That’s not funny.
Comedy show goers in Atlanta weren’t laughing when they came out of a Chris Fleming set to find their cars booted despite using Ticketmaster’s prepaid parking for a nearby lot.
The incident happened in late August after dozens of people exited the Buckhead Theatre following the 2:30 p.m. show to find their vehicles unmovable in the closed IHOP lot on Peachtree Road thanks to boots by Empire Parking Services.
Police body cam footage obtained by Atlanta News First shows attendees stranded for about 90 minutes despite having Ticketmaster parking receipts.
“We all had the confirmation from Ticketmaster. In some cases, the confirmation included a picture of the lot,” Mark Mobley, whose car had boots on two tires after he attended the gig, told the outlet.
An EPS employee told police the payment info didn’t reach them because Ticketmaster’s contractor, LAZ Parking, failed to relay it, according to the outlet.
Although all attendees had paid, EPS acknowledged that the mistake would take time to fix. An Atlanta officer helped remove all boots without charge.
“All the boots have been taken off,” the officer said on bodycam audio. “All is forgiven.”
Mobley received a parking refund through Ticketmaster and described the incident as likely isolated, though he questioned if EPS might repeat such actions.
The Independent has contacted Ticketmaster, EPS and LAZ for comment.
Ironically, Mobley said Fleming predicted the predicament.
“Towards the end of his set, he did a whole set about booting. It was an elaborate set of jokes about how powerful people who boot feel,” Mobley said.
Fleming gained a large online following through viral videos, particularly his series Gayle, where he portrays an over-the-top, awkward suburban mother.
He has performed live stand-up shows across the U.S. and has appeared on platforms like Netflix, Adult Swim, and various comedy festivals.
