My Security Run-In At Today's Caine Mutiny Matinee — Page 3

Maybe too low for the lights to pick up.

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Yankeefan007, you're in the wrong. You used your cellphone during a performance, end of. They should be switched off and in your bag/coat/pocket, not on and in your lap. I can't believe you actually looked at the time on it during the performance.

Jane - Oh. My. God. Well, I have a pretty funny one myself, from my run in 42nd Street last summer. The audience at the Welk Resort Theatre skews pretty darn, well, OLD, so we all got used to people sleeping, snoring, talking back to the actors, etc. But one day at the matinee, I saw something kind of odd-looking in my (again) peripheral vision, so I glanced over when I could, and it was the sight of an elderly person/amputee who had taken off their prosthetic legs and propped them up in the seat next to them! I mean, there they were. Two legs, from the knees down, just standing up, shoes and all, in a front row seat. It was a bit distracting. lol

(Edited for typo.)

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 02:26 PM

Yankeefan- If you're so worried about losing your phone, just put it in your pocket, and check your pocket when you leave, it's as simple as that. You don't need the phone in your hand to make sure it's still there. I think that it was just causing extra problems for the actors, such as David Schwimmer who was obviously confused and Mr. Ivanek who was frustrated throughout the entire show. Yes, you got to go backstage, but for the entirely wrong reason, which was that the actor was angry with you. You also checked the time on your cell phone, which is rude as well, just leave the phone off, I think having it on during a show, even if on vibrate, is just rude. It also does look suspicious having anything on your lap during the entire show that looks capable of recording the show, and I'm sure you're aware of that. But in all honesty, putting it on your lap is just stupid and pointless.

So let me get this straight:
you had your cell phone out, distracted an actor in the middle of an intense and demanding performance, parlayed that into a backstage visit with the cast, now are sending the story to Reidel where he can spread the gossip, and now you want us to commiserate and claim the actors are in the wrong.

Maybe I missed the part where you were right?

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Updated On: 5/21/06 at 02:58 PM

I have to agree with the consensus. I would keep the cell phone out of sight. If you need to know the time - Wear a watch. Your story is interesting, but Riedel will never use it - Not vicious or bitchy enough.

Very inappropriate to have your phone out. Put it in your pocket. And really, if it falls, it's going to fall below you, and I doubt anyone is going to steal if you're in the front row. And yes, it should have been off. Don't see any reason why it should've been on. And being in the front row, you should know better. Couple that with embarrassing an actor after he spent the last couple of hours doing his best to entertain you...hold on while I shed a tear.

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oh wow I'm sorry that happened

I'm apparently in the minority here, but I don't think that the simple act of having a cell phone on your lap is a major offense. Using it or playing with it is one thing, but simply having it out doesn't sound wrong to me. I keep cough drops on my lap so I don't have to hunt for them during the performance.

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Updated On: 5/21/06 at 03:49 PM

I'll admit that I was in the wrong - I'm not denying it. However, I see nothing wrong with keeping my cell on my lap. The phone was off and no lights were flashing. I made a point to keep it under my jacket, on my upper thigh, so that nobody could see, if, indeed they'd look in the front row.

I apologized profusely to Mr. Ivanek following the show and he was much appreciative. He, also, apologized to me, when he realized that the alligation was from out of nowhere.

Again, I checked the time once, between the scene changes in act 2. Nobody was on stage, and none of my seat neighbors could see the phone.

smartpenguin78, I did not parlay the incident into a backstage visit. The security guard escorted me backstage where he tried to confront me about taping the show. Schwimmer, who stood in front of me on stage the entire time and indeed looked in my direction, confessed to never seeing me before in his life.

Jane2 - my cell was clearly hidden and turned off. There's a separate button for the phone to turn on and to check the time. I, again, thought I did nothing wrong by twirling it when I was moving in my seat. However, this person, ironically seated two rows behind me, let the phone ring.

I couldn't help but wonder, though, if there was another person in the row who was recording it. I also wonder how they picked me out, out of everyone there. Ivanek, no matter how good the sight line is, couldn't have been able to pick me out of a line up of dozens of people. The security guard saw a camera around my neck and asked me if I was in the front row recording. I made the mistake of saying that I was, indeed, in the front row.

And about the Riedel comment, I instructed him not to use the story, not that he would. It's too factual.

Again, I'm admitting I'm in the wrong. However, it is true that the security team and Mr. Ivanek were in the wrong - automatically accusing me of recording the show because my phone was out. And harrassing me while doing so. If they tried to get me nervous, it was dstroyed by the fact that David Schwimmer, Tim Daly, and Victor Garber were all near by. It was a cool experience. Even if I were (and I never have/never will), Caine Mutiny wouldn't be the number one in the hit parade.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 04:21 PM

Jane2, good thinking! I believe someone did come down the aisle to check me out, but I thought nothing of it. However, it was dark and being able to pick me out of the big stage-door crowd was a little odd.

The thing was that Ivanek reported it to me as "being held up and blinking." I'll admit it's possible for light to reflect off it, but what accounts for "being held up."

And after this encounter, I know to place my cell phone at the bottom of whatever shopping bag I may be carrying. I've sat in many front rows before and never had this happen. In life, every day there's a new learning experience.

Updated On: 5/21/06 at 04:33 PM

And, yes, I'll also say that Ivanek is one of the nicer, more humble actors out there. Even after he tried reaming me out for recording, disrupting, or whatever, I told him how much heart-stopping his performance was, and he was very sweet. He took pictures with the crowd, signed autographs (even for me), and did everything else that any actor who'd like a nice fan base should.

He truly delivered an excellent performance. I do feel guilty about distracting him, but even so, it was brilliant. If the show wasn't closing so early, I'd predict him to win the Tony.

I didn't mean you did it on purpose, but you certainly got to do it. My meaning was more that after all that it seems odd to continue it here, you were at fault in the first place, only slightly inconvienienced, but got to meet the cast for your trouble so your posts here should not meet with sympathy.

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