I worked at a movie theater for several years. It was my second job — went straight from one job to the next most nights, but it was so fun there that I didn’t mind being exhausted. The guys that worked there with me regularly checked the theaters, and I don’t remember us hardly every having complaints about bad behavior. Now the theater complexes are so huge I imagine it’s hard to patrol them. (There were just 3 at the one I worked at.)

Then last night at The Simpsons Movie, there was a real live “Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel” sitting two seats down from Rudy (Panucci of Popcult/Radio Free Charleston fame) and myself.

The comes in right before the movie starts.
Then proceeds to TAKE OFF HIS SHOES and sit there barefoot. THEN….HE MADE FOUR CALLS ON HIS CELL PHONE during the first 5 - 6 minutes of the movie!!

If it’d been an emergency, I could understand. But no–someone called him, then after he finished that up, he starts calling other people!! (”Hey, what’re you doin’? I’m watchin’ The Simpsons…..No, the movie.̶

We were both extremely preturbed by this and were about to take action. But he must’ve got a clue or something, because after the last phone call, he put on his shoes and left.

Karin, you can go to the movies with me anytime!

When my kids were little, if they were fussy, I knew to take them outside until they calmed down, and I even knew not to take them places when they were too little to attend. Unfortunately, there are a lot of babies raising babies today. That’s a whole ‘nuther issue.

Anyhow, Go, You Wild Woman, You!!

AAARGGHH!!!! I can’t even stomach watching commercials for gruesome horror movies like that, but when I thought of those sweet little babies being exposed to the whole thing, I got so angry I could hardly contain myself. Unfortunately, I did contain myself- I didn’t say anything (although I’m sure I shook my head disapprovingly- big deal) at all.

Later, I kept thinking of what I should have said or done. I could have gently said, “My husband and I would be happy to take them to see Meet the Robinsons.” I could have said, “Wow. Someone told me that’s a really scary movie, but my kids and I just saw Meet the Robinson’s and it was great!” I could have lectured, judged, cajoled… But I didn’t do anything, and I regret it.

So, thanks for sharing your experience- maybe next time I’ll speak up!

Calling in the ushers does little good any more. They’re teenagers. She’s a grown woman. I have, in the past, gone to management to ask for their help. They send someone in to stand there for a few minutes, but the instant they’re gone, the acting up starts all over again. I’ve never seen anyone removed from a theater.

My husband says the reason men didn’t say anything is because if they had, her husband would’ve likely felt he had to take them on in defense of her honor. That kind of makes sense, I suppose.

A suggestion though, from a different perspective. If I were in the theater, the verbal confrontation between you and the other woman standing and arguing with each other would have aggrivated me more than the family’s noise, if I’m being completely honest.

IF someone in a theater is annoying and can’t settle down to where it is disrupting the movie, I’ll get up and quickly call in the usher or manager to ask them to quiet down.

I am not sure why mention of the woman’s size two times in your column is relevant? Did it frighten you that she was large?