2018 Armitage Weekly Round-up #34

/ December 15, 2018

Oh man! Really? Really??

I was half way through this round-up last night when the latest Twitter debacle happened. And quite frankly, I was *that* close to chucking in this round-up and closing up shop for the weekend. We’ve discussed this time and again, so I am not going to go through it all again, but just to say that last night was a * prime* example of fangirl frustration. I didn’t mind that RA was spouting a controversial opinion. Unusually for me, I was even at the ready to defend his POV. Despite the fact that his POV is not *mine*. And even *more* unusual, I felt compelled to reply @RCArmitage when he came out with that old bullshit argument of “I’ll shut up now because I’m only a dumb actor”. I truly, *truly* hate that statement. Not only because it is patently untrue. He quite obviously does *not* believe that he is dumb – he’s pretty eloquent and clear when he voices opinion. But I am getting to the point where I suspect that he is rather unsubtly fishing for compliments. Cos no sooner had he tweeted his political rant, crowned by the disclaimer that he was “only a dumb actor” – and he deleted the whole shebang. Yet in one fell swoop he also completely destroyed the context of hundreds of comments that were sent in reply to his tweets. And I feel so, so silly right now, not having been able to resist the temptation, but having replied to his tweet, reassuring him that his voice is important. Grah! And then he deletes the whole lot and basically makes us all look like silly fools. Man, I am mad. Especially because all those valid political tweets have been instead replaced with a manipulative teaser-tweet, supposedly about a new project that is yet top secret. Well, if so, then why are dropping hints all over the shop, Richard? Well, lesson learnt. This is the last time that I am reacting to a tweet by his Royal Undecidedness. Cos if there is one thing I really hate, then it is being made to feel silly, stupid and insecure – no matter whether it is the master himself who does it, or his fans who belittle others because they think they are doing their adored star a service by attacking dissenting others. I find it very painful, tbh, and I am increasingly unwilling to accept pain when all I want is some happy time with my favourite actor…

So, I grudgingly present this week’s tumblr round-up.

  1. THIS! Always and forever as the very first thing you see when you boot up the computer in the morning. Just imagine! You’d never ever feel depressed again! Gif by ausschweifendemotte
  2. NSFW – and only for Bagginshield lovers. Fan art by hattedhedgehog
  3. ROFL – not related to RA, but on the changes at tumblr, this video by jackcrumsontheinternet is the funniest thing
  4. I don’t remember this RA quote re. Raybo de Merville. Posted by tallian
  5. I love this idea: deepestfirefun asks “In 6 words or less, tell me a little story about this picture”. Ok, well, how’s this: “Found way out of ladies dept.”
  6. mezzmerizedbyrichard has giffed some lash porn from the Audible happy clip. Makes me happy, too
  7. Crinkle lovers, click and zoom on ausschweifendemotte’s post
  8. Gorgeous Thorin fan art by lavenderarts
  9. And riepu10 has the all-important glasses scene of the Audible happy clip
  10. Very cool manip by ra-of-light – Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
  11. And just because it is always amusing:  a few derps, also collected by ra-of-light
  12. These are really interesting edits of some well-known images of RA. I like them. By vankasrc

And that’s it for this week. Sorry all – this is not me being in a huff and cutting the round-up short because I am still mulling over the whole Twitter snafu. It just appears as if there wasn’t anything else. Well, shall we already pin our hopes on next year? Richard seems to be excited about an upcoming project. That is the only good news I heard yesterday… And I’m going to zip any further comments on Richard’s new brand of self-deprecation. I used to find it funny, but somehow it’s gone stale.

Somewhat gloomily yours,

Guylty ♥

 

 

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146 thoughts on “2018 Armitage Weekly Round-up #34”

    • I really don’t get his weirdly schizophrenic approach to Twitter. On the one hand he is anticipatorily sensitive when it comes to criticism and he preaches empathy. On the other hand he has absolutely no empathy for his Twitter followers, it seems, because he deletes the discussions like a dictator. There is no scenario in which his tweet delete behaviour comes out as a positive action – either it is a reaction born out of insecurity, or it is an action born out of boredom/disrespect of fans/shallow randomness/deliberate meanness. None of it really fits the picture of him I have in my head. Who has taken him away???

