Mike Birbiglia Sounds Off on Cellphones in His Theater

At a Washington Ballet performance several young women were texting near me. I asked them to stop or I would ask an usher to do so. They gave me nasty looks and left at the intermission. My partner and I are volunteer ushers and often see this behavior. Frankly, being concerned about responses, we're cautious about who we approach and prefer to inform the house manager. Yes, it's rude and disrespectful.

Mike Bisbiglia should walk off stage when someone is recording, roll a 20" tube TV out and make the entire audience watch that two part (very special) What's Happening episode with the Doobie Brothers explaining to Re-Run, Raj and the gang why they shouldn't make bootlegshow while he goes out and has a sandwich.

Like a corporation gleefully happy with 'voluntary compliance" agreements it can ignore, theatre patrons will not change their behavior unless forced to, unless it hurts them personally. If theatre owners value the experience, they'll remove patrons who don't follow house rules.

My son asked someone in front of him in a movie theater to stop talking and got a punch in the nose. Years and years ago.

Mike is a comic genius and " under recognized" but as usual, takes lemons and turns them into gold. Handling one of life's more than minor, less than major, annoyances with class, tact and humor is nothing less than what you expect of Mike. Keep fighting the good fight Mike ..... it matters and makes a difference!

I can forgive someone who forgets to turn the ringer off. But for those who insist on texting or videoing, we're just dealing with selfishness. I'm sure these are the same people who don't use turn signals, have 22 items in a 15 or fewer grocery line, stand in the subway door.

As a teacher who wants to bring technology into students’ education, I struggle with this as well. This is definitely a reminder to keep it light and go with it. Just like actors, teachers also need to ”get along with their audience” in order to get the message across.

I hate cell phones in theaters - the noise they make, the glare they spread. There is no excuse for their use during performances. Was recently in the theater to see "The Ferryman" and the ushers for that show were on the job full time! It was wonderful to see. I notice that ushers at Carnegie Hall are taking their jobs more seriously recently, as are those at David Geffen Hall.

I just ended a long friendship because of his phone addiction. There is no excuse for that kind of rudeness. NONE ! NONE ! Silence.

At a Broadway performance of "Amy's View," Dame Judi Dench, playing a famous actress named Amy, was complaining about cell phones in the audience, a relatively new problem at the time. You guessed it--a cell phone went off! And another one later.

If you can't/ won't put your cell phone away for 2 hours or so you are: a. Pathetic, and/or b. a real jerk Just stay home!

Yeah you should try a university classroom

Install signal jammers in the theatre.

How did we ever survive before cell phones???? Oh, that's right. We waited until we were not in a theater to make a call. How extraordinary!! For me, someone using a cell phone during a performance is as ridiculous as someone using egg beaters. Wrong place, wrong time. You're not THAT important or if you are, don't go to the show that night...

When Paula Poundstone was here recently, some woman near the front kept yelling “Pop tarts!!!” at her trying to get Ms P to do an ancient bit of hers about them. Finally Paula turned and said “ you know I think people are getting irritated that you keep yelling pop tarts “ and the house erupted. She then did a very brief discussion about why pop tarts fell out of comedy favor and it was gone. Well done

The article and the comments below all confirm my view of our world: the rise of narcissism has seen the demise of shame. We could do with re-striking a proper balance between the two. If my phone rang or my screen lit up during a performance, my cheeks would be burning with embarrassment for days.

Good for Mike. I attend many concerts and other performances in large and small venues here in Los Angeles and in other cities when traveling. No matter where, there are ALWAYS RUDE jerks who talk, or text, check emails, and/or take video or still pics, even using flash, despite pre-event announcements telling patrons to turn their phones off and NO texting, talking, photos, etc. They must think those announcements are for everyone else, "not me, I'm special", "I want a photo memory" and that's more important than other patrons and/or performers being distracted by "my photos, texts, etc". Their behavior IS INFURIATING to me and many others. I've nearly gotten into fights after politely asking people who persist in talking or picture taking/ texting to please stop. At a jazz concert a well dressed middle aged woman seated in front of me persisted in taking photos with her enormous cell phone. I lightly tapped her shoulder and silently motioned no with my finger. People seated on either side of me silently acknowledged my doing this. During the concert she gave me dirty looks. At the intermission, her husband started yelling "you touched my wife, bla, bla," I calmly pointed out that I barely tapped her shoulder to request silently that she stop taking photos. It was unbelievable the way he was acting. You must either suffer them in silence or annoy people by getting up and going to find an usher. All distractions. Roving ushers are needed to stop them

I think the law should be changed to allow local signal jamming.

