Crusty comedian shares slice of cellphone etiquette live on stage
Actor stops show, orders pizza after audience member's phone rings
Stephen Guy-McGrath's show at The Mack in Charlottetown has a strict rule.
The show, called Spinning Yarns, presents tales and tunes of a homesick Newfoundlander and Guy-McGrath warns before every show that if your cellphone rings, he is going to use it — to order pizza.
On Tuesday night, someone's phone rang.
"They did not own up to it, but I figured a deal is a deal. I had said I would do that, so I ordered a couple of pizzas from Nimrods'," Guy-McGrath said.
He said a delivery person from Nimrods' showed up about 15 minutes into Act 2 with a couple of pizzas.
"We got an interruption from the stage manager," Guy-McGrath said. The manager came over the microphone and told him there was pizza there.
Audience stunned
Guy-McGrath said the audience was a "bit stunned into silence" as he invited the delivery boy on stage and handed out pizza.
"At first I realized they actually think this is part of the show," he said.
Guy-McGrath said it went smoothly because the audience thought it was part of the show, until he told them.
"Finally, I turned to them and said, 'This is not part of the show,'" Guy-McGrath said.
When the stage manager and others started snapping pictures, the audience caught on that it wasn't part of the show, he said.
"It was a one-time event."
Can't find culprit
Unfortunately, Guy-McGrath couldn't nail down whose cell phone rang so he had to call from his own, but he said the offender knows who they are.
He is a little worried people are going to try to take calls to get more free pizza at the show, so he highlighted a ground rule.
"The thing is now, it has to be a legit call. You can't plant this," he said.
Guy-McGrath not cheesed off
Guy-McGrath has been a performer for decades and initially interruptions started with pagers.
"I don't think anyone does it maliciously. I don't think anyone thinks they are that important they need to have their cellphone on, they think they have turned it off," Guy-McGrath said.
He said he views it as a mistake and when he reminds people to turn off their phones, a lot of people who forgot reach into their pockets or bags.
"You kind of got to be forgiving to a certain degree. Ultimately you don't want to make your audience feel bad either. You want them to feel like they are welcome, not embarrassed to be there," Guy-McGrath said.
Now, it's not just cellphones, even Fitbits and Apple Watches can unintentionally light up the stage, he said.
As for Guy-McGrath, his show wasn't thrown off by the ringing phone — he said he thrives in spontaneity.
"I live for that stuff," he said.
This show plays select dates until Sept. 28. For more details visit the Confederation Centre website.
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With files from Mainstreet P.E.I.