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      • “Affectionate, warm and cheerful people, Leos can be counted on to bring sunshine into other people’s lives. Dignified, playful, ambitious and loyal, they’re known for being exceptionally generous. On the negative side, they can be quite egotistical, demanding, intolerant, domineering, lazy and stubborn.” https://www.compatible-astrology.com/leo-man.html

        I think this describes him rather well. I think a lot of his behavior comes from his leonine nature. Brash and outspoken on one hand but secretly insecure and terrified of being embarrassed on the other hand. As a leo myself, I completely understand this strange dichotomy. It’s exhausting actually! Most of his twitter behavior I write off as being a leo and also having a somewhat socially awkward nature on top of it. It’s frustrating, of course, but there is some level of reasoning behind it, I think…

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        • Hm, I don’t know much about star signs – and do not really believe that the stars rule how we conduct ourselves in life. They may point us into a direction – but it is still RA himself who second-guesses himself. Is second-guessing a typical trait of Leos?

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          • It’s absolutely a trait of leo. One of the biggest things for leo is being liked/adored. If he tweeted political stuff that got a lot of negative responses, it would definitely freak him out. And if he was less than 100% confident in his knowledge of the topic, which it sounds like that’s the case this time around, the easiest way to get control of it again without sounding like a total idiot, is to just shut down the conversation and switch it to a safer topic. It’s a very classic way a leo would handle the situation.

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            • I’m not a Leo I’m a Gemini but people pleaser that I am I can relate to his wanting to please not be adored for me but as far as he goes I think you are spot on in your comment!!👏👍😘

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            • Ah, interesting! So you think it was an act of despair? With more time passing, I feel
              more inclined to let the whole
              Thing slip now. Otherwise it will become a matter of principle and I will have to decide whether I should stop being his fan. Given that I am so critical of him, it might be a sign that I should give up altogether.

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              • Is it him or all the shit from Twitter b/c of his actions that have you at this point? I mean he’s been in inertia twice last half of the year except as Audio King so is it boredom maybe? I hope it isn’t the fandom b/c for new people like me you are a godsend here!!

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              • I think there are a lot of factors to take into account for his twitter actions. I’ve read and listened to a lot of his interviews over the years and I think he really is severely socially awkward. Like, painfully so. Some people just literally do not know what to do in social situations, and it’s not necessarily something you can learn. He might even have social anxiety, which is a mental health issue he may or may not be handling. On another front, he’s a younger son and has an older brother and he’s implied more than once in interviews that his father doesn’t necessarily approve of his career choice. The implication of that of course is that the older brother is the more favored one because he did everything right and that Richard is the “screw up”. That’s going to put him on the defensive automatically in everything he does. That’s just going to be his approach to life. You take social awkwardness/anxiety, add in a self esteem issue from family dynamics, add that to a leo ego that needs approval and being liked to survive, and throw in a bit of cluelessness about political situations but a desire to explore them anyway, and you have a recipe for disaster. I think he mostly hides it but the man we all love, is basically on the hot-mess express. It’s not going to stop anytime soon, either. It’s just something we have to accept about him or learn to ignore, unfortunately.

                I think another thing to keep in mind is why he deletes a tweet. It’s possible that there are times when the likes and responses chiming away on his phone or computer can get to be too much. Mine come through my computer and I don’t have my audio turned on, but I can only imagine the sound of those alerts non stop would drive anybody buggy after a while and maybe the fastest, easiest way to stop them, is to just delete the tweet. This is a running theory of mine when I come across anybody who deletes a tweet, not just this particular situation.

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                • Wow this is incredibly insightful comment and very enlightening to me as a newbie to Richarding. He did say bin 2016 that he deletes tweets when he is done w the conversation which set many off here rightfully so b/c you can’t just sweep people’s especially your fans comments under the rug as if they are meaningless but yeah know I will admit that he is insecure or socially awkward or shy or aloof or all the above makes him more attractive to me. Like he is human relatable. I’m not on Twitter so I only saw this time what he did but I think he should shut Socisl Média down and find another outlet

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                • I sincerely doubt that the man has his notifications on – he has a celebrity account, and that means that he can easily completely ignore *all* replies from the plebs as he can enable to be notified of replies from specific accounts ONLY. I assume that he has set it in such a way that he gets notifications when an account whom he follows, reacts to one of his tweets. So no, I don’t think he just wanted to stop his phone dinging. He wanted to escape the debate. And that is his right. I am just disappointed that he did so, that’s all.
                  As for his personality – sounds all very convincing what you write. But he is the only one who can confirm whether that is why he behaves the way he behaves. We’ll never know.

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  6. Oh wow. It must be really frustrating to have been in the twitter conversation and then have it all wiped out! I think you’re right that he does not actually think he’s just a dumb actor. He just thinks it’s funny to say that, probably. Ah well. Don’t feel bad for caring enough to want to reply to him. Thanks for persevering with the roundup.

