black people, movies, WTF? STFU
 

It happened again. I was sitting there, quietly watching a movie, surrounded by a bunch of other people who were quietly watching the movie. And there’s one person who is talking…no, shouting advice to the actors on the screen. And, just like every other time this happenes to me, the person is black.

This time it was a little different, because it was an in-flight movie, and the person was right next to me. And she was really going off; bellowing to make herself heard over the headphones she was wearing.

“Oh, no girlfrien’! You don’ go in dere! I done TOLE you not to go in dere!”

I wanted to turn to her and say, “Do you realize that the people on the screen can’t hear you? Do you realize that you are a walking talking (OK sitting, yelling) are a racial stereotype? Do you realize all the people on this plane are giving you dirty looks?

I know it’s not ALL black people. I lived in a house where I was the only white guy, and none of my housemates pulled this crap. I used to date a goddamn BEAUTIFUL black woman, and she never yelled at the screen. Yet every time it happens to me, without fail, it is a black person who has the big mouth.

Seriously, WTF is up with this? Is there a segment of black society that believes that if there is a movie on, they are all expected to provide running commentary? Do they think all of us quiet people are uptight, and don’t get it?

I don't really have anything to say about black people and the movies, but I would like to leave a comment on something in this post:

GREAT dialect-ical writing! I'm impressed! How vivid!

Missy

Annoying is annoying regardless of the color of their skin.

Asta!!

Man, I have no idea why that trend is so strong, but I will say that going to a theater here in Columbia SC, Jefferson Square, which is your basic downtown ghetto-ass 99% black people theater, to watch Trespass with Ice-T - high out of my got-damn mind - when I was in highschool was one of the funniest and scariest things I have ever done in my white-boy-from-the-suburbs life. The black dude in front of my family when we went and watched Silverado with Danny Glover was pretty good too - "Shit, homeboy maaaad now. He is going to KICK yo ass." He had the commentary in the pauses though, so it rather added more than subtracted from the experience. Black theaters are so, so very different than the white-flight suburbs I grew up in.

hmm..i've noticed this too..i was friends (sorta) with this purto rican guy...he would talk to the tv as if 1. teh people around him wanted to hear his input about every action or movement in the movie or 2. the tv could actually hear him..

his father did it to...

annoying..beyond..i think it just has to do with like class...not so much race..

but yea..i've never seen/heard a white person do it before...

maybe your right and its a "shaniqua" thing...

I can see how it might be different in other cultures, but if I was the only one doing that, I think I'd take a hint.

lol yea zeraph maybe YOU would but you woul dbe suprised at how many people dont even realize it..its like sad/funny/annoying

It's so much worse if the person doesn't understand the rhythms of the movie / T.V. show. I can almost tolerate people talking about (ABOUT - not to) what's on the screen if they get the pauses correctly, but when I watch I'm focused. I simply can't watch T.V. with some people. I don't watch much, but when I do I'm in a zone.

p.s. Is anyone on this board a sociologist / psychologist who might have input.

hahaha i know what you mean pigg!!..me and my mother went to go see brigette jones diary..there was thsi whole row of black ladies making comments both about and TO the movie..and they had NO IDEA WHAT THE MOVIE WAS ABOUT.

Oh, it's worse than that. Whenever I visit my parents - my very own parents - and watch T.V. with them (to my heartfelt chagrin, they serve a nightly line up of CSI, followed by CSI, followed by CSI:Miami, followed by CSI:New York....sometimes there's golf), they turn the thing on, I get all "Look into my eyes...I am an Oriental" Bruce Leroy focused, and then they start up talking about everything else under the sun, while taking breaks from discussing how unrealistic the show is and singing songs to their dogs. I have contemplated, on more than one occasion, scarfing some Xanex before putting myself through it.

What the hey. I love 'em.

/apologize for any threadjackage of non-black-people-yelling-at-movie-screen action. If it helps, imagine that my parents are black. You can call me Navin.

//ps. one of my parent's dogs is deaf. go figure.

