There was an open invitation for some serious Jedi fighting taking place at the Hyatt today at 2:30 pm, extended by the Matters of the Force panel.  Well, a few brave souls jumped the hurdles and presented their choreographed Jedi fighting skills on stage in front of a hostile audience.  Before the first lightsaber blow, the heckling and bad sportsmanship began to the tune of ‘boo’.  What a wonderful way to demonstrate your enthusiasm of lightsaber battles.  This panel looks like it was well on the way to becoming another poorly received event.  However, this time fault lies not in coordination but a lack of etiquette on behalf of the audience.  Therefore, a review of a jittery lightsaber duel now morphs into a review of Emily Post Guide to Manners.  For those not familiar with proper behavior, here are a few tips for you:

• Heckling is amusing only when it adds to the flavor of the panel.  ‘Booing’ is straight up mean.
• Got a problem with an author or film personality?  Take it to the web and try to behave at least cordially in public.
• Person on stage seems less than attractive to you?  Put your mirror down and encourage random acts of support, thoughtfulness and amusement.
• Applause is the seed to a better performance and a more enjoyable panel.
• Feel like a performance sucked?  Get some friends together, coordinate a slamming battle and set the tone for next years’ fighting.
• Is this too difficult for you?  Just smile and nod.

If any of these reminders seem alien to you, just keep trying and at least you and your friends can have a riotous conversation at dinner on the finer points of a ‘boring’ panel.