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A comment on We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’s How It Went. Parent comment

Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by Algemarin on Friday March 24, 2023 @08:50PM (#35297817)
> I've been to numerous shows recently with no-phone policies (TOOL, Louis CK, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle). I _love_ the policy, it frees people to enjoy the show, doesn't block views with people holding phones up and doesn't ruin the lighting.

I have had views blocked by people who are tall. I have had viewed blocked by people who are big. I have even had views blocked by people with voluminous hairstyles. I have never had a view blocked by someone holding up a phone. Not that I haven't sat behind people holding up phones, it's just ridiculously easy to adjust your view.

I'd also wager the reason some of the folks on your list (like Louis CK and Dave Chappelle) ban phones has less to do with creating a more enjoyable experience for the audience, and much more to do with the performer being free to spout their hateful (e.g. transphobic) viewpoints and have less backlash by attendees then posting clips of it on social media.

The excuse stand-ups sometimes give is they want to be free to "workshop" material, which is pretense for once again saying hateful things and not wanting a record of them saying them to get out.

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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by hamburglar on Friday March 24, 2023 @09:43PM (#35298258)
I’ve also never had my view literally blocked by someone holding up a phone, but I do consider it spoiling my view to have a little glowing screen held up right in front of me so i have to look past it to see the performance. It’s obnoxious. I suspect that’s what GP is referring to, as opposed to literally blocking the view.

No comment on the anger about comedians being offensive.

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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by Algemarin on Friday March 24, 2023 @10:49PM (#35298754)
The argument that phones are banned from venues because they are disruptive is disingenuous, because far more disruptive things are not banned; or rather, the bans are not enforced. For example, I find it infinitely more disruptive to have people vaping at shows, and yet I have never seen people have to give up their vapes when attending a stand-up show, or ever be made to leave for vaping, for that matter.

As for anger about comedians being offensive, not at all. On the contrary, I think stand-up comedians have a duty to be offensive and push boundaries. I just think it's pathetic and cowardly to try to prevent people from recording those incidents.

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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by libraryatnight on Friday March 24, 2023 @11:24PM (#35298986)
Cell phones are distracting, I go to shows whether they're banned or not, but I dislike them personally - I do not think it's disingenuous. Maybe I'm just old, but I expect smoke (or vape) at a show, it doesn't detract for me. Some venues do in fact enforce no smoking or vaping (security will give you the flashlight warning at one, show you the door at two). And that's nice too, but the smokers and vapers are at least usually watching and enjoying the show - phone people don't strike me as particularly engaged. As a performer, that'd bug me.

I think it's more a mixture of a belief that people are absent when their phones are out, that it's rude to the other audience members, and makes new sets less awesome for audiences down the line.

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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by hamburglar on Friday March 24, 2023 @10:56PM (#35298806)
I don’t think the phone ban has anything to do with comedians being afraid their edgy material will be heard. I think it has a lot more to do with the fact that live shows and streaming deals are the only way they make money and they don’t want leaked recordings affecting demand.
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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by pstanger on Saturday March 25, 2023 @12:50AM (#35299552)
FWIW I went to a Hannah Gadsby show a few years back and that event also had the phone pouch thing. Was she also being pathetic and cowardly?
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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by throwaway675309 on Friday March 24, 2023 @10:34PM (#35298625)
I haven't heard of Dave Chapelle sketch in a long time, but hateful is likely the wrong adjective and a bit hyperbolic. If he does indeed make transphobic comments as part of his recent stand-up routine, than at worst he's being highly insensitive - but I doubt it stems from an ideological position rooted in hatred.
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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by Algemarin on Friday March 24, 2023 @10:51PM (#35298764)
> but I doubt it stems from an ideological position rooted in hatred.

Chapelle has openly and explicitly expressed transphobic views both as part of his stand-up routine and in interviews.

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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by ipaddr on Saturday March 25, 2023 @12:12AM (#35299288)
And that's okay. Having different prospectives promotes diversity.
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Re:We Ran a Phone Check at a Y Combinator Event in SF. Here’... by LightHugger on Saturday March 25, 2023 @03:11AM (#35300260)
I doubt you really know what transphobia even is
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