While I haven't encounter any black people who did this in the movie theaters (thankfully), I do have other experiences like it. I have a friend (who isn't very smart) who did the same thing in the movie theater. I resolve to not go to the movies with him ever again. We'll just have to watch it at home where I can pause, tell him to shut up, rewind 30 seconds, watch, pause, tell him to shut up again, rewind, repeat...

you know, this reminds me of the time when I went to watch StarTrek:TNG - First Contact with some friends, who were tanked. The food starts flying on the screen, and when it gets to the gummy bears, all three of them stood up and started yelling "They don't sell gummy bears here. That's bullshit. They don't sell gummy bears - resistance is futile!" for about five minutes. I must have been busy that week, because I wasn't let in on this protest movement. I thought I was going to crawl under the seat...save for the fact that under a movie theatre seat has to be one of the most disgusting places ever conceived. While they weren't black, one of them was a dark-skinned Indian, and my mother used to call him "The Black Hippopotamus."

I don't run into this problem too often, so I can't really comment.

I can say that I run into the "roving group of white comedians" more often than "black folks yelling at the screen."

If I had to choose which was more annoying, it's the white kids as they offend my comedic sensibilities.

I don't know....I've encountered this very same phenomena that Clavus described and I find it amusing. My roommate in college was Puerto Rican and he did it all the time and it cracked me up. I guess what you need to do is just appreciate the humor of the situation, realize that there are some cultural differences and enjoy the moment. Pretty soon you'll be back, naked in your garage trying to break in to your own home. ;)

Well, my experience (the only one I've had, that I can recall) of being in the middle of the "Funny Guys" was pretty horriffic. If I had known, I probably would have sat elsewhere. I don't think anyone in the theatre was amused. Throw in the fact that one of guys brought an old sock he named "Stanley," which he pulled out to pseudo-vantriloquize (word?) his request for tickets and drinks, and it was a night to remember.

I've definately noticed the black people being loud stereotype. Everytime I go to the mall and hear lots of yelling and screaming, it's a group of blacks being obnoxious.

Never whites. I don't know why. Maybe it's just the same annoying group of blacks everytime.

I blame cultural differences. Seriously.

The yelling at the movie screen bit, seems to be a black thing. I'm not sure why, but I'm reporting what I've seen. It's there, it's happening, and there's no one else I see doing it with such regularity and fervor.

The white people things are: to have 12 goddamn giggling little 14 year old bitches sitting in the whole ROW in front of me, who can't shut their fucking cell phones off / or / 4 teenage guys who can't stop fucking with each other the whole movie / old ass people who can't hear shit, so they spend all movie asking their partner "what did he say? what just happened?"

The hispanic thing is...well, I don't think I've seen it yet. Other than the whole go everywhere in large groups thing.

I'm sure there's an asian thing. I don't know what it is. Asians aren't flocking to central Ohio, it would seem; so, you got me there.

All of the above groups have thier damn annoying movie theater "things." Why none of them notice that maybe other people don't appreciate it? I dont' fucking know.
I DO know why so many people are spending a billion dollars a year on home theater equipment: People love movies, and people hate other people's annoying move theater "things."

I also know that I pretty much hate going to the movies, because so many other people can't STFU for two hours. My wife and I go to early afternoon weekend shows. So far, those seem the emptiest we can go to, on our schedules.

I will be spending mass amounts of money next year, to build a home theater. As my wife and I are now two-week old homeowners, we'll be building a home theater system and investing more in DVDs. No neighbors to worry about soundwise (because we ARE the kind of people that WON'T turn our TVs up loud past 11 on a weeknight!!), so turn the 5.1 surround UP!!

Final Note:
The whole loud black people thing. Pure BS. The stereotype is "blacks are loud." Therefore, you see loud black people, you go: "see, more loud black people." But, you don't view the same group of loud white people in the same theory-proving way. Thus, the loud whites aren't marked and remembered as "extra loud."

So I say, so shall it be.

Thank you, that is all.

