F3, Day Two! One voice to thrill them all, and Armitage to bind them!

Welcome to Day Two of FanstRAvaganza 3, with nineteen new posts for you to enjoy!

Keep in mind that the links below will appear during the event day, between midnight and midnight, London time. They may not all appear at once. If you missed any of yesterday’s posts, they are indexed here.

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F3 tagteams, Day Two: Yup, there’s more!

In freeform: Melanie on why Harry Kennedy is the perfect man • Itsjsforme unveils Guy of Gisborne’s latest public service announcements (not safe for work!) • In fandom, Fabo on Richard Armitage’s statements about fans •  Gratiana Lovelace requests help captioning in “I’m Too Sexy for My T-Shirt!” • The Hobbit chain goes creative with The Queen on Hobbit quilts • Mrs. E.B. Darcy on Hobbit action figures • For King Richard Armitage, IngeD3 reviews the Michael Hicks biography of the fifteenth-century king • In fanfic, John Thornton on why he loves Margaret Hale • Jo Ann introduces us to a new Armitage character she knows we’ll love in “Surrender My Heart” • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day!

F3 core, Day Two:

bccmee on John Mulligan, beauty and badness • CDoart on Armitage, fantasy and history • judiang takes someone you don’t quite expect to her therapist • RAFrenzy on Understanding Richard Armitage • Siouxsie Sioux at Richard Armitage Fan Blog on crinkleholism • Traxy‘s holding out for a hero in The Golden Hour • Fanny interviews Wattpad author JuleWhatev • Jonia determines the actual length of Richard Armitage’s legs • mulubinba on North & South sets and props • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day!

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F3, Day Two at “me + richard armitage”? A fan showcase with Mersguy.

Like Mezz, Mersguy started commenting in 2011. Her remarks often treated Richard Armitage’s physical aspects. She really liked Armitage anatomy. (Yes, mersguy, I will continue that series!) I don’t disagree — the man is hot! — but after two years, I have to confess that I’m starting to run out of vocabulary for expressing it. And then I had my own (still unfinished) thoughts about perving in response to Judiang last fall. Anyway, I love you, readers who think primarily about his hotness, and I think about it too, but I often wish I could install a “like” button so you knew that I appreciate your efforts to share your perceptions, but I can’t think of anything more to say.

In January, though, I wrote about the incident that triggered my Armitagemania. And mersguy commented: “I came into this RA related world with not much else on my mind other than perving at Richard to be brutally honest. Now after 6 months, I find I’m concerned about people I may never ever meet in my life, I worry over their health and family issues even though I am so far away and can offer no real support, only cyber hugs and words of encouragement.” That was one of the most intriguing statements I’d read in response to a post like this one — an honest confession that made me want to know more about mersguy. The final impetus came after a series of interviews that examined one fan’s desires for Armitage to follow a high art career path. In the wake of that, after thinking about ambivalent responses to Armitage in different quarters on the basis of his looks, I began to wonder what occupies the mind of someone who never asks that question.

So: What about someone who joins someone’s fandom in order to perv on him? In this intriguing interview, you will find out. It turns out that perving is way more complex than I realized.

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The scene that made Mersguy literally sit bolt upright: John Porter (Richard Armitage) under duress in Strike Back 1.6. Source: Richard Armitage Central Main Gallery

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Servetus: Tell us about your first exposure to Richard Armitage.

Mersguy: It happened on April 1st, 2011. No joke! I blame my husband; he started it all! He had watched Robin Hood and Spooks. I had only a very vague recollection of Richard in those series, and didn’t even know his name. Well, that was all before I happened to glance up from the book I was reading and saw the glimpse above on my TV screen! My life has not been the same since.

S: What kept you watching?

Mersguy: Well, I had to see how it ended! As you know, this moment occurs in the second half of episode 3 of Strike Back. My curiosity was aroused and I had to find out more — and soon. I googled Richard’s name and, of course, up popped a wealth of information. I joined a fan forum that night after reading some posts and seeing a picture of him as Guy of Gisborne in series 3 of Robin Hood. The hair got me. At first I couldn’t believe that the same actor was playing both Guy and Porter. Something in me just “clicked.” I had to find out more. I was intrigued by this actor, something I had never experienced before. I was “Armitaged” then and there!

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When asked to discuss a scene from Richard Armitage’s work that she especially likes, Mersguy turned to the beginning scenes of Robin Hood 3.5 (“Let the Games Commence”). She loves this scene purely from a “swoon perspective,” as the storyline was like a pantomime and the manky lion made her laugh. But, she says: “Sir Guy was HOT!!!”

