Hold Your Applause

I went to the movies the other day (big surprise) and I saw Friday Night Lights. The review will be posted soon, but I have another issue to discuss first. For the 2nd time in about a month and a half, people were clapping and cheering during a movie. This practice has always annoyed and bewildered me. Who are they clapping for? Who do they think is going to hear them clapping? (besides the annoyed people sitting nearby). Unless we are at a test screening of a movie and the director, producer and stars of the movie are sitting in the back of the theater...there really isn't a need to clap. I have yet to attend a sports movie that had its outcome affected by the amount of cheering coming from the 17th row of the balcony. I mean, do these people think they are watching a live show? A play with REALLY cool special effects?

I am glad that these people are so affected by the movie they are viewing (actually...no I'm not...that is why I am posting this), but please keep it inside. There is no purpose for your applause except to express your own joy at what you are watching. So when I hear you clap, what I'm hearing you say is "I am so happy, I like to smile, I am so happy, I think he's going to score a touchdown, I am so happy." And that crap just makes me sick... so please people...get a grip.

On a side note, I think this clapping problem can easily be addressed by theater owners. Simply hook "The Clapper" (clap on, clap off) up to the movie projector. Whenever some jackass starts clapping during the movie, the projector will automatically turn off. This will inevitably start a riot which will result in the beating of Mr. Cheer in the 17th row. Problem solved.