October 31, 2016

"AMC Theaters announced... that it would show CNN’s election night coverage in 50 theaters in the United States — designating a 'red' and a 'blue' theater in each of 25 cities."

It's one of these new forms of togetherness that people seek. TV was invented so you didn't have to sit with other people to watch shows. And now people go out to watch TV.

“You’ve got people in a room for two or three hours watching cable news together... one of the few times we can come together and watch something together," said John Smith, the social media director of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, where they've been showing the debates and will show the election returns.

The admission fee is nothing or close to nothing. Money is made from the food and drink served. Alamo serves liquor, so that seems like a good moneymaker on election night. They've got some themed drink ideas going like "the Canadian Passport."

I think it's nice to make it social, actually. Ideally, you'd have some great people at your house who are good for talking to and cracking jokes with, or at least one person. I think it's better to interact with people near a TV that you can pause and mute and rewind and where you can change channels. Does the theater mute or switch channels when the commercials come on? And it's hard to talk and fool around with other people when there's a big movie screen looming over you. I don't want my talking heads to be bigger than my own head. It's a matter of preference. Much as I like Anderson Cooper and Jake Tapper and "False Toobin." I need to remote control them.

50 comments:

mccullough said...

Rather divisive to have red theaters and blue theaters

Henry said...

Bring your toast and toilet paper.

David said...

"I need to remote control them."

Indeed.


CStanley said...

People congregating and drinking alcohol together to watch results of the election which each side believes is of existential importance for our nation.

What could go wrong?

Chris said...

This will be nothing short of a disaster. Inviting violence.

MayBee said...

I just can't stand the thought of anyone being happy with the results of this election.

damikesc said...

I can make popcorn and drink a soda for a fraction of the cost. Why the hell would I attend?

And CNN is the nut worst. Have somebody entertaining do it. Keep Dan Rather up for 2 days and let him do it. He was amusing when he was losing his damned mind in the 2000 election results.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

A pack of people corralled in gun-free zones, with angry entitled left-wing crazies next door?

No. thank. you.

John henry said...

I could understand something like the Alamo Draft House. Sit around and drink beer, chat with your friends and neighbours and so on.

Sitting in a theatre? Everyone facing to the front? Doesn't seem very social to me.

As for the Alamo business model, it makes sense. Theatres generally hope to break even on ticket sales. Profit is from popcorn and geedunks.

John Henry

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Wonder if the "Red" theaters will be picketed, mobbed and attacked... No, I don't wonder. Bring your guns to the show, red theater goers- You'll need them!

Etienne said...

My Wife and I are going to watch the election at a big party that is Mexican themed. Mexican food, sombreros and mariachi bands.

It is to celebrate if Clinton gets elected and all the Mexicans don't have to flee to Canada.

John henry said...

Blogger AprilApple said...

A pack of people corralled in gun-free zones, with angry entitled left-wing crazies next door?


Just to make it interesting, they will relax the gun-free rule and have an empty parking lot next to the theatre. After the election is called, they will encourage everyone to meet in the parking lot.

I still have no interest in going but I would pay money to see that on Pay per view.

John Henry

SayAahh said...

CNN: Clinton News Network
CNN: Communist News Network
CNN: Crisis News Network
CNN: Certainly Not News
CNN: Contains No News
CNN: Complete Nonsense Network
CNN: Conspiracy News Network
CNN: Crappy News Network
CNN: Cuckoo News Network
CNN: Conservatives Never Needed

And others



Media bias including FNN is out of control.

rehajm said...

It's just going to a bar to watch except with a bigger screen and more comfortable seats. AMC and Showcase have done a decent job trying to keep relevant.

tim in vermont said...

C FUCKING NN? Why not just install chips in everybody's brain wired directly to the DNC?

robother said...

What the network couldn't afford the real Toobin, so they found a False Toobin? Or is this Jeffrey's strategy for dealing with the revolting people?

Mrs. X said...

AMC has a very loose definition of "city." In NYC, the blue theater is in Times Square. The red theater is in Paramus, NJ.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/kansascity.relaymedia.com/amp/news/politics-government/election/article110137162.html?client=safari

Sean Gleeson said...

The red theaters should be tuned in to Fox, I think.

Bill Peschel said...

AMC plans to solve the potential-for-violence problem by strapping everyone down, rigging their eyelids to stay open, and stationing a nurse practitioner with each person to supply eyedrops on a regular basis.

tim in vermont said...

The email sent by Brazile to Clinton chairman John Podesta and communications chief Jennifer Palmieri was headlined unambiguously: “One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash.” The email was sent March 5, the day before a CNN Democratic presidential debate featuring Clinton and her primary opponent Bernie Sanders.

“Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the ppl of Flint,” Brazile said in the body of the email. Sure enough, one of the questions directed to Clinton during the debate was from a woman who spoke about the Flint water crisis’ effect on her family, asking what Clinton would do in her first hundred days in office.


Remember to that CNN is piped into captive audiences at airports everywhere. CNN is an in-kind contribution to Hillary worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

tim in vermont said...

CNN weighed in for Hillary against Sanders, just to be clear.

tim in vermont said...

Thanks for the idea Bill! Consider it stolen!

Will Cate said...

Quite agree -- fine for people who want to do that sort of thing, but I'll be much happier @ home on the couch.

Sam L. said...

