Some audience members at the New York Film Festival premiere of acclaimed slavery drama 12 Years a Slave were allegedly frustrated when their fellow patron Madonna spent much of the opening half of the film texting. According to a report from Page Six, when one distracted viewer tapped Madonna on the shoulder to ask her to stop texting, the Material Girl responded with the claim that “it’s for business… enslaver”. The singer later congratulated director Steve McQueen on his achievement.
Phone usage in cinemas has become a major pet peeve for many film fans - just ask Alex Billington, who last month overreacted slightly and phoned the police when a patron in the front row wouldn’t pocket his phone.
As well as its food, poster designs and cult screenings, the famed Alamo Drafthouse chain of cinemas in the US has become a haven for followers of proper cinema etiquette. The chain has actively maintained a zero tolerance policy for viewers talking or texting during the film: most famously, they even included the recorded angry comments of one ejected patron in their pre-film ‘don’t talk or text’ message.
Alamo Drafthouse boss Tim League announced on Friday that as a result of her actions in New York, the singer was no longer welcome at his cinemas, at least until she apologises for her texting:
Until she apologizes to movie fans, Madonna is banned from watching movies @drafthouse. http://t.co/cHMeseJxMJ
— Tim League (@timalamo) October 11, 2013
In subsequent tweets and an interview with Entertainment Weekly, League has said the initial comment was partially in jest, but will be enforcing the ban. While he admits “I don’t think it really affects her life too much”, he wants to draw attention to the problem of phones in cinemas.
@GinaLockhart it is really just a joke, but I like bringing the issue to the fore.
— Tim League (@timalamo) October 12, 2013