Some of us can remember the days when there was a disclaimer/warning printed on the main page of every program booklet at every live performance of any kind -- "The use of photographic or recording devices at this performance is strictly prohibited. Violators risk having their equipment confiscated, being ejected from the premises, and are subject to legal remedies" - There were always those underground types - you know - those scratchy recordings made on a primitive tape recorder help under a raincoat way up in the balcony -- In fact - back in those days - if they even caught you trying to enter he concert hall with a camera or hand-held tape recorder they would immediately eject you from the theater -- A couple of years ago I attended a performance at Lincoln Center - and before the concert began, I noticed a woman a few rows ahead of me holding up a giant iPad and scanning the stage - setting her forcus as she prepared to tape the entire performance - Fortunately, there was enough time to alert an usher - who ran down and spoke to the woman and told her that was strictly forbidden -- She immediately turned off the device and put it away for the remainder of the concert - Finally -- I once saw Brian Dennehy break his character as Willy Loman - walk down to the edge of the stage - and scream violently at a man who's cell phone had gone off in the middle of the play -- The ushers quickly ran down to where the man was sitting and removed him from the theater...

Well, I've dreamed of a device for a while now, an "electromagnetic pulse generator", that would silence any and all electronics. You just point and push a button, and presto, those people on the bus or street who insist that you hear their music, silenced! And if I were on the stage...

I m hope all those who are writing here are making sure their children and grandchildren turn off their phone in class. It's extremely distracting when you're trying to teach to have children on their phone and of course they're not learning anything. and then they geowuptousetgeir phones in concerts, theaters, and movies. when you call the parents, many dont seem to care or shrug.

No one needs to carry a cell phone into a theater anyway. Generations of concert-goers got by just fine without them. I don't know if it's selfishness on stilts, or just cluelessness, but, in the end, what's the difference?

I imagine that this happens disproportionately during performances on Broadway. 1,000 audience members. Lots and lots of children home with babysitters. Frequent calls and/or texts from the Emergency Room or just generally related to accidents happening to these children. (Broadway seems like one of those places that you definitely get a babysitter in order to attend.)

This reminds me of a Segovia concert years ago. One person in the audience was coughing continuously. Segovia stopped and simply stared at her until she got up and left the theater. Not a word was spoken, but she got the message!

I know live performances can't be duplicated at home..but I'm very grateful for my TV at home where there are no interruptions :)

I took my children to see School of Rock last year. We lucked out with amazing seats but the family behind us would not stop talking and someone a few rows ahead kept checking their phone. We complained to the ushers at intermission but they did nothing. It really ruined our experience and has made me loathe to spend that kind of money only to sit near people who cannot immediately gratify themselves for 2 measly hours.

One of the best experiences I’ve had as an audience member was at the Fillmore in SF at Dave Chappelle and John Mayer’s comedy show/musical showcase, “Controlled Danger.” As we waited in line to get in, phones were locked in bags by a company called Yondr. The performers let loose and entertained us in a way that they simply wouldn’t have been able to do with 200 cameras filming them. It was wonderful! There was an inclusive vibe and atmosphere of camaraderie and enjoyment that I haven’t felt since...when were iphones invented, again? I go to a lot of concerts, and what I’m witnessing is that increasingly, people are policing each other and asking others to put their phones down. Nothing is worse than having someone stand in front of you recording a show, watching the whole thing through their iphone instead of actually experiencing it, while blocking your view. It’s bad form, and incredibly rude. Peer pressure is the only way to get people to stop...that, and performers demanding that venues partner with companies like Yondr.

There is an increasing amount of people who attend theatre that are clueless of theatre etiquette. Cell phones ringing. Texting. Talking. Munching. Slurping. Rustling bags. Late arrivals. Inappropriate dress. The self absorbed are discourteous to fellow patrons and insulting to those who are performing on stage. Amazes me that one cannot be without their refreshments or electronic pacifier for a 2 hour show.

