When I got to work this afternoon, Urban Vixen told me she thought about sending me a text from her seat at the Toni Morrison lecture last night. We were both there and she could see me.
I told her it was a good thing she didn't because the ushers would have jumped down her throat. What did I say that for? I didn't realize so many people have had bad experiences with the ushers at the Belk.
Mine occurred when I was trying to type notes on a Treo during the Soweto gospel choir. The usher made me put it away after I tried to explain what I was doing. I tried to keep my voice lowered, but the woman talked to me as if I were an insolent child. I respect my elders, but she tested my patience.
Last night, I watched two ushers descend upon a woman who pulled her telephone out. The woman put her phone away, but the ushers hovered as if to say, "We're watching you."
After Morrison's lecture, I was talking to a friend in the bathroom. She told me she was trying to finish e-mailing on her Blackberry before the lecture and the ushers made her put it away. People talking on cellphones in the movies or at performances is annoying, but some of the ushers who work the Belk Theater are overbearing about cellphones and are sometimes downright rude.
I don't know if they're acting this way because been told to prohibit any kind of cellphone use or if its by their own initiative. If it is policy, the women can be nicer about how they deal with patrons. And if it's policy, it's one I don't agree with. If I want to pay my hard earned money for tickets to a show, and then I sit in my seat sending text messages or checking the score of the basketball game, that's my business. I'm not bothering anyone if my phone is on silent mode.
My co-workers stories didn't involve cellphones. Urban Vixen (who requested her real name be withheld for fear of retaliation)said she watched the ushers fuss at a few women who weren't headed to their ticketed seats. (Mind you, the Belk was far from full for Morrison's lecture.) While I was talking to Crystal, the reading life editor stood up at her desk and talked about her experience. Before the lecture started she left her seat to visit her husband, and an usher aggressively asked if she needed help. You know how sale people say, "Can I help You," as if you're up to no good.
I wonder if it's a generational disconnect. Some of the ushers at the Belk look as if they're well into retirement age and these are the ones who act as if patrons are children about to climb all over the good furniture.
The treatment by the ushers at Belk is in stark contrast to my experiences at the Bobcats Arena, Ovens Auditorium and even Spirit Square. I'm going back tonight to see the opera "Margaret Garner." I sincerely hope the ushers drink some tea before the show and remember that they're working at a performing arts venue not nightclub. No one is going to be moshing in the orchestra level. Although, I would love to see how they'd handle that.
What do you think? Have you dealt with aggressive ushers at Belk or any other performance venue? And do you have an issue with people text messaging during a performance? Post your replies below.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Chill usher lady, I don't want any trouble
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
21 comments:
PtP:
I can see it both ways. The ushers are there to keep order and that's a realtive thing. They want to see your ticket and make sure you are not sitting in some out-rigger seat that is gonna cause a problem for them later should the right-ful owner show.
The texting is another tough call as if it is a distraction, then it is a distraction -- not just to other people in the audience but to the performers. I guess you could argue that if you pay for the seat you can do what you want in it, but you are doing more than renting space. You are there to be respectful of the performance -- I know that if I was up on stage the sight of someone thumbing away a message would tell me that I must not be very interesting.
So my final answer is 30% too much usher, 70% audience treating a performaning arts venue a little too casual.
It may not be distracting to you, but it's very distracting to me when someone is poking away on a cell/pda/etc in the seat next to me. It's also not very courteous to the performer.
From what I've heard, the lighting from cell phones can distract the performers on stage. So the policy is to turn off all cell phones rather than turn the ringers off.
I still agree with you though, some do take their job too serious and I do believe its a generational disconnect.
I work in an establishment that prohibits cell phone use. This is primarily due to the fact that when folks use them, they are usually loud and disruptive. This comes in the form of either loud talking or really loud ringtones that quite frankly, no one else wants to hear.
If it seems like folks who enforce this rule are overbearing, its probably because in the past, when they've tried to approach someone nicely about not using their device, they've been confronted with hostility from the individual they are addressing. Plus, I think its important to remember that ushers are in a position to catch it from the other end. If another person in the audience has a problem with someone using their phone or portable device in a disruptive manner, they may not actually confront the person who's using the device, but they probably will ask an usher to confront this person. It becomes tiresome and annoying after a while. I'm pretty certain the ushers cringe, every time they have to say something to someone. But they are just doing their jobs.
And just kind of piggybacking on what the previous poster just said, I'm curious, why do folks just HAVE to talk on the phone, or text someone when they are at an event that requires their attention anyway. Does anyone ever consider that their talking on the phone or texting may be disruptive to the OTHER paying attendees????
Just enjoy the show, Tonya. Jeez..don't we spend enough time being tied to mobile phones the rest of the day? I'm sure enough cells have rung during performances to put the ushers on edge.
I'm normally on your side, but this time I have to side with the "authoriti".
save the texting for crush and bobcats arena. What your selfish little rant leaves out is that fact that other people spent their hard earned money as well. And they certainly don't need you and the warm but annoying glow of wahtever tech toy you feel you need to play with during a performance. They are a distraction to the patrons, and the artists. If you can't focus and give simply common courtesy to a live artistic performance for 1-2 hours, then stay home. Otherwise, put your toys away before the performance and act like an adult.
