which is worse: stinking like weed or texting in a theater? — Page 2

Neither of them should be happening. I would prefer to sit next to person texting, though. With texting, the phone's light goes on and then off soon, when finished. With an odor of any kind, it stays for a long time. Somebody can force a person to stop texting, but you can't force a person to stop smelling a certain way.

I hate to break to smokers as I hear the "mint" explanation a lot, but you all reek of smoke. As careful as you claim to be, it is in your clothes and hair and comes out your pores. Also those with a reasonably good sense of smell will always smell a smoker regardless of what you do other than quitting.

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Personally, I don't really mind the smell of pot that much. Not saying that it's okay for smokers to smell like what they've smoked, but it's much more tolerable than someone texting in a theatre. Not only is texting distracting for everyone sitting around you, but it's plain rude for the performers on stage, as well.

By the way, what show was so unbearable that you had to be high to see it?

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Updated On: 5/30/10 at 02:50 PM

I work as a box office/house manager and have to deal with complaints like this all the time...The issue is that with cell phones you can just scare the patron and tell them to put it away and they usually will. With odors...there's not much you can do except move the person who has the problem...I've seen it listed on many different theatre etiquette lists not to wear strong cologne or smoke before entering the theatre...I think any time you're going to be in close quarters with other people it's just a simple courtesy.

I believe both are sins of the theatre...along with opening candy wrappers, coughing unnecessarily...and one of my biggest pet peeves is FOOD...and drinks besides water. This is not the movie theatre, ladies and gentlemen.

You go to a "tourist show", ya gotta deal with the a**holes.

I once saw CHICAGO during Christmas season...holy mackerel the audience! It's a little hard to scold a fellow audience member about texting when half the audience is texting, taking pictures, getting up and going to the loo in the middle of an act, etc.

I just think it's hilarious that you went to go see THE ADDAMS FAMILY and thought, "Oh jeez, I need something for this".

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The thing is, the weed smoker is oblivious. He's the last person who's going to notice the smell.

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When i saw Grey Gardens the two guys infront of me were drinking beers...then chewing and spitting into their empty bottles... i wanted to vom

Whenever someone pulls their cell phone out next to me or close to me, I approach the person and tell them that i will get an usher. I have even asked people sitting next to me who are still texting as the lights ar going down if they plan to use their phone during the performance and if they are, I will get an usher at intermission. Luckily, our ushers don't put up with it and will approach people. Especially before a show when people are taking pictures. They held the second half of a show I attended because someone reported another patron who was filming the show. They waited until the person got back to their seat, late, and escorted them out. The best is when I went to see the Beatles "Tribute" show "RAIN". There was a woman in the 5th row filming the first half. I could see her from my seat. When the second half started the guy "playing" Paul McCartney broke character after the 1st song and asked the woman if she got everything on film during the first half and then commenced to embarrass her a bit asking if she did not hear or just ignored the announcement before the show. She put the small cam back in her purse and the ushers approached her after the show.

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Just like uncageg I am careful about when I smoke before going to the theatre. If I am going to have a cigarette before a show for example, I will try to have it a good bit prior to me entering the theatre that way I don't walk in there right away smelling of cigarettes. I also tend to make sure that when I am smoking during intermission the smoke isn't being blown directly on me and I will move away from the other smokers so I don't end up smoking within a cloud of other people's cigarette smoke.

mallardo is right in that the original poster doe seem to be a tad clueless that they did something wrong.

After thinking about it I feel that there is a difference between something that is an inconvenience and a distraction. Someone coming in smelling of either smoke or cologne or something of that nature is a bit of an inconvenience. It is annoying for sure, but it isn't going to totally pull you out of the moment of the show. A distraction would be someone texting and having their light shine so brightly that even if you're not sitting right by the offender. You can still see, without any problem the light illuminating from the cell phone.

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Smelling of weed when going to the theater is inconsiderate. Texting during a performance is a crime. I believe it should be punishable by immediate ejection from the theater. Better yet, I think theaters should be equipped with blocking devices making mobile phones useless. I am so over people who don't respect the theater.

I have to say I actually like both the smell of weed and the smell of cigarettes (and I'm only a smoker of one of those... ), but I can see how it would be annoying for someone who's not a smoker or who is offended by it for whatever reason. Just spray yourself with a little bit of cologne (not shower yourself in it) before heading out of the apartment and that should do the job. For those of us who are ridiculously exaggerating and saying that the smell of weed stays in you forever, you are incredibly ignorant. The only way I can imagine the smell lingers for such a large amount of time is if you're smoking in a very tight and enclosed space. Either way, I don't think you could ever compare the smell of weed to something as rude and inconsiderate as texting in the theatre.

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Kinda makes you miss the days of top hats and capes to the theatre...

Reggie's bringing that look back.


I would much rather smell pot or cigarette smoke (although I'm pretty sure I often smell like both of those despite not smoking either...) than perfume or cologne and would certainly prefer it over a texter.

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