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    • You are right – I shouldn’t feel bad about replying. It’s just a pity because this is a clear case of “once bitten, twice shy” – I won’t engage again, and that takes away the fun for me.
      Anyway, I just wish he’d consider the image he is putting out there. There might be people out there who think it is cool to start debates, to fuel them with controversial statements, and then withdraw from them. I think that kind of behaviour is also called trolling…

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      • Well, yeah, it’s too bad if it takes away the fun for you. Interesting… I hadn’t thought of it being troll-like. I doubt that that’s his actual motivation. I think maybe he sees his Twitter account as his forum to say what he wants. But that he wants the permanent record to reflect only his career and statements that he feels aren’t controversial. Still annoying behaviour, though.

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        • No, I don’t think he really deliberately wants to troll the fandom. But essentially that is what his behaviour comes down to. He fans the flames and then pisses off. Just like trolls do.
          And I can fully understand that he might not want any political statements to mar his public social media, but the safest way to ensure that is to actually just STFU about those topics…

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  7. I’ll reply in full later, hopefully, but just have to say…combining #5 and #2: “Best blowjob ever!”

    (Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Thanks for the round up!)

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  8. Guylty I couldn’t access #1 b/c I’m not on Tumblr. I like the reading glasses on him uber expensive and all maybe the only redeeming thing this week was his sweet heartwarming vid
    At least he’s back in London right? Please let it be a play next year please please 🤔😉☃️👀😘

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    • Oh, sorry, yes – I think that particular user’s posts are not publicly visible. I must remember to note that in the future.
      Yep, from the tweet times yesterday – and the fact that he obviously had watched Question Time.
      Tbh, Michele, I can’t get superexcited about his hints about a new project next year. I found that tweet so manipulative after the tweet delete debacle, it really made me feel sick.

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          • Guylty ok but here’s my two cents: if he got Superman which I’m thinking he did that would explain why he got killed off in BS esp if this was the big deal that was in the works this year also that would be a huge project and I would be hard pressed to contain my excitement if something that big happened to me. Those two millennial sons know something I didn’t take it that they were jostling w him then when he added the comments be machine bam! Maybe it’s something else like that The Four series but I’m curious what set you off about the tweet today? I thought the two sons were cute in their tweets to daddy!

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            • I think they were simply fuelling the fire – they might easily have some sort of teasing thing on with Armitage about his “passionate, middle-aged lady fans” who are so easy to rile… Total conjecture of mine; there have never been any statements or hints to that effect. But the fact that they are both coming out with “Superman” after RA himself said it was definitely NOT, to me indicates that they are taking delight in teasing RA and his fans. And I dislike that because it implies we are all stupid, or taking things too seriously, or gullible, or whatever. There is nothing good I can say about the whole thing. Nothing.

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              • He said not Batman, I assume, because he auditioned for that once (and probably many of the comments referred to that; idk—not reading them).
                I’m not upset about their tweets. It feels more natural (colleagues teasing colleagues) to Twitter than a lot of stuff that happens on his timeline.

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                • Ooops, yes, Batman, not Superman.
                  I guess am slightly pissed off with those tweets because he decides to leave such inane, stupid stuff on his timeline, but not the political discussion. It disappoints me big time that his priorities are obviously silly celebrity shoulder-rubbing and mutual congratulating, rather than worthy engaging with issues that affect everyone, not just his showbiz buddies.

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                  • Yeah there are some celeb “buddies” I wish he would stay away from 😉🤔
                    He’s human though .. he probably likes to hobnob w them like everyone else I just don’t want him to turn into one of those assholes…

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                    • I was thinking about that this morning in bed – will I push myself and write a review, like I did last year. But at this stage it is so late (and I would have to re-watch the episode) I suspect it would only be cobbled together…

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                    • Yep good call to be honest at this point I’m only in it re Danny’s mom I don’t give a shit about the Estonia aspect
                      I think it is stale and I know he’s not around anymore more or less

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                    • THat was one of the considerations when I deliberated this morning – is there any point starting a whole series of reviews when RA is out as of episode 3? Because I am not going to review the show unless RA is in it.

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                    • Look at the synonosis for Ep 5 on EPIX press board it describes Daniel and Hector together so I think he is in it maybe 1 more episode before bye bye
                      I may be wrong but I think he filmed until the end of July maybe Aug 1-2 and Rhys was spotted in July right so it’s possible. Mina is in Ep 3 but w/out Danny to hump there’s no role for her this year which really sucks cuz I like Mina a lot as an actress and Esther

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                    • Yep, and I think there is something in episode 8 later on, too. But I think it looks stupid to review 2 episodes, then leave out 2, then review episode 5, then leave out 2, and finally review again… All or nothing. And since I definitely will not watch BS unless RA is in there, I will not review from here on in.