Why is the problem always with someone else persecuting you in your columns. If you would simply behave yourself like most people you would never have any of the problems you have. When you consistently seek special accomodation, you ought to expect people to occaisionally be upset about it. Follow the neutrally applied rules of society and you won't have nearly as many instances where you think you should write a column about people being "aggressive" towards you. Get a life, and possibly a job as well.
I am against any cell phone use in the theater during a performance, even for text messaging. In general, cell phone screens are illuminated when in use, to text or even to check the time. The theater is dark. The flickers of light from cell phones is a distraction to people behind you and above you. One person doing it isn't a problem. Dozens of people doing it creates a distraction. That said, the ushers should handle the situation firmly and politely.
I have been reading this column for quite a while now. Does anyone else agree that a great deal of the behavior that is described by the author as being her own might be categorized as "bad." It seems to me that she expects to be able to do whatever she wants, right or wrong, and then gets angry when people don't just smile and dismiss it. Just looking for a roll call on this particular issue.
If I want to pay my hard earned money for tickets to a show, and then I sit in my seat sending text messages or checking the score of the basketball game, that's my business. I'm not bothering anyone if my phone is on silent mode.
If I pay my hard earned money for tickets to a show, the last thing I want to be distracted by is the glow of several phone screens while I try and watch it.
It depends on the performance and the venue. I wouldn't compare most Belk performances to Arena events, like a ball game or a big concert. Regardless of the reason for using a handheld device, silencing it is only half the problem. Most performances require low light, which means you'll need your Treo or Blackberry's back light to see what you are texting. That's as distracting as noise in my opinion. I believe performances are a communal experience involving you, the audience and the performer. If you are looking down to text message and are concentrating on the keys, you are missing the performance and experience you are trying to review. I wouldn't trust the review of anyone who multitasks like that. Why not fully participate in the experience, then whip out the Blackberry at intermission or on the way home? I'll bet the result is a more complete picture of the performance and a better review all around. And there's an added bonus - you didn't risk creating a distraction for the folks around you who also paid their hard earned money for tickets to the show.
Having said that, the ushers could be nicer about it - you are a client after all.
I understand the ushers getting a little frenzied about what's going on at the time, but there comes a point where you have to think of it like, if I left, and everyone else left, they wouldn't need to have their jobs there. So even though that's not going to happen, realistically, they are there to help you, not babysit you.
I think it's great the ushers are taking this seriously. I'm so sick of people who think they are too important to send a text or check their email for two hours. If you are expecitng an emergency call, you probably shouldn't be at the show. By the way I'm 25, of this generation, and use my tech toys as much as the next person, but when I'm at a show I don't want to be bothered by others.
as is the case with most of your gripes with public events in the city of Charlotte, they probably called you down because your black.
Just put the phone up for an hour or two. It won't kill you and it will save you from looking rediciulous. Not to mention disrespecting the person giving the lecture, who is probably speaking on an issue WAY more important than "sending text messages or checking the score of the basketball game"
-MrAfternoon.
Sorry, I'm with the ushers. Something is wrong with people who can't sit still and enjoy a performance without having to check their cell phone or blackberry. Turn off your gadgets and enjoy the show. It is highly rude to be fidgeting with something while your neighbors are trying to enjoy the show. I bet you mess with the phone while you're driving. You can always spot those people, they are the ones driving in the passing lane 10 -20 mph slower than everyone else.
Aggressive does not even begin to describe the ushers' behavior at the PAC. I would further it by describing them like prison guards once they don that green coat. What is up? We did pay to be in that seat, and how about treated us with respect and common courtesy even if just explaining the rules while in the theater. The one thing that differentiates businesses these days is the level of customer service provided. Does that word exist over there? I hate being treated like I am up to no good or most definitely breaking a rule.
As far as text messaging, even with sound off, I don't like it as your fellow seat mate. Can't help but notice that something is happening next door, and since I am curious, it distracts me from the performance in front. Catching up on basketball scores, emailing fellow colleague across the hall is easily accomplished at intermission.
I am also 25, and I find it very distracting and rude when someone whips out their Blackberry or cell phone in the middle of a performance, particularly during a lecture or an opera, when concentrating on the words is so important. I frequently utilize my tech gadgets as well, but understand there are times when use of them is not appropriate.
That being said, the ushers often take their jobs way too seriously. There is a courteous way of enforcing rules and a condescending way, frequently which they are of the latter. They seem to believe those little green jackets wield enormous amounts of power. I also agree with a previous post that suggests a generational disconnect - I do not appreciate being treated as a child either.
The ushers are only doing their jobs. Non-paid jobs, at that -- the ushers volunteer their time. As for it being a generational disconnect, I'm 60 years old and recently got the very same treatment when I took my phone out to turn it off during the first few moments of a performance. But I didn't think I was being treated like a child. I understood that if someone doesn't police the cell phone situation, we'd have many people calling their friends just to say "guess where I am."
It would seem that the results are in. The overwhelming opinion on your own message board is that you were wrong. Absolutely, unequivocally, completely, and totally wrong. I would suggest an apology in your blog to these poor ushers who you have libeled. Just a thought.
JERK.... I guess you go to the movies to read your email too. Leave your cell phone, Blackberry's and other electronic devices at home. You go to an entertainment venue to BE ENTERTAINED!!!!! If "I" see you with such a device, it isn't the ushers you will need to worry about..... JERK!!!
Still waiting for that apology to the ushers you wronged. Although the clock is ticking...there is still time to save a little face by eating a little crow...It takes a big man to apologize.
Post a Comment