Mischa Barton ignores Freddie Windsor with her Blackberry

Link: MiamiHerald.com | 09/23/2006 | Tactless texting and other tech gaffes.

Hollywood gossips have been buzzing about actress Mischa Barton’s royal lapse in tech etiquette this month. She reportedly left dinner host Lord Freddie Windsor deeply offended after spending much of the evening tapping away at her BlackBerry while seated beside him at London’s Kensington Palace.

Heh. Oh dear. Poor Lord Windsor, eh?

What is the etiquette nowadays with the Blackberry and dinner?

I wonder if we’ve moved from politeness to attention quality: If I’m sat next to you at dinner and you’re entertaining me and holding my attention, then cool, my Blackberry will stay in my pocket (brought out only now and again).

But if you’re boring me to hell, then the Blackberry will be my focus for the evening.

One would imagine that Mischa would have pocketed her Blackberry if she was sat next to Justin Timberlake or some hot Hollywood totty.

It used to be that if you could get yourself seated next to someone — a la Mr Windsor seating himself next to Mischa — then they couldn’t escape your company for a good few hours on the basis of [‘beeeeeep’… sorry, I just need to — :: reaches for Blackberry :: – Sorry] politeness.

Not any more, eh?