Imperial Theater Brawl — Page 2

as a performer i find babies and cell phones to be the worst. I was onstage one night singing my big emotional solo number in the second act and just as i hit my final note, some guy in the front row's cell went off. The pitch of the ring was really close to the note I was about to hit. It almost threw off my final note of the song. What a piece of crap! I was so mad I about jumped off the stage right then and grabbed his phone. I think I would have if the damn pit weren't in the way. Of course I might have lost my job, but it would have been worth it, might have made people scared to bring phones into theatres if they heard the story.

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Updated On: 12/22/03 at 03:33 AM

Amen, Orion. We need no more "syndromes." We need courses in etiquette. We need parents to raise their children with an awareness of those 360 degrees around them, 24/7. We need to all-learn the Golden Rule, as a mantra -- call it a collective survival tactic for a self-obsessed society.

This culture is overrun not with rage syndromes, but with toxic narcissism. Everyone is the center of their too-meaningful little lives, and anyone in the way be damned, on the road, the aisle of the Imperial, or anywhere else.

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Updated On: 12/22/03 at 08:26 AM

they ran out of toilet paper and other necessities perhaps???

Auggie - My sentiments exactly. The popular behavior today is self-oriented. "I can do anything I want and everyone has to deal with it." It is the most self-centered society and it is spreading into Europe. I saw a lot of it developing in the UK as well. No one is taking resposibility for their actions, yet they expect the rest of the world to accept their actions. They can't have it both ways.

I have ushered before, so I know how that poor usher felt. I'm sure the woman probably deserved to be hit my something much harder than a Playbill. I attended a ballet in which two teenage girls were talking behind me throughout the first act. I asked them several times to be quiet, but they ignored me. The father sat next to them and did nothing. I finally got so angry and frustrated, I turned around and hurled my program at them, hitting one of the girls in the face. Now, I'm normally an easy-going non-violent sort, but after an hour of listening to these girls, I lost it. They didn't speak another word the entire performance and I didn't get in trouble, so I guess my point was taken. It's sad when you have to resort to something like that for such a very basic audience rule.

Remember when movie theatres didn't have to remind the audience to be quiet before a film?

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son of a gunn, technically the product about which you speak does exist. it's software that must be uploaded into the closest repeater tower. the trouble is that it would knock out all phones within that coverage area. a better idea would be to look into the "hardening" of theatres with a kind of acoustical/magnetic exterior tile that would prohibit signals from outside reaching inside the theatre, but would not interfere with signals inside. that way the phone would simply not be able to reach their service toweres, yet mics and interior electical and radio service would not be interrupted. the logistics of such an endeavor would be daunting though and until we see "inner circle" seats being sold out on a regular basis to a lot more shows, i don't see theatres making such a bold decision.

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i agree with every thing you said..except..lets drop the nasty remarks about the midwest..i've met people from CA that are a few brain cells short of sanity dolly.

Haha ok, I just want to say here really quickly that my previous post was an attempt at sarcasm at least on the "rage " part, if you couldn't tell. We talked about this in my psych class and how stupid it was. Sometimes I don't do to well making it clear when I'm being sarcastic, and two I agree that manners have gone out the window. Why aren't people considerate for one another anymore. One nice thing where I go to college is it seems like evryone holds the door open for everyone else even if your hands aren't full. If you're within ten feet behind you they hold the door. Is it too much to ask just to show other people common courtesy? Thats the only area where people are really nice to each other around here though, everything else is average unconsiderate behavior. I need to stop now otherwise I'll do myself a mischief.

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If you consider narcissim a psychological disorder, than yes, that's what everyone is "suffering" from these days. There is no cure or medication for a hyper inflated sense of entitlement. People are rude, disgraceful and ill- mannered and it's never more obvious to me than at the theater. I know I'm going to take heat for this next statement, but I've also found that the women are far worse than the men.

Al: You're a brave man, stating what I've observed, too: Many women do talk louder at movie screens, avoid whispering, and also, critically, with a sense of entitlement too often raise their little girls to act like Rhoda Penmark at every opportunity.

I've watched some women in post-feminist America promote in their daughters unbridled female energy at all costs -- without daring to blend in etiquette, sensivity to others, grace under pressure. I want to say to some of them: DON'T RAISE YOUR DAUGHTERS TO BE LITTLE WHITE MEN -- LOOK WHAT THE WHITE MEN HAVE DONE TO THIS PLANET!

Those of us d'un age certain who thought feminism would change the planet ... didn't count on the death of manners as a byproduct of enpowerment. I thought women gaining a long-denied place at the table would mean a kinder, gentler approach--to everything. I hear loud, aggressive young women at the movies (just this past weekend) acting like parodies of male behavior that was uncouth 35 years ago. All the loud, pushy MEN didn't get it right -- acquiring ulcers and early cardiac deaths as a reward for their pushiness -- don't they realize?? To those who will label this post mysogenistic, my intention is the OPPOSITE. The (loud) male way has gotten civilization into trouble--the last thing we need is for women to teach their girls to follow in our footsteps. (And read about the Alpha females in high school, if you want sociological proof.)

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Updated On: 12/22/03 at 07:23 PM

Auggie, what is wrong with that sweet little girl, Rhoda. She only wanted what she was entitled to and would do anything to get it. That is chutzpah!

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Augie, gotta go to my tap lesson, will pick your brains later. Meet me at the lake.

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