Movie Theaters And Audience Members Screaming "Fuck!" Repeatedly Just Don't Mix
Check out this story, found on Sploid, about the teen with Tourette's who had to leave the movie theater after she started "yelping" mid-screening:
Jennifer Irizarry, 13, wanted to spend the day after Christmas visiting a dream world of magic with a group of friends at her local theatre. Instead she was humiliated in front of her peers and sent away from a Merrimack, New Hampshire movie house.The problems began when Irizarry, who was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome in 2000, started yelping during a screening of "The Chronicles of Narnia." Others in the theater complained to management and soon Jamie Pinard, the theater's general manger, asked her to join him in the lobby so they might discuss her inability to remain silent.
"What I told her was between me and her, but she wasn't forced to leave," said Jamie Pinard, the theater's general manger. But whatever was said left Irizarry feeling as though it was best for all if she left. Knowing that the stress of being singled out would only increase the likelihood of her vocal outbursts continuing, she headed home.
Sorry, but if you have Tourette's, you should stay home and watch DVDs. But, just wait, some disability organization will come out bleating that movie theaters must be forced construct some sound-proofed box -- oh, no...there's the humiliation factor...no, make it an invisible sound-proofed box in every movie theater, lest some Tourette's-suffering teen wants to see a new release.
And no, I have nothing against people with Tourette's; in fact, I feel for them. As a person with ADHD, I take medication before I go listen to some windbag talk so I won't be climbing the walls and making monkey noises. Or I stay home. There's a place for everyone, and, newsflash, it isn't everywhere, at all times...deal with it!
You can't blame a young teen for wanting to join her friends at the movies, and she may have thought her medication would sufficiently control the verbal outbursts. I don't think her illness should have to be "accommodated" at the expense of other movie patrons, but neither do I think she should face a lifetime ban from public theatres. It should be like taking a toddler to the movies - essentially on a trial basis, so if she can't keep it under control, she should leave (voluntarily).
Melissa at January 9, 2006 9:39 AM
Melissa, I don't think anyone is necessarily blaming her or imposing a lifetime ban. But having Tourette's, she should know when she can't control it and excuse herself; like your toddler example.
To take a simpler example. If you had a coughing fit during a movie would you sit there clearing your lungs for the next 10 minutes, drowning out the movie? Or would you get up and head for the hallway or bathroom?
I feel for her, but her condition shouldn't make it her privilege to inconvience a room full of other people.
bill at January 9, 2006 11:48 AM
A number of theaters have a small room where parents w/ small children can watch the movie and the noise their kids are making are not broadcast to the rest of the audience. She should have checked for a theater like that.
hrc at January 9, 2006 12:14 PM
As a teenager, I don't think you want to be sitting alone in the bratty children cell. And it isn't that she should be "banned" from the movies; she just shouldn't go.
Amy Alkon at January 9, 2006 5:07 PM
"Medication"--is that what you call it? I have ADD, and I call it it a shot. Or a double.
I used to car-pool with a family whose daughter had this and yet, they kept trying to take her to the opera, to concerts, etc. I think they stopped wanting to drive with me whenI suggested that getting into heavy metal might be the solution--all Metallica fans sound like they have Tourette's.
KateCoe at January 10, 2006 9:03 AM
If you had a coughing fit during a movie would you sit there clearing your lungs for the next 10 minutes, drowning out the movie? Or would you get up and head for the hallway or bathroom?
Judging by a recent experience I had at the Burbank AMC, many people opt for the former. They think because it's involuntary that it's okay.
LYT at January 12, 2006 3:04 AM
"Sorry, but if you have Tourette's, you should stay home and watch DVDs."
I have Tourette's. I'm usually not sensitive about it; in fact, about the only thing you can do when you're a "twitchy" is laugh at it. But this is an awfully blanket statement.
I'm also six-foot-three. Should I not go to a theater because it might block someone else's view? How about ugly people? Stay away from restaurants, so they won't affect someone else's appetite? That would probably be the courteous thing to do. Same with people who have motor coordination problems. Who wants to share a restaurant with someone who can't always get the fork to his mouth? Ugh!
