Celebration in the Oaks Removes Controversial
“Mr. Bingle Looting” Diorama

It’s no ordinary holiday season in New Orleans this year, so Celebration in the Oaks designer Claude St. Pierre decided to add an unconventional scene to this year’s traditional holiday display.

He thought the beloved New Orleans holiday character Mr. Bingle using an enormous candy cane to loot the Maison Blanche on Canal Street struck just the right humorous tone.

But after complaints from visitors, City Park officials have instructed St. Pierre to dismantle it.

“Although most people did enjoy the decorations, a few visitors found the display to be in poor taste,” said a statement issued by Celebration in the Oaks organizers.

The “Mr. Bingle Looting” scene had sat among the grand, traditional displays of gleaming lights, Santa and his elves, and the Baby Jesus asleep in the manger.

Frank and Gina Rouse of Mid-City liked the display.

“It’s definitely accurate,” Gina Rouse said. The couple, who are rebuilding their home that had wind-blown water damage, came to Celebration in the Oaks just to see the display, she said. And they weren’t alone.

Cindy Beck heard about it and brought her camera. “It’s like building a beautiful gingerbread house and then dousing it with a five gallons of milk,” said the New Orleans resident, whose home was flooded. “It just makes you smile.”

“Then it makes you cry,” she continued.

As other visitors stared in wonder at a nearby display of letters of peace and goodwill written by children all over the world, Frank Genarro and his wife Camille chuckled at the scene of comic violence.

“Look at him,” said Frank Genarro. “You can really see the desperation in his eyes.”

“Some people ain’t got no sense of humor,” he said.