This JUST happened to me at a Petula Clark concert. I told two different people to please put their phones away - that it was distracting for me and also the performer. One person complied and the other just kept filming away. It was maddening and I wrote an email to the theater owner asking that an announcement be made that no filming is allowed. It is something that infuriates me; I find it rude in the extreme. By the way, Petula Clark is 86 and still nails the high notes. She sang for two hours and never flubbed a lyric. If you get a chance, go see her. An icon.

Just stop the show. Everyone will get the message.

I was fortunate enough to catch Donna Murphy in one of the handful of performances she gave as Dolly Levi in "Hello Dolly!" at the Shubert. (I'd already seen Bette Midler). I had an aisle seat on the right side of the house, row F I believe. Perfect view of the stage across the empty aisle. On the other side of this aisle about two rows closer to the stage was a woman who wasn't trying to take pictures or video the performance, but she was texting non stop and her phone pad would light up every time she touched it. When the second act began, I was hoping someone had already spoken to her about it, but when the house lights went down, the phone pad lights up. I leapt out of my seat as the entre' act began and begged her to hold her phone business for just another 45 minutes so everyone behind her could enjoy the second act without distractions. She jumped a little, and seemed to put the phone away and I went back to my seat to the mild applause from other people in my row. Immediately after this, management ran down the aisle with flashlights trying to see who was doing what (they should have just asked me) but they were concentrating their search on the center of the rows. It was very dismaying when they left and after only one number the woman began texting again from underneath a shawl. It wasn't quite as distracting as during the first act, but I could hear sighing from those nearby. What does it take to get people to stop?

The people who must look at their phones during a performance don't realize how bright those screens can be in a darkened theater. I was recently at a concert and was constantly getting distracted by phones that may have been two rows in front of me. the woman next to me was texting someone (I think it was her friend two seats away) until someone behind her finally had to tap her to make her shut the phone.

Maybe instead of a polite announcement before the curtain - the producers can play an "airline safety"-like video - starring Patti LuPone....I'm sure she has the right words.

Scary as they are, the house manager and ushers are not doing their jobs. They should be inside the theater watching the patrons and stopping them. There should also be an announcement before every performance that everyone should take out their phones and make sure they are shut off. Even better, an emcee asks them who has one, take it out and show me, now shut it off. It works.

Cell phone usage has morphed into the new 'smoking'. Annoying and selfish.

I had a professor that advised on the first day of class that if you created a cell phone disruption during his class, the classmates to the left & right of you failed the course. It became everyone's responsibility to politely police each other in advance, and not surprisingly, there weren't any disruptions. Perhaps theaters need to start threatening to eject patrons at intermission?

I'm going to see Jack White at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn this Saturday. He enforces a "no cell-phone" policy at this shows. All phones go into a pouch made by a company called Yondr. Something along these lines is needed for legitimate theatre! http://www.ampthemag.com/the-real/jack-white-implements-no-phone-policy-2018-tour/

much ado about nothing

I went to a comedy show in Denver where they provided locking bags (magnetic, I think) to put phones into after they were silenced. Everyone held onto their own bag so no one had to worry about their phone going missing, but only staff out in the lobby could unlock them. It's a fantastic idea, and I think it should be used everywhere. I don't remember that it delayed exiting much--the bags were easy enough to unlock and drop off as we filed out.

I'm so glad that I didn't grow up in the cellphone era. If I wanted to talk to someone I had to sit by the phone. The greatest invention was having a 25-foot cord. I do have a cellphone. I do know how to use it, although my adult children don't think I do. I just don't like it. The bother of it. So for me it is more like a toy than a communication/information device. I hate to hear someone's phone turned up full blast when it rings in a public place. I feel it must signal some insecurity if a person can not go without a cellphone during theater or movie. I don't think it is an 'Oh! Look me! I'm so important that I must never turn my phone off and I must respond immediately because that is how important I am'. I think of it more along the lines of desperation; as if they don't take that call right away then who ever is calling them will never speak to them again. I call it the tyranny of the cell *phone*

I have attended shows in Hawaii where the performer (mostly musicians) will stop the show and berate the miscreant. The audience loves it. These people should not ruin the performance of others, who have paid to attend. In several venues staff watches for the tell tale lights and tells the person to shut off the phone. That works. Too bad the phones cannot be confiscated and returned at the end of the show. Although I did see security at the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition do that in Hilo several years ago.