That happens pretty often in NJ. I usually just yell out "SHUT UP!" if they do it for more than 30 minutes into the movie. My shut up is usually followed by some sort of applause.

The part that pisses me off even more is the people with cell phones. This exact scenario happens every time i go to the movies: Movie about to begin, warning is given on screen to shut off all cell phons or you will have your ass beat. 30-40 mins into movie Phone rings... 5-8 times, and the person doesn't answer. Phone stops ringing. 2-3 minutes later, phone rings again, person pics it up and begins a 5 minute converssation consisting of "Yea im in a movie" *insert random crap here no one cares about* .. (conversation still continues) .. "ok, yo i'll catch up with you guys in a few".... 5-10 minutes later that same person's phone goes off again. Followed shortly by 3-4 other people who think its then ok to turn their cell phones back on.

I would love to shed some light on this subject, but alas, we've not one African American in town. We do have a theater with one screen. No one talks because the owner will come down and drag your butt outside. Really makes it nice to watch a movie. I don't know anywhere else you can go and watch a PG movie and the Jr. High kids are all quiet. :lol: I do hope this is not a stereotype against these folks, there's enough of that anyway.

Regards

Yeah, I'm not a sociologist or anything but someone asked if there was anything sociological or psychological... the only thing that comes to mind really is labeling theory (sociological). Labeling theory says that people act a certain way because of others preconceived notions about them. Like the "black people are loud" stereotype. If I were black and I knew the people around me already had this idea, I wouldn't give a fuck and be loud if I want to be loud. Just my thoughts... if anyone has any others feel free to share :) I would love to learn.

I don't know why, but I only see black people acting this way at movies.
And there has only been one time where it didn't annoy the shit out of me.

I was watching "28 days later" which I think was the worst movie to ever exist, and the audence revolt was a welcome deversion from the movie.

Am I the only one that has seen white people do this at movies? This is not a black-white issue. This is a most-people-on-this-godforsaken-rock-are-assholes issue.

The only thing you need to know when you go into a movie theater is that unless you bought up the whole show, others are in there as well, and they deserve to be able to enjoy the movie. If you can't shut the hell up, wait for the movie to come out on DVD.

Actually the biggest troublemakers I see in theaters are kids and the dumbassed enabling parents who allow them to run all over the theater through the whole movie, and yell, scream, cry, kick, fight, throw popcorn, whack the backs of chairs, wander around saying "hi" to random people, etc. If you have children, there is only one societal rule that you MUST follow if you don't want to be an asshole : Your children are wonderful and we're all happy for you that you enjoy them, but you do not have the right to impose them on others. Keep the kids quiet and well behaved in public gathering places. If this is not possible, remove the kids from those places immediately.

In psychology, this is called Selective Perception.

An example:

One day, someone you know buys a red Hyundai. In the following few days you notice while driving around that a lot of people own red Hyundais. In fact, you see so many of them it's like they've all suddenly appeared out of nowhere and are now everywhere you look.

In reality, there aren't any more red Hyundais on the roads than there were before, you're just selectively perceiving them. In other words, you make special note of red Hyundais now when you probably wouldn't have given a moment's thought to them before.


Now, you might've heard a comedy routine or seen a movie parody where people talk to the movie screen, and you've mentally associated the actors' behavior with their skin color. Then, in public you're more likely to selectively perceive the people of that same skin color exhibiting that behavior, despite the fact that people of all different colors behave in equally stupid ways.


My point is that the color of your skin doesn't determine how you behave in a movie theatre. Only an ignorant, prejudicious bigot thinks it does.


That's just my educated opinion.

It's also related to the area that you live in and the theatre's you visit.
Take a drive to the more reserved expensive areas and it stops.

As a Brit visiting America, I'd like to comment on the initial post and ask why Americans feel the need to clap at the end of a movie?
Just like your comment on the actors not being able to hear the lady in the plane, they can't hear you clap to show your appreciation either.

