Jerry Seinfeld, while presenting the Oscar for best documentary feature on Sunday:

In movie theaters now, they're trying to get you to pick up the garbage around your seat. I'm picking nothing up. I'm the one who threw it down. How many different jobs do I have to do? ... You rip us off on overpriced crap.

You didn't think theater owners would take that lying down, did ya?

Gene Oliver, owner of one RKO Allred5 movie theater in Pryor, Oklahoma, in an e-mail to Deadline Hollywood Daily:

Without popcorn there would be no industry, it is that simple ... It would be helpful if 'stars' understood that without concessions they would have nowhere to play their films. It is hard enough to withstand the criticism of our customers who have no idea what it takes to keep a theater profitable. ... Whether Mr. Seinfeld is on our screens or not, he is speaking in front of the people whose products are exhibited. Personally, I was insulted and irritated ... His comments, while funny to him, indicate NO UNDERSTANDING at all of what it takes to keep theaters open. In regards to taking out [the garbage of] popcorn tubs and cups, we work very hard to get our customers in and out of the performances as quickly as possible. Any request for people to help is to better serve the people waiting to get in to the next performance. It is not to save on our labor cost.

EARLIER: