Chewing gum in the theatre- Page 2

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 11:33am

Oh look, it's the Broadway board trying to kill art again...

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 11:42am

What is worse: chewing gum, or chewing scenery?

[angelplays]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 11:45am

As Cape Twirl rightly points out, helper dogs are not pets. Nor are they only for visually impaired people or "people with social anxiety". Also, I have yet to see one that wears anything beyond the harness identifying what type of helper dog it is. They are used for severely epileptic people as well as people with various other disorders. To deny their person admittance based on the dog is to violate the Americans With Disabilities Act.

[touchofgr3y]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 12:03pm

I absolutely HATE the gum smacking noises, but just wanted to throw out there that I chew gum during performances - but quietly. My throat gets really dry and I'd rather quietly roll gum around in my mouth than start coughing.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 12:07pm

Chewing gum is certainly annoying & rude, but I ask the same question I always ask: if you know who it was, did you get an usher? Always get an usher. They can just say, "I know you don't realize it, but that sound can be heard quite far away & you are disturbing many people." Simple, to the point, as polite as possible.

I agree with those who say shorts are generally inappropriate & I frankly don't care what you did before or plan to do after the show. If I plan to have sex right afterward, is it okay for me to show up with my pants off? I'm thinking 'probably not'. It's about what's APPROPRIATE. Otherwise, we just fall into the trap of I-refuse-to-be-inconvenienced-in-the-slightest-for-any-reason-whatsoever. Babies can poop in their pants, otherwise ....

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 12:56pm

Cape Twirl of Doom, you conveniently left out the part of my post where I made it clear I was specifically referring to people who claim to need their pets everywhere for emotional reasons. Those are house pets with a quack doctor's note. Seeing eye dogs are rigorously trained and are not going to be fed from the table at a restaurant or pee on the floor in the grocery store like I've seen from pets around NYC.

But I'm sure it was just a mistake and you weren't purposefully trying to twist the meaning of my post.

[angelplays]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 1:00pm

Helper dogs go through the same intensive training for being in public as seeing eye dogs. The specifics of the training depend upon which kind of helper animal the dog will be.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 2:03pm

I'm aware, I had a friend whose family trained those dogs as puppies.

As I've said twice now, I'm referring to people who claim to have "emotional support dogs" that are just pets, not people who have service dogs for medical reasons that are specially trained to provide aide. There is a vast difference between the two and the former is an insult to the latter.
NY Times on emotional service dogs

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 4:37pm

The sound of chewing gum, even if you're smacking it or blowing bubbles, can really carry. One time there was a young woman in a row behind me and several seats over who was chewing gum at a City Opera performance of Sweeney. I could hear her very well indeed.

At intermission, I asked her very politely if she could not do it in Act Two, even admitting to her that I knew it probably sounded crazy that I could hear her from the row in front of her and several seats over. She didn't do it during Act Two.

The sound of chewing carries very well unless you consciously do it lightly.

[wickedpoppinsfan]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 5:33pm

About the shorts thing, I think that it's appropriate to wear clean, and good shortsto the theatre. I can't see what's so inappropriate about it. I know that's what theatre goers used to wear before, and I respect that, but now, and today I feel like it's suitable to wear nice shorts, and I don't understand how it's such a bad thing.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 6:41pm

re: "appropriate" attire

Many people like to bring up how much they paid to see a show, and how they should be able to be comfortable (i.e. no animals because people might be allergic, don't smoke beforehand because people may be allergic or just not like the smell, and the list goes on). Well what's to stop the people who are wearing shorts or other outfits that you deem inappropriate from saying the same thing? They paid money to see the show too and why should another person be able to dictate how they dress?

Here's a novel idea. Focus on yourself and let other people live their lives. If somebody wearing shorts or a t-shirt to the theatre is really impacting your enjoyment of the show then I think you need to take a look at your own issues.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 6:42pm

touchofgr3y, try Mentos!

The fresh maker.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 9:56pm

Cape Twirl of Doom, you conveniently left out the part of my post where I made it clear I was specifically referring to people who claim to need their pets everywhere for emotional reasons. Those are house pets with a quack doctor's note. Seeing eye dogs are rigorously trained and are not going to be fed from the table at a restaurant or pee on the floor in the grocery store like I've seen from pets around NYC.


Uh huh. So you said a blind person should not bring a seeing-eye dog into the theatre because why again? And I quote:

I think bringing a dog to the theatre in any capacity is more rude than chewing gum... Seeing eye dog? Maybe have a human companion escort you that night.