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                    • Flat Richie is travelling from Donna to ???? Hehe, not sayin’…
                      Re. wealth of material – hmph. I have a massive rant still in me, so if I do not want to alienate and antagonise the rest of my fandom friends (after losing several yesterday *haha* – no, seriously), I better shut up until I have cooled down and can laugh about the ridiculousness of it all.

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                    • I don’t think you could alienate or antagonize anyone esp as many fandom friends who are probably real life friends and in the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Risky Business “Sometimes you gotta say what the fuck” and a healthy rant is sometimes what the doctor ordered but you are loved no matter what and as I told Kate
                      Fuck the ones who give you shit! Gosh I’m on a Kirsch streak today 🤬😱🎯☃️💗😘

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  9. Can’t get excited because I recall so clearly the disappointment of the films that never happened Clearance, Summer and Mid-life crisis.
    The play which looked a certainty probably didn’t happen because of his mum’s illness, but he could have issued a one sentence tweet.
    More4 moved Berlin Station from 9 o’clock to 10 o’clock and the last 2 parts are shown back to back this coming Thursday .

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    • That is a whole long list of disappointments, I agree. And I am more or less with you on it all. I can’t tell you how much I hope that it is not going to be the umpteenth audio book or podcast *yawn*.
      BS on More4 sounds as if it is not exactly a flagship show… It’ll be interesting to see whether they will buy the following 2 seasons…

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      • I’m more anxious than excited about the new thing. I’m ok with the audiobooks bec i listen to loads but the last xmas one only us available annoyed me. Though given the type of book less annoying in the end. But nothing else recently i found really engaging for me or fun and i can’t see most of the stuff either so i fear it’s just another in those lines. Theater is the only thing i could get really excited about but it’s not that since he said script.

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        • I can’t imagine it is another audio book. Surely he wouldn’t advertise that as big? Nah, I expect some sort of film thing, actually. My hopes are for a play, but I don’t think he’d talk about a “script” in that context. And I don’t think it’s TV either, because I can’t see a major project after the lukewarm response to BS. So yeah, some sort of film, I guess.

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  10. I”m getting ready to step on a shitload of toes here.

    As someone who is living in the middle of a political shit storm – and honestly believing the alternative wasn’t a viable or healthy alternative – I’m fucking tired of politics, on the state level, the national level and the global level. The shit storm of tweets was over and deleted by the time I got off work, and I’m looking at backlash. I go to the movies and television or what not for an escape from real life. I understand everyone in Armitage-land is pissed and up in arms, but after the week I had, I’d just like to look at a pretty, stubbled face in tight pleather pants!

    The proper answer to #5 is – Oh mah GAWD! Zee’s here! SEX!

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    • You know what, Zee – even though I like controversial politics and discussion thereof, I totally agree with you. As someone else always said “I just want to crush on Armitage” – and I want to have fun doing so. But boy, the man is making it really hard to have fun with crushing on him.

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      • I don’t have a hard time crushing on him – at times I DO have to mute him.

        I understand he’s a human being, not just crush material, meaning he has opinions and view points and such, but…

        Ah me, I’m just crabby and I’m tired of politics in MY pond, much less anyone else’s pond and I”m not being isolated or uncaring or whatnot, I”m just….

        grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Enough already. 2020 is coming up and you know in a few months, the shit storm will start again and I”d just like a little bit of piece and quiet. Give me a little piece and I’ll be quiet.

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          • normally, I’m the same way, but right now….

            One of the first interviews of his I read, he talked about women specifically, who thought he was one person, because of the character he played.

            They aren’t in love with me – they’re in love with John Thornton, whoever. They don’t know me. I don’t like to bathe…

            Of course, I’m paraphrasing, but he has a point. I remember crushing on actors but that was before the rise of social media and the internet. Now we know MORE than I think we should. People are allowed a private life.

            I was cruising through Wikiepedia a few months back, doing some research and after a while, it hit me that most entries involving actors, musicians, people in the entertainment industry, right up there with their wife/husband/partner/family members… was their political affiliation. Who they donated money to.

            Why? Why should that matter? WHy is there such importance placed on something so personal?

            I want to know what he’s reading, what he’s eating, because you know someday pigs may fly and I might get to cook him dinner.

            So I guess the realization is I”m crushing on my fantasy rather than the real man, because the real man farts and picks his nose when no one is looking and is probably very messy and has to pull the underwear out of his crack as well. You know. Pretty stuff. The reality is NEVER as nice as the fantasy. I think many of us want him to live up to our expectations and our fantasy and that’s never going to happen. It’s why many people change fandoms or actordoms every several years. Richard is the longest fandom I’ve been in, but I crush a LOT differently than I did 10, 20. 30 years ago. I suppose that makes me weird, but I”ll wear that mantle proudly.

