California Man Interrupts Loud Speakerphone Call in Line — and the Internet Applauds His Bold Response

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — One California shopper is being hailed as a hero for standing up to one of modern society’s biggest annoyances — loud phone calls in public. His clever, humorous approach has gone viral, with tens of thousands applauding his response and calling for a “return to common courtesy.”

Scott Frank, an anthropologist based in Los Angeles, shared on Threads how he decided to handle a person talking loudly on speakerphone while standing in line at a local post office. Instead of ignoring it, he did what many people have likely wanted to do at some point — he joined the conversation himself.

“I finally did it,” Frank wrote. “A person was talking very loudly on their speakerphone in the line at the post office, and I boisterously joined the conversation. When they looked at me, I said, ‘Oh, is the conversation not public? Since you were out loud here, on the speaker, I thought it was.’”

According to Frank, the person immediately hung up their phone, apologizing afterward for the behavior.

A Common Frustration in Everyday Life

Frank told Newsweek that he decided to speak up for two reasons — the volume of the conversation and how close the person was to him in line. “The person was speaking very loudly, and that post office waiting area was fairly small,” he said. “They were just one person away from me, so I couldn’t really escape it.”

His post touched a nerve with readers across the country. Many people related to the story as a reflection of declining public manners and the frustration of enduring speakerphone calls in shared spaces like stores, public transit, and restaurants.

In a 2024 survey by JBL, 35% of U.S. adults admitted they have played audio publicly when they “really shouldn’t have,” while 6% said they simply don’t care if it bothers others.

“People are hungry for the return of a little bit of common courtesy,” Frank said after seeing his post’s overwhelming popularity.

Social Media Users Share Their Own Pet Peeves

After posting the story on Threads under the handle @the_scottfrank, Frank’s story received over 74,000 likes and more than 3,700 comments. Many shared their own creative ways of handling similar situations.

One user wrote, “I was standing in line at Home Goods and the lady in front of me was talking very loudly on her phone while the lady behind me was talking even louder. After a few minutes of listening to both women, I got out my phone and started playing videos from an AC/DC concert I had just attended.”

Another commenter said, “Whenever someone’s watching videos loudly on public transport, I lean over and ask, ‘Ooh, what are we watching?’”

A third added, “When this happens to my husband at the airport, he starts reading his book out loud next to the person.”

The Psychology Behind the Speakerphone Habit

As an anthropologist, Frank offered his own theory on why this behavior has become so common. He believes social media culture has normalized public oversharing — creating a sense that everything people do should be visible or heard by others.

“The entire ecosystem of social media implies that everything you do or say — the meals you eat, the concerts you attend — is something everybody else should care about,” he explained. “That can lead to an inflated sense of self-importance. And that’s a short ride to, ‘I can talk on speakerphone in public because I’m the most important person here.’”

Frank admitted he might sound “a little curmudgeonly,” but the reaction to his post shows many people agree.

A Polite Lesson in Public Etiquette

Ultimately, Frank’s story struck a balance between humor and civility — showing that it’s possible to call out inconsiderate behavior without creating a confrontation. “The reaction of the other people in the post office was positive,” he said. “A few smiled and nodded — even one of the postal workers.”

For anyone facing similar frustrations, Frank’s story is a reminder that sometimes a well-timed bit of humor can make the point better than anger ever could.

Have you ever called out rude behavior in public — or wanted to? Share your story and join the conversation at NapervilleLocal.com.