critters are just too scary.
Not sure of the bed bugs.. but I do know that the UA is poorly maintained. For the amount of money that is poured into the theater, you would think that it would be better maintained. The bathrooms are always disgusting, the carpets are tacky and the seats (don't want to think about it). Come on UA ..give back to the community that gives so much to you. UA owners take a visit to Atlas Park, or NYC, or visit a movie theater in Florida.. Boca, Naples, etc. Just because we live in New York doesn't mean that we can't have nice places to visit. Yes we know, the overhead might be high – but remember UA it's all about the customer service. SS