A few years, I was flying CO EWR-LAX. There were so many elites that the gate agent decided it would be more efficient to board the non-elites first (of which I was one).

That was quite a sight, boarding, while all the elites stood around, huffing and puffing...

Mind you, CO never had a boarding protocol akin to UA's system, they just boarded all elites together and then kettles by row...