Mersguy:My encounter with Guy of Gisborne took place back to front; I started with 3.5, as this series was being rerun on TV at the time. Here, Glamour Guy has arrived, fresh from the finest spa in the county. I love the first shots of Guy. He turns to camera, all smug and triumphant at finally being where he thinks he rightly belongs: in charge and in control. He firmly believes he has finally got one over on Vasey and will get rid of that pesky Robin Hood! His backside also looks mighty fine in his new costume at 0:27. And we just get a peek of his new black shirt underneath. The last moments, as Guy smirks and looks down at Vasey, and says, “Oh, I will not have need of you ever again,” in a low growl, took my breath away.

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S: You have said that you connected to Richard Armitage’s fandom in order to “perv on Richard.” What is “perving” for you?

Mersguy:Gosh, it sounds horrible when I see the words in print and actually sit down and think about why I am doing this! Initially, it was my way into checking out RA — for purely physical reasons. I now know from conversations with others that John Porter’s body is not to everyone’s taste, but my goodness, he is rock hard in Strike Back. The mere sight of him makes me weak at the knees. My eyes water and I struggle for breath.

S: Do you have any favorite pieces of Richard Armitage to perv on?

Mersguy:If I had to pick a part of his body that I particularly liked, I would have to say his strong, muscular arms, which are shown to perfection in Strike Back. I still can’t believe he went from poor, malnourished Lucas North to John Porter. But that is the dedication RA shows to his craft.

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Forget the gun, look at the biceps: John Porter (Richard Armitage) defends himself and Katie Dartmouth from their pursuers in Strike Back 1.2. Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

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S: I thought you would pick one of Guy of Gisborne’s features.

Mersguy:My Guy of Gisborne love does pose a bit of a contradiction. Guy is the polar opposite of John Porter from a perving perspective! Porter is clean cut and all muscles, while Guy is often dirty and quite frankly needs a good scrub. Time out for hair washing fantasy! I will be forever grateful to the casting agent and costume department of Robin Hood for giving us every little leather-clad, long, wavy-haired inch of him. Guy of Gisborne brings out my inner lusty wench.

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Asked for a second favorite moment from Richard Armitage’s work, Mersguy turned to the “armour scene” from Robin Hood 2.3, remarking, “Who wouldn’t be stirred by this image?”

Mersguy: When Marian walks in on Guy getting kitted out in his new armor, assisted by his squire, how many of us wish we could have been that young lad adjusting the upper thigh straps? Follow the boy’s eye line and you will understand! It’s also a light bulb moment in costume design; the cut of his waist band forms a slight v-shape, just enough to accentuate his hips and lower abs. As Guy turns, he makes a full frontal assault of our senses, with some TOC thrown in. No wonder Marian exhales as Guy slinks towards her and growls, “What is it?” About then, I dissolved into a drooling mess. The scene only gets better, as Marian offers her hand, her fingers tantalizingly close, just centimeters away from his erect nipples. I was struggling to breath by this point. Guy takes Marian’s hand and gently caresses it with those long, luscious fingers. No wonder Marian could only force out a barely audible “Guy.” That finished me off completely. I had to go and make a coffee. I was all heaving bosoms!

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S: Why do you perv?

Mersguy:The easy answer is, because he’s HOT! My girlfriends don’t share this view, however, although I have tried to turn them to Mr. Armitage’s virtues many times! They just shake their heads and say, “I can’t see it.” It breaks my heart, so I no longer try to convince them. I even offered to part with my copy of North & South until one particular friend (who adores Colin Firth) could watch, but she is simply not interested. That we have not fallen out badly over this issue is a true testament to the strength of our friendship.

S: What you said about Guy suggests that perving releases something in you. What role does it play in your life?

Mersguy:I see it all as harmless fun. I get the schoolgirl giggles when chatting online with my new friends, not only from Australia, but around the globe, as well as relief from the daily grind of work and family commitments.

S: Has your perving changed or developed since you started?

Mersguy:I’m more open about it now. The anonymity of twitter and the fan forums allows me to be a bit more risqué than I would be in real life, or at least in a public setting. On the whole, however, it’s all very tame. Also, after reading other admirers’ posts and a sample of Richard’s messages to fans, I have gained an appreciation of his strong work ethic and keen attention to character detail.

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Timeout for hairwashing fantasy! Friar Tuck (David Harewood) confronts Guy of Gisborne (Richard Armitage) in Robin Hood 3.1. Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

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S: So “perving” can be a step to other things?

