Just got a note from a friend that reminded me of this thread -- which no one here should miss. Thought I'd drag it to the top.
Here's the note from my friend:
Subject: Apologies to Buzz Lightyear.
Last Saturday evening, my wife and 12-year old daughter went to see the new J.Fo/J.Lo. movie, "Monster in Law." They scooted into two of the last available seats off to the side of the darkened theater while previews of coming attractions (I use the term loosely) were blaring. While averting their eyes from the carnage of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie trying to blow each other to kingdom come in the trailer for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," my wife and daughter had ample opportunity to check out the surrounding seats.
Right next to them was a somewhat eccentric woman. She had been accompanied to the show by a "life size" Woody doll ala "Toy Story." Woody had his own seat, and stared straight ahead, wide-eyed, presumably neither particularly bothered by J.Fo's aged and wrinkled visage nor J.Lo's young and unwrinkled - - well, whatever . The poor woman spoke quietly to Woody until the movie started. Sometime later, a digital wristwatch beeped, and the woman admonished her mute companion ("Woody!") and turned his watch alarm off for him.
As odd as it was, this turned out to be much less intrusive than someone nearby carrying on a cell phone conversation during the movie, which happens fairly regularly nowadays. In any event, no word whether they went "Dutch treat," or indeed whether Woody was required to purchase a ticket at all.