You’d be surprised. I was attending the San Francisco International Film Festival last week and we were watching a film–nothing really loud, but about normal volume. This guy in the row in front of us but on the other side of the house has his program rolled into a tube and is rubbing it back and forth across his unshaven face.
Result: SHUKA-SHUKA-SHUKA-SHUKA-SHUKA-SHUKA Unbelievably loud, and the guy is oblivious. Almost got up but after a couple of minutes (and a pronounced SHHHH!), he stopped. That’s why whispering or any noise is inexcusable, not because it’s necessarily loud (which it can be, still), but because it is so distracting, especially if its spatial orientation (right behind you, over on the side, etc.) is in opposition to the audio source you are trying to listen to.
Ehheehhhhh…spatial orientation…ehhhhehhhhhhhh.
I personally prefer the old Mad Magazine’s Don Martin sound effects- **Skritchit Sktritchit **.
This type of behavior annoys me no end. I see it all the time.
The best thing to do is what the elementary school music teacher did during a concert. Keep in mind these are fourth and fifth graders, and there’s not a person in the house who isn’t related to them. They chatted and buzzed between numbers to the point where he delayed the next song as long as he could, then, after a protracted wait while these troglodytes never got a clue, he finally got everyone’s attention and told them,
“These are your children. They have worked hard all year and are proud of what they’ve accomplished. Please be polite and show them that you support their efforts.”
I like this man a lot. I’m glad he’s teaching my son.
Good old Mr. Fonebone… RIP