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            • All you are saying makes perfectly sense. And I would subscribe to all of that immediately. Alas, I don’t think it is as easy to actively *ignore* knowledge, as it is to fangirl in the absence of known facts.
              If politics were a serious turn-off for me, I’d never find any actor to crush on – and RA would be far too wishi-washi, showbiz-leftie for my taste. I can ignore his political stuff. But I find it hard to ignore his weird behaviour. The only way forward is actually leaving Twitter. But do I want to do that if that is where I communicate with my friends, too?
              It’s a bit of a conundrum. In truth, I simply don’t know where I am going with this. Has it run its course and that’s why I am so pissed off about the crush acting stupid? Maybe it is simply because I haven’t got enough work to keep me occupied and to keep my priorities in the right place…

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              • Which is why I rarely follow actors on social media. My main reason for following him on Twitter was to find out what his next viable project was. Of course, we also find out how twerpy he is. That could be a plus or minus, depending on the day.

                Dammit. Spawn made my almonds last night and of course, I’m indulging. However the flakes and coating keep getting down into a reservoir in my temporary bridge and I have to go rinse it out. Repeatedly. That will be my huge PITA quirk today!

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                • I am very very tempted to close down my Twitter. I just don’t want the first-hand experience of annoyance anymore. And that doesn’t just apply to Richard and his stupid behaviour, but also to some of his fans.

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                  • Guylty Sue and I await you with open arms if you decide to but don’t let a few asswipes ruin it for you. There are a lot of twitterers (is this a word or I just made it up) who love you and are civil
                    Screw the other ones!!

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                    • You’re probably right. It’s just that it is very hard to escape any Armitage references on Twitter – unless I unfollow lots of people who are all very nice.

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                    • Unfollowing? No, that’s the logical thing to do if you are not interested in a particular tweep (=”Twitterer”) anymore, and it is not seen as a no-no.

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                    • Ah, I see what you mean. No, the other way round, Michele: When he started out on Twitter, he followed a whole bunch of people, but actually tried to avoid any fans. Which I think was a *very* good idea. However, there were a couple of fan accounts whom he followed. One of them was just an individual fan, though, and he eventually unfollowed her afaik. I don’t personally think it was bad form at all – I think he does very well, avoiding to get caught up with all our fan activities. If he ever started communicating with one of us, there would be no end to the demands of engagement with others, too. So it’s much better that he doesn’t follow fans at all – it keeps a level playing field, and it avoids expectations.

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                    • Ah yes I agree but then I think he’s clueless about so many things and should get off Social media altogether like Cate Blanchett or Keanu Reeves who both detest Twitter and IG

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                  • SO unfollow him. No crime there. I was rarely on Twitter before him. I could months and months and I’d get an email – did you die?. NOw they’re as bad as Facebook notifying me of every little iota. I don’t need all that. I get a notification that I didn’t sign up for now and I just delete it.

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            • Because I want to know, if I am devoting my entertainment money to something, if the person has objectionable political views, so I can take my entertainment money elsewhere. Since voting does nothing to change US politics at present. And since in a capitalistic world the only way we have of changing anything is by spending or not spending. Entertainment is absolutely political.

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              • I respectfully disagree with you. As long as the man is not a criminal, his job is to entertain me, not to blow sunshine up my ass. I’m not saying I ignore any political affiliation – Nazism and Fascism come to mind as to a few other extremes – but he’s allowed his own opinions and quite frankly, I don’t feel it’s any of my business. That’s simpluy my opinion and everyone has the right to disagree with it.

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                • Zee I was not happy yesterday with him saying arrogant to that Davis guy and then saying well We MUST leave when that is debatable too then saying we hsve to account for the 48 oh no 49 million too so which is it Richard? I felt he was contradicting himself a lot and that riled me up! I was happy he engaged in politics though and I agree with you that even if he were politically conservative it would not matter to me as a crush unless it were someone like MF who I cannot stand at all

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                  • See, I missed a great majority of that – it was gone by the time I got home. I can’t access most social media from work. I have no clue who the Davis guy is and I admittedly am not up on my political awareness outside of my own yard, therefore I don’t feel like I have the right to make decisions or have an opinion on the whole whatever it is. What’s going on in my state this last election cycle nauseated me.

                    I don’t like MF either, so I don’t waste any thought to her. Obviously, Richard doesn’t mind her, or see a side of her we don’t see. Or maybe he’s hungry for friendship in a place where he doesn’t know anyone else I don’t know.

