Claims extracted
26
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
4%
1 of 26 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
It’s a sunny day outside, but inside a hall in Melbourne’s south-east, 50 Santas are listening intently to a once-a-year seminar.
asserted
Santas → ’ → seminar
In a few weeks, they will don red and white suits, perfect jolly laughs and reign from velvet thrones at shopping centres across Victoria.
asserted
they → don → Victoria
What to say if a child asks for a dog for Christmas (answer: handball that query to Mum and Dad).
asserted
child → say → Mum
Instructor Bruce Eagle, looking fresh from the North Pole with an affable manner, white beard and glasses, has the room spellbound.
asserted
room → look → manner
Speak gently, he counsels.
asserted
he → speak → ?
Give them a high five if they brighten up.
asserted
they → give → five
He shrugs.
asserted
He → shrug → ?
“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
asserted
it → work → ?
If anyone is qualified to teach How to Be Santa, it’s Eagle, 75.
asserted
it → teach → ?
He debuted as Santa at Eastland shopping centre, weeks after it opened, in 1967, at age 16, and has played it at shopping centres and events for most Christmas seasons since.
asserted
it → debut → seasons
Eagle’s friends went fruit picking on the summer holidays but for him, that work was too hard.
asserted
work → go → him
“My mum saw an advertisement for Santas, and she said, ‘You could do that’,” he says.
uncertain
he → see → that
Playing Santa was like going to a fancy dress party and was indoors – albeit with no air-conditioning.
asserted
Playing → play → conditioning
He still loves the job, which he even does at his Croydon retirement village’s Christmas concert.
asserted
he → love → concert
“It’s so much fun,” he says.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
“You’re a different person, you’re in character, and part of a merry scene.”
asserted
you → ’re → scene
“The joy is passing on the joy to others.”
asserted
joy → pass → others
Last week, Eagle taught 100 Santas in three seminars run by the agency Scene to Believe.
asserted
Eagle → teach → agency
Hargreaves is preparing for his seventh season as Santa, this year on weekends at Casey Central shopping centre in Narre Warren South.
asserted
Hargreaves → prepare → South
Hargreaves works full-time for a computer retailer but also acts in Gilbert and Sullivan light operas and does stand-up comedy.
asserted
Hargreaves → work → comedy
He says Santa is the most rewarding performing genre because of the interaction with people and imaginative play aspects.
asserted
Santa → say → people
“I love the joy that it brings to the families,” Hargreaves says.
asserted
Hargreaves → love → families
Retired sales executive Guy Bassett, 66, will be a newbie as a retail centre Santa, at Bayside Shopping Centre in Frankston, but has played the part occasionally, at social events and hotels.
asserted
Bassett → play → events
Bassett’s inspiration is his Uncle Ken, who would immerse himself in the character at parties.
asserted
who → immerse → parties
Bassett aims to be a slow and easygoing Santa.
asserted
Bassett → aim → ?
“I’ll be that big happy chap in the corner with the glasses halfway down his nose,” he said.
asserted
he → say → nose
The Aporia