Compulsive swearing is fairly uncommon for twitchies, really; my most frequent tic is clacking my teeth like a human castanet. (They're also not entirely uncontrollable for short periods of time, although a full-length movie is kind of long.) It's more embarrassing for the swearer (or teeth-clacker, or knuckle-cracker, or whatever) than for you, I assure you. I finish about every other day with a headache from clacking. A little patience is not too much to ask.
Joel at January 13, 2006 1:22 PM
Okay, I finally followed the link and it's even more offensive than I thought. The girl wasn't even swearing; she was just making noises she couldn't help.
I lost track of how many teachers used to punish me when I was a kid because I "insisted" on hooting, grunting or making other sounds that they felt were a deliberate disruption of their classes. As an adult, I've had coworkers make an issue of my tics as well, although I've learned to keep them hidden better. If the girl was making an effort to keep it quiet (as I'm sure she would have; it's damned embarrassing), then she can't really be blamed.
If the parents sue, I hope they skin the manager raw. On behalf of every twitchy that ever has been treated that way.
Joel at January 13, 2006 3:10 PM
Well, because I'm impatient and easily bored (officially, I have ADHD, and take Ritalin for it), I get all twitchy in long, drawn out speaker sessions. Hence, I don't go to such things, or sit near the back if possible, so other people don't have to put up with me as a distraction. If I had Tourette's, I would never expect other people to put up with me interrupting a movie. It's just wrong and impolite and narcissistic. But, then, there's so much of that going around -- why should we expect a person with Tourette's to be any more conscientious than the plethora of rude bastards out there without.
Amy Alkon at January 13, 2006 4:21 PM
"If I had Tourette's, I would never expect other people to put up with me interrupting a movie. It's just wrong and impolite and narcissistic. But, then, there's so much of that going around -- why should we expect a person with Tourette's to be any more conscientious than the plethora of rude bastards out there without."
That's because in the back of your head, you think of Tourette's as something that can be controlled. I do have ADD as well (I take dexedrine, myself), and I know it can be a distraction, but there's a huge gap between something you can take medication for and maybe leave a little early, and something you can never turn off. Should this girl NEVER see a movie in a theater?
Joel at January 13, 2006 6:39 PM
"Should this girl NEVER see a movie in a theater?"
Is that really such a big deal? Not if she can't keep from disturbing all the others there, she shouldn't. There's too much of this idea that all things should be open to all people in our society. I'm not saying we should ban people -- we shouldn't. People should not want to impose upon others and edit themselves out of environments where they might.
Should I never play professional football?
No, I should never play professional football.
sob.
Amy Alkon at January 13, 2006 6:49 PM
Hi everyone. It's me, Jennifer Irizarry. I'm 16 now, turning 17 in April.
I just wanted to tell you: I did take my meds that night before I left, but tourette's is channeled by one's emotions. The stronger the emotion the greater the tics. And it just worsens when emotions combine. I went through physical and mental torched in elementary from kids and teachers yelling and singling me out and by being punished for something I had no idea what was wrong with me. Finally in 4th grade they said I had tourette's and so many people apologized. Teachers stopped yelling and punishing me but the kids messing with me just got worse. Now they had something to label me as a freak. It didn't get much better in Middle School. But High School I got real friends to help me though my hard times and now I can finally stand on my own two feet. Back then... Three years ago, I was honestly terrified to leave my own room cause I knew I aggravated my family. I was even afraid to do to school for I feared people would tease me and hurt me. I didn't even want to go to college and every time my mother brought it up I'd yell and say flat out "No!"
But finally, that one day in December, after Christmas I really badly wanted to see The Chronicles of Narnia, but I was scared to go alone. So two of my friends that were free that night came with me. And what I dreaded, happened. Practically all of New Hampshire was there and even some people from Concord and Nashua. All schools from Pre-k to colleges. I was humiliated, embarrassed, singled out, yelled at, and glared at. But what happened that no one seems to be telling is that the manager AND boss pulled me out. And it wasn't the manager but the boss how threatened me. He said this, quote un-quote and word for word: "Uh huh, well if I get one more complaint I'm going to have to remove you from the theater." His exact words. Those words have been forever burned into my memory and those words are what set me off into hysterical crying and choosing to leave right there and then. Why else would I have been crying like a man woman? He say he never threatened me. Then maybe he can explain why I was crying so much and so hard my eyes were blood red, cheeks red and stained with my tears. My nose was even leaking like crazy. And the movie hadn't even started. Not even opening credits. When I go somewhere I get excited like everyone else and I do lots of tics. So, before a show or anything begins I try and get as much out as I can SO I DON'T DISTURB PEOPLE! I even told people I couldn't help it and I was trying to get them out, but they didn't seem to care.