                    I’m not fond of communicating on Twitter because you’re limited to characters and not a lot. You can’t discern tone or facial expression with it – much like texting.

                    Like I said, I followed his twitter so I could get a heads up on his projects. Usually when stuff like this happens, it’s said, deleted, let the general audience discuss among themselves…and normally I don’t know enough to put anything intelligent into the pot. So I just write smut and make asshatty remarks.

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                    • Zee well you are doung an Armitage here b/c you do know stuff and are smart and insightful and honest. I got riled up b/c he name called on Twitter then praised the women in Chat Time BBC I forgot the name of the show sorry then said Brexit will happen then vasillated again then 2 hours later all was gone. I read some of the comments in the 2 hour time frame from the tweet thread and agree with the people anti Brexit (I am against it ) and thought they brought up good points and called him out for changing his tune but discussion is good! I didn’t see the nasty comments or whatever happened after that then came this project announcement tweet and I thought he made a dog at Ford Fiestas like ugh if you drive a Ford Fiesta remember when Yuchi’s were beer cans in wheels. Just not professional at all in my opinion even if he thought he was being cheeky! I just thought shut up Richard just shut up! Your gonna be out of this project before it even starts if you keep this up!

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                    • I”m doing an Armitage? yay.

                      Not really. I’m not in a place to delete this and even if I could, I wouldn’t. IF I say it, I mean it and I won’t go back on it. I don’t know or keep up with European politics much. The people he’s fussing about, I never heard of them.

                      I don’t know what triggered his outpouring – too much wine maybe? OMG Richie is drunk tweeting? I don’t know.

                      There have been times I thought I was being funny and I wasn’t and it dropped me in huge hot water. IF there was a way to backtrack, yeah I would have. If I could have reworded something, I would have. Sometimes I wonder if he’d like to discuss things other than the lighthearted end and wades into something deeper or more convoluted than he thought. Let’s be honest – politics isn’t the most civilized of subjects to discuss. Ranks down there with religion. As a result, we don’t discuss and when we do try to, well, we don’t know how to discuss it so we back off and then our children don’t know how to politely discuss potentially subjects because we’ve not shown them how.

                      Me? I tiptoe quietly because I know still waters run deep. Most people know which way I swing politically and we prefer to enjoy the things we agree on. Life is too short to allow others to upset us.. Maybe he’s being ‘wishy washy’ or maybe he wants a discussion and is rather awkward going about it. Maybe he’s afraid of offending people. I don’t know. I don’t know him. I don’t know his motivations.

                      I’m afraid of offending people. Well, most people. Some people, I don’t give 2 shits if I offend them, but that’s neither here or there.

                      I remember wanting to make fun of Yugo’s – but my husband at the time was from Croatia and he got all prickly, so I kept my smarmy comments to myself. If you’re saying he should make opinionated comments because it’s unprofessional, then when it is okay to make unprofessional comments? Obviously the twitter has become more than a platform to discuss projects and charities near and dear to him. Personally, I think it’s unprofessional for teachers to wear politically motivated pins to work, but that’s just me.

                      At the end of the day, it’s his twitter. Not mine or yours or Smokey the Bears. I’m not back-pedaling or circling the bush. I draw a line on how far I’m willing to discuss something. Apparently, he makes his line in the sand and then rethinks it.

                      As for Brexit, this is my humble, unpopular opinion – once upon a time, the United States sent Great Britain and King Georgia a declaration of divorce. Dear George. We’re not good for each other. Please pack up your guns and red coats that can’t be camouflaged and go home. We’ll be okay. We don’t even want child support or spousal support. We got this. Have a nice life. Bye.

                      Now I realize that this is a very simplified version of what actually happened and what is going on over there. But I think they’ll figure it out.

                      You can’t please everybody. You can’t fix everyone else’s problems. You can’t assume to know what someone else is thinking. You can agree or not agree or phht! *waves hand in the air*

                      Cheesecake?

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                    • Ok all I meant not intending to open a can of worms here was that you are smart and you are knowledgeable about what is happening and to me and many others your stuff is not fluff. I don’t think you are trying to offend anyone so I don’t get that reference? In the late 80s Yugos were a sign of cheapness and I think his Fiesta vs Ferrari reference was caddy and in poor taste hence unprofessional if he is including it in a tweet about a new gig! Sorry shoot me. I think political discussion is healthy as long as it doesn’t descend into name calling which when he said arrogant and then kind of shamed Gary Ledeker (who is a popular sports commentator opposed to Brexit and I had to google the reference ) I think that is bordering DT territory sorry again don’t shoot me here. I don’t like when you say tiptoe b/c you shouldn’t have to around friends and people you know here and blogging and commenting for a long time. That is upsetting to me. 🤦‍♀️😲

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                    • Nah, you’re good. Breathe. Breathe.