Funny thing though, I was visiting in Provo, Utah and went to the dollar theatres with some uni buddies. Blond hair and blue eyes everywhere (honestly, utah is an aryan utopia) except for a friend from South Carolina sitting with me. I tell you, this girl was the SC stereotype - loud, fried chicken feasts, the works. The movie was Rush Hour, and at one point when Chris Rock did something particularly cool, my friend blurted out "That's mah nigguh!!!!"

The entire place turned it's head at us and I just pissed myself. I thought it was the funniest thing ever. All these young Mormon politically correct eyes just bugging out to see who would dare say that and when they picked her out they all seemed to give a collective sigh of relief. "It's ok, she' can say it, she's one of them."
Funniest shit I ever saw.

Why oh why do we have to justify any comments we make about race with this "I'm not racist I have plenty of them as friends" type statement

Everyone is a racist. If you notice a difference between one group of people and another, either of dress style, skin colour, belief, habits, etc - you are racist.

Face it, it's natural. It's the old survival instinct to aid the preservation of your particular group and geneset kicking in.
Even you saying that you yourself belong to a certain ethnic group is a racist statement.

The big difference is if you discriminate based on racial differences. Statements like "those italians are all crooks" or something like that.

One of the biggest tragedies would be if my white, asian, african and oriental friends all suddenly started acting alike. I like the differences between the races.

I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed that one.


I'm not prejudiced! One of my friends is black!

Yeah but it's not a black thing any more than young white kids making a general ass of themselves throwing shit all over the theatre talking loudly amongst themselves and going so far as to have length conversations on their cellphones the ENTIRE MOVIE. I've only seen white kids do that but I don't have the illusions that it's just a "white" thing.

I think you might be right.
My opinion is that it's typical of the African social environment.

Community interaction is very imporant. It helps build the communal ties and helps carry on the history and beliefs of a people that historically, were predominantly illiterate and nomadic in nature. (Bear with me, I'm talking sub saharan africa pre white explorers)
If you ever go to a church in a predominantly African American neighbourhood, you'll see the difference. Whereas the white church community generally sit and listen to the single preacher pass on "god's word", the african community will resound with "amen"s and "hallelujah"s.
I see the one stemming from the strict calvinist and puritanical ancestry of the white settlers and the old authoritarian structure of the original catholic church.The african influence of community participation is evident in their preaching and singing.
It encourages the individual to sing out their belief and opinions or agreement with another. For a people who had been put to slavery, church participation was the only way they could give voice to their feelings. Doing it at any other time would have resulted in a beating or worse.
I think this would have helped cement the practise in the african american social habits.

You can see the same in music today. Whilst the whitey sings, the backing singers only do what's been laid out for them in the score. The african raps along and his "homies" add their voice in at will to back him up with "uh-huh"s and "ah-yeah"s. Rap isn't really my thing, but I'd definitely get whigger-fied before you'd catch me waving a lighter at a Celine Dion concert. ;)

Why not in movies?

I'm sorry, but being from Alabama, I am *SO* enjoying this hapless little thread.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that he chose Alabama as the focal point of the Civil Rights struggle NOT because Alabama was the most backwards place, but because it was the place that showed the most promise of success. He went on further to say that the main difference between the Deep South and the rest of the country is that in the rest of the USA, groups of races can acceptably mingle even though their individuals do not, and in the Deep South the situation is exactly the opposite.

King's analogy applies wonderfully to this discussion of movie theatre customs and behaviors.

Hee hee hee.

Nice one clavus! Crazy as it sounds I don't go to the theatre complex that's closest to my house because of this very phenomenon. I'll drive the extra 25 minutes to go to a complex in a different area that draws from a population base that knows how to keep it quiet in the theatre.

Cell phone users in the theatre are also ridiculous. People regardless of race seem to think it’s okay to take or make a damn phone call in the theatre which is down right maddening. If it’s that damn important then get off your lazy ass and go out into the lobby! :mad: Of course I’m sure no tfp-er would be guilty of this offense :D

The only time this has ever happened to me was when I was in HS. My friends and I were the only white people opening night of an Eddie Murphy movie, can't remember which one. The thing is, when all the people around us were talking back, it actually made the movie that much funnier! We walked out just laughing our asses off at all the people around us.

