Anyone who reads this blog regularly has borne witness to at at least one of my periodic railings against cell phones interrupting live theatre (and other aspects of human coexistence.) Upon reading the comments that follow Ben Brantley's recent cell phone confession in the New York Times, it turns out that the Big Bad Wolf is something of a pussycat by comparison. While there is a tiny minority of empathy, the overwhelming reaction is absolutely unsympathetic, and suggested punishments for the various cell phone offenses range from fines to public head-shaving to something from the Ch'ing dynasty involving bamboo. Bottom line: people don't want your ringtones or text screens interfering with their entertainment experience. Take it to heart.
While I don't see the need for fines (or worse), I would like to chime in (pun intended) with those who say, if what's outside the theater is of such pressing importance that you cannot be apart from your phone for three hours, perhaps you should be there rather than at the theater. (I would also like to add that this includes movies.)
Check out the article and the comments. It's a fun read.
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