                      Sometimes I forget you’re newish here. As Guylty will tell you, I’ve hashed my political beliefs and their political beliefs in this forum and a few others a few years ago. I don’t believe it, they’re still friends with me – lol!

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                • Everyone’s allowed their own opinions. I’m also allowed my opinion, which is that I am not required to support other’s opinions with my money. I don’t expect anyone to blow sunshine up my ass. I expect them not to hit their spouses or sexually harass people and not to support objectionable political causes. It used to not bother me if they were conservative (I think that’s a legitimate political opinion, even if it’s not mine), but unfortunately the GOP’s leadership has endorses white supremacist, Nazi and fascist points of view in the last two years, so now I do check before I go to the theatre or turn on the TV.

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            • Zee I think you hit the nail on the head fantasy Richard versus real life Richard. I love that he is messy that he is moody, I get why this self deprecation tweet yesterday was soo annoying and I have learned a lot here myself just commenting about blogs that I’ll praise something and it will get deflected or praise on another commenter but I do that too! So I feel we all connect with him on that humble level to me that is attractive in anybody. I get where it can lead to negative stuff too. I also like that his is moody and aloof. What I don’t like is his or anybody’s mindfucks or head games …manipulating emotions and expectations of people
              That to me is the height of insecurity and I know many real life family members that engage in that behavior

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  11. I apparently missed a shitload of drama! Of course, I’m extremely curious now about what he said… words such as dictator and no empathy strike a particular chord with me right now – feels like the battle I am in now with my micro manager… Ugh, I feel your pain!

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    • Esther, I actually think you are lucky that you did not see it all as it unfolded. I wish I hadn’t gotten involved – and usually I find that I can see things a bit less emotionally when I only come to one of those tweet/delete debacles *after* they have happened.
      Anyway, Servetus has all the tweets screencapped and on her blog. She’s also written a brilliant follow-up post on what this kind of behaviour actually does to a fandom. I haven’t yet commented, because I am trying to sort my emotions over this. But the term “dictator” above refers to RA’s authoritarian decision to delete his political tweets, only to replace them with some vague and inane hints about a project he is not allowed to speak about. Duh. No empathy refers to him ignoring the fact that his fans have started a conversation – and he simply kills it.

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  12. i think he was just writing out of anger the twitter tweet , wanted to rant , than felt funny after all. So he changed his mind . Maybe he just annoyed himself so much that he felt low , than he deleted the whole lot . But the ” dumb actor” shit i dont get it . It must have seriously gone into his head . i dont think we will ever understand his thinking . These celebs never showing their real person in public .

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    • I think the whole ‘dumb actor’ comment is simply his acknowledgement that most of his followers don’t follow him for his political nattering on and his opinions won’t measure to EVERYONE’s opinions. So I see it as spewing, thinking OMGDIDIPISSANYONEOFF and then cleaning up the mess and blowing smoke.

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    • Yep, that’s probably what happened. It’s just that his ignorance re. fans really hurts. As does his repeated lack of self-confidence. Even if he is just being ironic about the “dumb actor” accusation, by repeating it again and again, he is somehow engraining exactly the wrong image in his followers’ minds. I just wish he wasn’t on Twitter at all.

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      • Yep I second that or that he is more like Orser who uses Twitter to promote things and recognize causes that are important
        He may not have 229,000 followers but he’s more classy and smart than the tall dwarf 😉🙄😏

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        • Yep, I enjoy his Twitter very much – it has got the right mixture of personal tweets, promo stuff and the occasional political tweet. And despite appearances, I would say that LO actually takes Twitter less seriously than RA does.

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  13. Maybe it’s just me, and, of course, I don’t do twitter and never will–but the man just lost his chief cheerleader of his entire life, probably, less than six months ago and to a very horrific disease. And he always has been somewhat self-deprecating. He may have his ups and downs and be a bit rackety for awhile, but he has helped me through a lot of tough times over the years. I’m all for cutting the man some slack. And that said, this first holiday season after such a huge loss has to be hard for him. Just my two cents.

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    • The “Year of Firsts” as I refer to the first year after the loss of a loved one, is extremely difficult. You’re still going through the stages of grief, which I learned are not a step one, step two, step three process, but a circle/cycle of all of them at once. You can go though all seven stages in the course of five minutes. The holidays in particular are extremely difficult. Especially that first one after the loss. He’s probably dreading it and trying to think of anything to get out of dealing with it. A year from now, he’ll probably be in a very different place than he is currently. I think you have hit on something very important to take into account.

