Customer threatens another customer for laughing during a movie

[BowserKoopa1]

I very firmly believe that this customer was sucky, but it did not involve me or any other employee, except for maybe the manager who had to deal with the problem, so MODs feel free to move the story if needed.
Last week I was working behind the concession stand, and a customer came up to 1 of us and asked for a manager. After several minutes of talking, I ask the manager what is going on. He says the guy and his girlfriend were in a movie and were laughing, and the guy behind them said "Stop laughing and shut up before I kick your ass!"
As you can imagine, the police were called, the customer was given a free pass to come back another time, the asshole who threatened him got talked to by management, and then finally had a nice long chat with the police. He finally leaves.
Ok, I know some people just talk througout the movie, and I've even experienced this myself where I've had people laughing at every little thing in the movie, even if its not a comedy. But I was working and I don't know the full story.
First I'd like to ask yall's opinion. What would you do if someone threatened you like that? I would've told the guy to fuck off, but avoided a fight unless of course he threw the first punch. I will not alllow myself to be bullied by anyone.
Well, I asked a coworker of mine whom I get along with great, and he said he would've challenged the guy to a fight.
Me: You're going to get kicked out doing that.
CW: So what? I get thrown out of a movie theatre, big deal.
Me: Since you work here, yeah, it may be a big deal to management.
CW: So you wouldn't fight him?
Me: No, I don't want to start trouble. Fighting is immature. The only fighting I like is watching it on tv.
CW: Dude, you're never going to get anywhere in life being a puss. You need to stand up for yourself. (he really didn't mean any harm by this)
Me: Not only would you be kicked out, the police would probably arrest you.
CW: So? Its no big deal.
Me: Um, yes it is a big deal. I'm not about to get locked up in jail for a period of time or pay a hefty fine. You'd better be careful.
This kid is only 17. If he keeps going on like this, I'm afraid he's going to learn a hard lesson in life if he's going off getting into fights with anyone who challenges him.

[chainedbarista]

the kid's not too bright; he'll have a sharp, steep learning curve, methinks.

on the guy, chill out; there are worse things, like cell phones. getting that angry is silly, the laughers may have been out of line, but to threaten them like that? pure stupid, hands down.

[IT Grunt]

The guy was definitely an ass. If you're watching a movie that has funny parts, you're going to laugh! It's a natural human response. If he wants to watch a movie without anyone else around, he can damn well wait until it comes out on DVD and watch it at home.

[Andara Bledin]

If the ones being threatened were laughing at things that weren't actually part of the movie (more like talking than responding to what's on screen), then the jerk behind them should have just asked them to keep it down and/or complained to management.

Of course, I sincerely doubt his threat had any teeth, he was just pissed at what he perceived as an interruption to his enjoyment of the movie. Doesn't make him any less sucky for uttering it, however.

^-.-^

[Mystic]

I wouldn't challenge him to a fight. I have no need to prove how much of a man I am by fighting every person who challenges me or says something I don't like. As you said, things like that are a sign of immaturity.

This is also why places have managements. The guy did the right thing by talking to the manager and calling the police rather than instigate a fight. If the person had a problem in the theater with the people laughing, he should have done the same rather than say he would kick their asses, though I have told more than one person to STFU in a theater. It's one of my biggest pet peeves to hear people talking during movies.

[BowserKoopa1]

One time when I was watching a movie with friends, a group of people were being a bit noisy and they had kids with them. I ignored them for quite awhile, hoping that the noise would stop. I was afraid of something happening to me like what happened to the customer in my story.
Well the noise did not stop, and after I finally lost patience, I did not say STFU or anything like that, although I did raise my voice loud enough for them to hear and said "Could you please keep your kids quiet?", to which they told me to fuck off. They sounded mean and the way they said it kinda sounded like they wanted to kick my ass. I should've gone to the manager, but I was afraid they'd follow me and start something. I even asked my friends if 1 of them would go with me, and they said to just ignore it and keep quiet, but I also think its because they just didn't want to be disturbed from their movie.
I certainly do not think I was being a sucky customer for asking them to keep their kids quiet. Sorry, but if you bring kids into the movie, you have to keep them quiet or take them out. Some kids are just too noisy and won't sit still, and the parents need to pony up the doe for a babysitter. Then again, we know how sucky customers are, and that they don't give a fuck about other peoples' feelings but their own.

[Magpie]

This kid is only 17. If he keeps going on like this, I'm afraid he's going to learn a hard lesson in life if he's going off getting into fights with anyone who challenges him.

Many many people who are complete idiots at 17 redeem themselves quite nicely in a year or two.

[MadMike]

He would have hated it if I was in the theater. I have a very loud, high-pitched laugh, and sometimes when something makes me laugh, I get started and I just can't stop.

My wife got annoyed with me when we went to see the South Park movie, because I started howling when they were doing the "Uncle Fucker" song. Not to mention that I almost spewed popcorn all over the people in front of us.

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

I haven't been to a theater in about 13 years, it seems a lot has changed. I never had any problems, but didn't ushers used to throw people out when they caused trouble? Has this recent increase in customer ass-kissing gotten so out of control that nothing is sacred? Oh geez, why am I asking?

[LillFilly]

If they were laughing at appropriate points, they were within their right. Even if that wasn't the case, the guy should only have asked them to stop; threatening violence is uncalled for, and gets him in trouble!

[tropicsgoddess]

Methinks the SC needs some serious anger management classes.

[Andara Bledin]

Methinks the SC needs some serious anger management classes.

Fun fact: Anger management sessions often cause people to be more violent.

Nice, huh?

^-.-^

[Lace Neil Singer]

If the couple were laughing like drains at a non comedy, I can see the point. I once told two teenage girls who were sitting behind me to be quiet cuz they were sitting there giggling to each other and spoiling my movie enjoyment. Note; this was not a comedy. It was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire... right at the point where Cedric dies. So nothing to laugh at. They shut up.

However, instigating a fight is not the thing to do; the thing to do is to ask once and if people are still making a racket, get an usher. Sure, you'll miss some of the movie, but if someone's being noisy, you'll miss more if you don't do that.

[auntiem]

Fun fact: Anger management sessions often cause people to be more violent.

Nice, huh?

^-.-^

I can confirm this by personal experience. It also doesn't help that all of a sudden you also have to pony up the $900 for the classes or go to jail.

For the OP - I think at a certain point most people figure out that you don't have to fight every battle presented to you. You learn to decide "is this the hill I want to die on?" and only fight the battles you really need to. Again, without physical violence if at all possible, unless of course zombies are involved.

[Racket_Man]

as to laughter at inapporppeiate points in the movie --- AHHHH so what different people find different things funny

more annoying to me is getting stuck in front of a 5 year old who JUST LOVES kicking the seat inssesantly during the movie or the jerkoff with the blue-light cellphone halo texting his brains out. Not something I would threaten violence over though