Actors' Equity President Shields Slams Casa Bonita Labor

Actress and union president Brooke Shields has publicly criticized "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone over stalled labor negotiations at their Colorado restaurant, Casa Bonita, alleging that management has failed to adequately address performers' safety concerns and wage disparities. Shields, who is president of the Actors' Equity Association, made a surprise visit to the Lakewood restaurant in March to hand-deliver a letter demanding better conditions for the approximately 80 performers who unionized in April 2024.

The performers, who include cliff divers, puppeteers, magicians, and costumed characters, have been in negotiations with management for over a year, attending at least 14 bargaining sessions. Their demands center on raising their hourly wages, which range from $21 to $26, to bring them more in line with servers who also receive tips. They also cite fundamental safety issues, including claims of hypothermia and chlorine toxicity from the diving pool and a lack of security for costumed performers who report being groped by patrons.

Shields described her covert visit, made under a fake name, as a "slight ambush" necessitated by a lack of reciprocal respect...