I wouldn't go. CNN is not on my trusted list.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

This sounds like it would be better in a sports bar than in a movie theater. There you could drink, talk, face your friends, watch all the channels at once, etc.

DavidD said...

CNN? No thanks.

Andrew said...

AMC is owned by the Chinese.

buwaya said...

I propose an extranational Thunderdome.
Where any persons can conduct duels free of legal consequences, according to any rules they agree on.
Where all those driven to unreasonable, uncontainable rage can have a hope of resolution, at the risk of injury or death.
This may be healthier than the present situation. Too much bottled up emotion everywhere.

Larry J said...

Typical CNN election coverage. "OK, the polls have closed in the Mountain Time Zone. With 0.001% of the vote counted, we can declare that Hillary has won in Colorado. Meanwhile, in Georgia where 98.7% of the vote has been counted and Trump is leading by 56% to Hillary's 43%, it's too close to call!"

I don't plan on watching the continuous coverage. Most likely, I'll check in from time to time. I only hope to not repeat what happened in 2012. I woke up shortly after midnight to learn that Obama had won reelection. After that, I didn't sleep any more that night. The following quote, variously attributed to Alexander Tytler and Alexis de Tocqueville, kept running through my mind:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world's greatest civilisations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."

I have young grandchildren and worry about their future. What kind of country are we leaving for them?

Sydney said...

I can see going to a stadium and watching the World Series on a screen when the hometown team is playing away. But watching election night returns stuck in a theater? Yuck. You need to be able to move around and socialize. Vote counting isn't that interesting.

gerry said...

My wife and I will be in a pro-Trump biker bar.

veni vidi vici said...

Toobin has a keen sense of the stakes. That's why we call him "Stakes Toobin". Sounds great when uttered aloud.

Martin said...

I find it troubling that there are "Red" and "Blue" theaters. I get that people want to hang with like-minded people, and I also get the potential for violence in this highly politicized environment.

But, it is sad that we are at the point where people can hardly stand to be in the same room with those they disagree with. One could have "Red on the right, Blue on the left" seating, after all. But wholly different locations?

The politicians have really done their work well, convincing us that everything is political and that political disagreements are blood sport--so, donate time and money, vote early and often. Well done.

I just hope we don't have to unite against an external threat anytime soon.

madAsHell said...

Why do I keep thinking of the 1984 Apple commercial??

madAsHell said...

It won't be the same now that Donna Brazile has been fired from CNN.

Jimmy said...

Did a google search for AMC theaters hawaii election night coverage. Nothing specific to hawaii in results, but Althouse was the #3 hit.

Rob said...

I imagine the impetus for this is the growing number of people who have discontinued cable in favor of Netflix and Hulu, and who may not have decent over-the-air reception. A political equivalent of going to a sports bar, in other words.

AlbertAnonymous said...

This corporate move will be as successful as the Starbucks "let's start a conversation about race" stupid idea...

Mark said...

Plenty of bars do this IME.

My band played one of these during the Walker recall. Bar was empty by 10:30.

John henry said...

I'll be in Trump tower Chicago on the, I think, 17th floor.

Not an election party, it is a machinery company that has this party every 2 years. I suspect that many of the attendees will be pro-Trump.

Probably plenty of Crooked Hilary fans as well.

And just to keep it interesting, the theme is "A Night at the Races" with I-Pods and other stuff as prizes.

I am looking forward to the food. It is a terrific venue.

JOhn HEnry

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Mark said...

My band played one of these during the Walker recall. Bar was empty by 10:30.

Is your band that bad?

Known Unknown said...

I have a blow-up doll that looks like Jeffrey Toobin. I like to throw it around the room.

I call it Rubber Toobin.

Maybe I'm False Laslo.

Carol said...

I will be a the local GOP election watch party, conveniently being held at a sports bar. It's the funnest part of party affiliation.

Almost every state and local race is close, too.

Floris said...

Who's gonna clean up when the losers trash their theatre? Supporters of the person who will lose can be pretty violent.

RMc said...

How in the world are they going to set up "red" theatres in major cities, which are 90%+ Democrat? Maybe they'll locate them in somebody's garage?

Fen said...

Very stupid idea. I hope they have good lawyers.

"Hey I know! Lets invite Brownshirts to sit in one room and Jews to sit next door. They can`watch Himmler's speech explaining how jewish bankers just stole the election. What could go wrong?"

I predict no Trump supporters will fall for this, especially as they remember how police were ordered to stand down while paid Democrat agitators hit and kicked them.

But there will be violence, Brownshirt Dems Vs Brownshirt Dems as each mistakes the other as Trump supporters. Which has also already happened.



Fen said...

Saw another "Proud to be a Democrat" bumper sticker today. I don't think these people are smart enough to understand what message they are really sending.

Like a restaurant putting up "Fine Dining" signage. It's a tell that they are NOT.

Might as well put a "My penis is NOT tiny" sticker on your car.

These people are deplorable. No shame.

traditionalguy said...

Is this why Conservative commenters were always saying, "Oh boy, pass the popcorn."

Let's go watch the guillotine fun at Place de la Revolution, and don't forget the popcorn.

traditionalguy said...

The pro Trump Indian guys were all for burning a losing Hillary on a big fire and throwing all the CNN people onto the fire. But Pence told Trump it was a bad idea.

narciso said...

well the exploding heads among the red queen supporters will look like the last 15 minutes of kingsman, who's going to clean that up,