If it wasn't for those damn laws and morals, I'd so be solving that problem with violence. Damn you, corrupting media! Putting ideas in my head...

This to me is like saying that if you notice the difference between men and women then you are a sexist. That's simply not true. I think I get your point but the word racist, based on the common context in which it is used today, implies a negative connotation associated with racial bias and sterotyping that contributes to discrimination.

I have noticed that every time I visit a particular movie threatre complex there is always excessive talking and noise that distracts from my experience at that theatre. I choose based on that experience to go to a different theatre but it's because of the behavior that I've noticed rather than because of a particular group of people are present. Am I a racist? No...I am a grumpy old man movie go-er who likes to enjoy a quiet theatre where I can hear the audio. :D

my aunt is the exact same way, yelling, crying, pleading at the characters in the movie, and she is white. It soooo annoying.

there is also a theater in town, probably 80% white, (95% 12-15 y.o.'s) where without fail, every movie will be loud and obnoxious. There is even histerical laughter and applause at the "turn of your cell phone" preludes.

I'm not really very comfortable discussing generalizations of this sort. I don't know how much worthwhile insight can come from it - while I do know how this sort of generalization can lead to problems.

We'll see what direction it takes. I do tend to think thoughtful good people can discuss it intelligently.

I have yelled at these people to "Shut the fuck up and watch the damn movie!" but it doesnt help. They feed off of the attention. I really hate these people.

...and you people who give applause at the end of the movie, who are you clapping for? Please tell me it isnt for the guy holding the broom.

I'm glad I dont own a gun.

First run movies, I agree, STFU. Having said that, I used to go to some late night kung fu fests at a local theater and the black folk MADE that shit fun, yellin at the screen passin around the booze, good times man

I will not go as far as to create stereotypes about the percieved perptrators of movie jibber-jabber. I will say, however, that all of my experiences involving rude, loud patrons have been black teenagers. When I saw "Lord of the Rings" for the first time, I saw a matinee that was filled with kids. Next to me was a group of 3 black teens who decided that anytime there was something to comment on, they would. They would not stop throwing out F-Bombs at everything. They would stand up and let everyoone else in the theater know that they liked particular parts of the movie. I found it extremely irritating and rude.

One of the other pet peeves in a theater is the cell phones. I don't care if you have it on silent mode, keep it in your fucking pocket. Everytime you pull it out to see who just called, everyone behind you can see your brightly lit phone and it detracts from our movie watching. Just put it away, sheesh!

live theatre solves this problem. proper etiquette is strictly enforced in a stage theatre, symphony or opera. while the lack of etiquette may not lie within a specific race, it does lie on the shoulders of a specific group. that group is the movie theater operators themselves. simply lodge enough dissatisfied complaints with the movie theater managers from enough people, and you'll see ushers actually back in theaters doing the jobs they used to--maintaining an enjoyable audience where people enjoy the movie and not their own egomaniacal experiences.

the solution is simple. if theaters would enforce their own rules, and the silent majority of those going to the movies would voice their dissatisfaction, the problem would be solved. call it a country club mentality if you will, but if someone's paying good money for their enjoyment, they should be required to comport themselves in a manner which doesn't infringe the enjoyment of others.

**as a disclaimer, I am not some snooty nose-in-the-air asshat with an inflated sense of self-worth. I'm actually most comfortable in a pair of cowboy boots, blown-out jeans, my "If found drunk, please return to [my dorm's name]" shirt, listening to Waylond, Willie, Johnny and Jerry Jeff at a famous little waterin' hole called The Dixie Chicken, where we get drunk, rowdy and sing off-key to great classical country songs. However, if I'm in a place (i.e., at the theatre, in the movies or watching a symphony), I'm extremely reserved, and focused on the production presented. Disturbances are rude to the performers and the audience, and public rudeness is something that I find pretty offensive.

***yes, I did spell theatre and theater seperately. there is a difference.