I haven't been back there in three years until two weeks ago. I went with two of my girls and my little brother to watch "Bride Wars" and people were muttering and whispering about me. Finally a males voice rose from the crowd and yelled: "Who's making that fucking noise!?" and I turned around, shouted and looked all around at everyone making my presence known this time: "I have tourette's I can't help it!" Then I turned back around and sat, looked at my friends and shouted so everyone could hear: "God, I came here three years ago and almost got kicked out! I'm not leaving this time!" And the entire room fell silent. I had no problems the rest of the time. And my tics where reduced to mostly none cause I had gotten them all out right away but I also tried REALLY damn hard cause of my anger I felt when that man yelled. But I basically had no tics throughout the movie. And after the show everyone that came out only glimpsed at me as I made a few tics here and there. But none seemed to want to dare look straight at me or stare.
And basically what the boss did was discrimination against a disabled person. Then when my step-dad came and spoke to him the boss said: "I know someone with tourette's and he doesn't do what she does." Everyone has a different case of tourette's. No 2 cases are the same. There are similarities but that's it. And basically when he said by making me leave was that people with disabilities weren't allowed in or in fear of getting kicked out it seemed.
All I ask is you please keep an open mind when you seem someone "not acting normal", and consider that they may have a disorder or disability. That's all I ask.
And if you want to see what I look like now here's a pic on my DA account: http://nekoyasha12.deviantart.com/art/PrrrrrrAZY-110491242
I don't know if you can click it or not so, just copy and paste it to the search bar.
Thank you all who have read this to the end. I greatly appreciate it.
I will continue to try and work on controlling my tics, and I have gotten quite good. I now have 5 friends with tourette's and one's my boyfriend. :) So, again thank you and have a nice day.
Jennifer irizarry at January 23, 2009 7:33 PM
OK, I have Tourettes and all I ever do is make a clicking sound very very rarely, like maybe once or twice a day at most. Should I not go to theatres? Please qualify your answers to avoid being offensive. Thank you.
Many years ago it was worse than it is now but still mild. I moved my head around and made this weird coughing sound. Nobody ever gets kicked out of the theatre for coughing so I never had any problems. Why should it be any different for any other tics? The only problem I can see is swearing, saying words in general, or anything extremely loud, rather than just a little. If you have a swearing tic or any tic that makes you say words it might be good to just step out for a minute (we can feel it coming and suppress it for a while). When its done go back in.
The only problem I ever had from it was social. I was deathly afraid of what other people thought of me back in middle school and even a little into high school. Rarely ever told anybody. And I was so afraid I didnt really try to make friends. I had some but never did anything out of school. Big mistake and now Im paying for it emotionally. I get depressed now if Im away from friends for too long and Im still extremely disappointed in where my social life is.
Im Not Telling U My Name at May 8, 2009 9:58 PM
A friend of mine and I attended a movie today and a man around our age (mid 20s) or so was grunting loudly throughout the movie. At first my friend was laughing and getting uncomfortable because it sounded sexual, but I thought that he likely had Tourettes. I feel for him, but I we paid $14 each to try to hear dialogue over his loud grunting. I was very unhappy and will have to see the movie again as it caused me to miss a lot of what the actors said.
I have asthma and in thr past would have long coughing fits. At my worst, I wanted to see a movie badly. I bought tix at a theater that allowed refunds just in case) and went to a late showing on an off day with my brother and a friend. I was not going to subject anyone to my coughing. It's about being considerate. If I coughed all the time should I never go to a movie in public? No, I don't think it would be right of me to ruin it for everyone else! I'm not inconsiderate or selfish, but not everyone considers others.
DR at June 7, 2009 10:17 PM
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