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    • I don’t think that is a real excuse, Cat. With all due respect for his loss, but he actually has a history of tweeting controversial stuff and then deleting it again. That is why I find it so difficult to cut him some slack this time. This scenario has happened before, with exactly the same topic. And I am just a bit miffed because I find it disrespectful of him to delete his tweets – and kill the debate after it was actually *him* who called for a conversation.
      But well, at this stage, it is all water under the bridge. The seas have calmed again, and it’s business as usual. I don’t really want to continue this discussion because the negativity really brings me down. I hope he’ll have a better 2019.

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  14. Well the responses are there on our timelines and I’m not deleting mine. The effect is that he doesn’t see them which is childish just like his deprication about not expressing opinions. It’s getting old now. O
    I for one think he’s a person and citizen with all rhe right to engage when if he chooses. In fact i wish he’d use his clout to engage seriously. Mind you in all honesty not with the misinformed view of yesterday. But expressing and then not wanting feedback is very undemocratic. What we don’t have a right to engage with his comment? Then shut up by all means. This is a 2 year long nightmare that is ruining many xmases with anxiety and deserves a bit of respect. It’s this kind of derogatory engagement that is least useful im these times. But spine and courage is much lacking in political life round here at present. I’m busy just getting through life trying to make a difference worrying about family. I’ll care about projects when the time comes. There’s not much to make fun of or laugh about at the moment and i don’t feel like it. But he either engages or he doesn’t he doesn’t get to chose what we engage with. Not on a public platform

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    • Well said! Bravo! Bravo!! Personally I think he’s living in bubble wrap about a lot of things esp since he did not come from money and has thanked his parents for giving him the opportunities that he got to pursue his profession

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    • I know that our responses are still there – but with the initial tweet deleted, they kind of float in a vacuum now. And you know, I might as well delete my tweet now, too.
      You are absolutely right btw – while claiming the right to speak, he is taking away the audience’s right to reply. Sounds a bit totalitarian to me… Yet I cannot believe that that is what he really intends. Well, there we are, I just simply do not understand the man. His behaviour leaves me flummoxed. And I dislike that feeling, because I need to be able to respect the guy I am a fan of.
      I also think that you are making a very valid point re. respect – the anti-Brexit people need to be taken seriously, even if democracy has decided that their voices were not loud enough. However, I think he tried to say something to that effect – haha, but with the tweets now deleted, I can’t back up my defence of him…
      Anyway, listen – we can be just as dismissive of him as he is of us. And since he tells us that he is only a dumb actor, well, I suggest do as he says and ignore his misguided attempts at political agitation in the future.

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  15. Thanks for the round-up Guylty. Like Zeesmuse I wondered too if he had been drunk texting and perhaps celebrating his new project (hopefully it’s a visual one). My feelings towards him are often perverse. I rarely get riled about his behaviour, unless he is being particularly pious. The more he annoys people the more I’m drawn to him but then that fits my fantasy bad Armitage. On the sunny side, today’s advent pic, Day 16, did make me laugh, ‘I really love your Christmas package’ indeed!

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  16. Ein Wochenende ohne Internet hat definitiv Vorteile, wie ich sehe. Hab die ganze Aufregung verpasst. Mal schauen, ob ich mir die Mühe mache, das alles nachzuarbeiten. Unabhängig davon fände ich es durchaus interessant, von dem OOA mehr als nur gewachste Selfies und die Ankündigung des nächsten Audiobooks zu sehen. Mich interessiert, wie er darüber hinaus die Welt sieht, auch seine Meinung zu politischen Sachen. Deswegen muss ich damit nicht immer 100 % übereinstimmen. Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass er mal eben so, ohne darüber nachzudenken, irgendwas politisches twittert. Vielleicht hat er andere Reaktionen erwartet. Kann ja passieren, wenn man sonst auf seine “normalen” Tweets nur Reaktionen bekommt wie “Oh, du bist der tollste Mensch der Welt”, “So großzügig, großherzig, bescheiden… whatever, “Ich bete die Erde an, auf der du läufst”… Da versucht er´s eben ab und zu doch mal wieder mit einem Tweet, der etwas Substanz hat. Und das geht regelmäßig in die Hose, weil diese Fans da einfach nicht richtig mitspielen.
    Ich weiß es nicht. Aber ich finde, man(n) sollte genug Arsch in der Hose haben, um zu seiner Meinung zu stehen, auch wenn nicht alle diese Meinung teilen. Und eigentlich hat er doch wirklich nicht nur genug, sondern auch noch einen besonders wohlgeformten A… .

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