• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home World News Us & Canada

Wicked brought phones to theatres. They’re probably here to stay

November 30, 2024
in Us & Canada
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Wicked brought phones to theatres. They're probably here to stay
3
SHARES
6
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Wicked reintroduced millions to the world of Oz last weekend — and has already made millions doing it. But aside from any magic it brought back into the world, audiences are noticing a trend.

“People just have thrown all etiquette right out the window,” culture writer Amil Niazi told CBC News in an interview. “It just has gotten to a point where I think people feel like the theatre is their living room, and we have to correct that.”

That’s ranged from openly talking during the movie to loudly singing along with the music (the latter of which has sparked encouragement from star Cynthia Erivo). But the most egregious example, in Niazi’s opinion, has cropped up in more screenings than just Wicked‘s: cellphone use. 

Since the movie’s debut, photos and footage of its opening title card have gone viral on social media sites like X. Those images are captured by rabid fans — and, Niazi said, often influencers — at the expense of everyone else in the theatre.

And what’s worse: Few of them seem to care.

“Chill lmao it’s not that deep,” “y’all r insufferable omg,” and “I’ll do what I want thanks” are some of the responses to criticisms of theatre phone use. It’s a pervasive shift in public opinion that for some ruins the entire movie-going experience.

“People are excited to share their experiences, their thoughts, their reactions to the films,” Niazi said. “Inside the theatre, we have to clamp down a little bit more on this behaviour, because often there’s no one walking around to stop them, right?”

While phone use in movie theatres isn’t necessarily new, the focus it’s gotten from Wicked seems to have kicked it into overdrive — along with the potential legal implications of recording and sharing Hollywood movies.

But Robert Cousins, Cineplex senior vice-president of film, says the problem isn’t a degradation of theatre etiquette at all.

Instead, it’s “different types of behaviour that we’ve seen in other forms of entertainment are filtering their way into the experience.”

That means young people, who largely missed the theatre-going experience for the better part of two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, are bringing in behaviour motivated by social media use. How they would — and have — behaved at Taylor Swift concerts, and even out on the street, he said, is making its way into the theatrical experience.

‘We’re not here to kill joy’

While smaller chains, like Alamo Drafthouse in the U.S., have taken a strong stance against the practice, that’s not in the cards for Canada’s largest theatre chain. Outside of a few ads meant to remind people not to disrupt other audience members, they plan on keeping out of the debate. 

“We’re not here to kill joy,” Cousins said, noting the company won’t be reintroducing ushers nationwide to personally chastise people using their phones. While rules may vary by theatre, having workers scold guests during a movie would be too distracting.

And, he says, disruptive behaviour typically peaks during the opening weekend of most popular films, then tapers off, as there’s some social cred in others knowing you were among the first to watch something.

Cineplex senior vice-president Robert Cousins says theatre etiquette hasn’t necessarily declined. Instead, changing social norms have just found their way to the cinema. (Griffin Jaeger/CBC)

As for the possibility of taking people’s phones before they come into the theatre, he dismissed it out of hand: “I’m just not going to do that.”

When it comes to the piracy argument, as long as theatre-goers don’t reveal major plot points or record large chunks of the movie, “it’s not piracy,” Cousins said. 

“It is letting people know that ‘I have seen this; I like this — here’s a scene or a shot I thought was fantastic.'”

The only thing that may roll back the tide is what’s minimized theatre phone use till now: cultural expectations.    

“As much as I would love to, I can’t be a police force within the auditorium,” he said.

“I would only hope that social norms that we’ve all accepted over the years would be what makes you behave in a certain way.”

What happened to shame?

Unfortunately, shame appears to be the main thing breaking down — and what we have the least chances of changing.

Cathy O’Neil, a mathematician and author of The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation, says shame is a potent social tool, used both healthily and unhealthily for much of our history.

In a group with shared beliefs, getting shamed for behaving in a way that goes against the collective’s best interests could lead to shunning or ostracization. Though it can backfire when used inappropriately, shame can stop something as elemental as hoarding food. O’Neil calls it “healthy shame,” and it’s incredibly important, and often very effective. 

But that only works when people agree on what makes something shameful. And for so many young people, in addition to not spending much time in theatres, they’re encouraged to prioritize capturing a potentially viral moment, instead of upholding unspoken social rules. That means those beliefs aren’t as shared as they were before.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in a scene from the film Wicked. (Universal Pictures/The Associated Press)

“Our society has fractured, and we have literally different norms. So our attempts to shame other norm groups and to behave into good behaviour has the opposite effect,” she said. “And when people feel like, ‘Hey, you’re trying to shame me into doing something I don’t agree with,’ then of course the reaction is not only outrage, but to behave in the exact opposite direction.”

At the same time, she said, it’s misdirected: In this case, as in most instances of public shaming, it’s the social media companies whose platforms incentivize attention-grabbing behaviour that should be shamed, she said — not the people who’ve been manipulated by them.

However, the sheer success that social media companies have had in hooking users to their platforms — and to phones — means it’s unlikely that societal norms can quickly swing back the other way.

“If the group of people that enjoy being on their phone and drowning out other people by talking becomes large enough — if that becomes 90 per cent of the people — that’s the new norm,” O’Neil said.

“Us old fogies want to see movies in silence. But if it’s not the way it’s done anymore, we have to adjust.”



Source link

Previous Post

Syrian rebels take control of majority of Aleppo, observers say

Next Post

Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo after lightning assault

Related Posts

Texas bill requiring Ten Commandments in public schools headed to governor's desk

Texas bill requiring Ten Commandments in public schools headed to governor’s desk

May 25, 2025
3
Britain waiting for Parliament to return before deciding on pursuing Canada-U.K. trade deal

Britain waiting for Parliament to return before deciding on pursuing Canada-U.K. trade deal

May 25, 2025
4
Next Post
Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo after lightning assault

Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo after lightning assault

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount

Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount todayheadline

May 25, 2025

Casey's General Stores' SWOT analysis: convenience chain's stock faces fuel margin pressures todayheadline

May 25, 2025
ET logo

Indy 500: Why winners choose milk over champagne after victory todayheadline

May 25, 2025

Whale Collisions Surge as Chile’s Industrial Shipping Lanes Expand

May 25, 2025

Recent News

Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount

Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount todayheadline

May 25, 2025
4

Casey's General Stores' SWOT analysis: convenience chain's stock faces fuel margin pressures todayheadline

May 25, 2025
1
ET logo

Indy 500: Why winners choose milk over champagne after victory todayheadline

May 25, 2025
3

Whale Collisions Surge as Chile’s Industrial Shipping Lanes Expand

May 25, 2025
1

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount

Some T-Mobile customers get massive new discount todayheadline

May 25, 2025

Casey's General Stores' SWOT analysis: convenience chain's stock faces fuel margin pressures todayheadline

May 25, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co