Mersguy: Perving is definitely not all about the visual. I recently discovered Dreamerfiction [password required], a wonderful source of fan fiction. DF lets me spend even more hours losing myself, reading about my favorite characters in the most exquisite situations. Last but not least is Richard’s audio work. His deep, smooth, and charismatic voice sends chills through my entire being. Even if he didn’t look the way he does, his voice would still earn him a legion of female fans.

S: It sounds like the fandom has played an important role in helping you fulfill the true potential of perving.

Mersguy:I’m constantly amazed at the creative people out there who make wonderful vids, gifs, siggies, avis, and banners for us all to enjoy. RA fans are a truly generous and warm group of individuals, happy to share their creative endeavors with the fan base or point us to new discoveries.The fan forums host a wonderful array of pictures. Hours disappear when I scroll through picture galleries looking for new ones to add to the increasingly large collection that feeds my addiction.Tumblr is a newfound source of information and pictures for those looking for something different. Some are definitely not PG-rated, so be warned!

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S: Anything particular that satisfies the gnawing addiction that you’d like to recommend?

Mersguy:Just a few! I have managed to narrow it down to 4 fanvids, in no particular order, that are useful for perving.

HeathRA, “Sexy Back 3” (multiple roles)

From the very first shot, you know you’re in for a treat with this fan video. I think it covers perfectly just how incredibly sexy Richard is, whether he is playing Guy, John Mulligan, Lucas, or Porter. And that nice little quip at the end! Guy would never need to worry where he’s going to sleep.

bccmee, “Animal” (Guy of Gisborne)

This is comedy gold! I’ve loved this song since it was released and think that it was very apt for Guy. I was thrilled beyond words when this fanvid came out and still play it all the time. The comic scenes between Guy and the Sheriff are brilliant and a relief from the dark and intense ones. I never noticed before watching this video what Guy was doing, sitting on the table while the Sheriff cuts his toenails! The ending is a scream, too.

romana55, “Wanna Do Bad Things to You” (Guy of Gisborne)

These songs seem to be written with Guy in mind, don’t they! This is the best of smoldering Guy: lots of sheet clutching, Guy being tied up or caged, and — of course — that amour scene. The cheeky smirk at the end finishes the video off and me, for that matter, very nicely.

darkjackal32, “Undisclosed Desires” (Guy of Gisborne + Friar Tuck)

Again, I have always loved this song. The first time I watched, I had tears streaming down my face. This is angsty Guy. From the opening shot of  Tuck learning over a dirty and disheveled Guy to touch his face, this is very sensual stuff. Brilliant editing, and well worth having a look if you haven’t seen it.

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S: Any plans for creativity yourself?

Mersguy:I’ll start off small and learn how to do screencaps, so I can stop snaffling everyone else’s. I’m a little time-poor at the moment with real life projects that take up the free time I have. Never say never, though. My own fan video might not be far away!

S: Will you still be perving in six months? A year?

Mersguy:It’s only the beginning for me. I can’t see my RA addiction changing any time soon. If anything, it will increase with the release of The Hobbit. My anticipation is almost palatable. I hope new projects are already in the pipeline for Richard; the next few years should prove interesting and exciting.

S: Thanks for your time, and for fleshing out the notion of perving!

Mersguy: My pleasure! it was great fun. I hope you all get a giggle out of it, as I did. And long may the perving continue!

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Mersguy reports of herself: I’m old enough to know better than to spend so much free time on some actor who caught my eye! But, alas, I have been bitten by the Armitage bug. I’ve been married to the same man forever (not a bad thing), am pathetically happy with life, and have two grown girls, a dog, and a cat. My strange yearning for anything Italian – language, culture, food & wine, landscape — must stem from a previous life! How I never married an Italian I don’t know; love doesn’t always go to plan. In music, I like anything from opera (Italian!) to Luther Vandross to The Black Keys. I’m also quite a tennis fan, although we hit and giggle a lot when playing now. Being at Wimbledon for a final would be a dream come true. As anyone who knows me will confirm, I also have an obsession with shoes and handbags. I blame my mother and grandmother for that one! That genetic flaw has been passed down to my eldest daughter, who is now overtaking me in the shoe department. Since 2009 we support an orphanage on Bali in order to give back in at least a small way to the Balinese people, who have given us so much joy over the 18 years that we have been visiting.

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[Fan showcases are an irregular feature on “me + richard armitage.” These segments seek to highlight the opinions and activities of a cross-segment of the very diverse group of people who have become fans of Richard Armitage. Previous showcases can be found here: bZirk, Eli, LadyKate63, fitzg, Angieklong, khandy, jazzbaby1, Amanda Jane, Jane (part 1, part 2, part 3), and Prue Batten (part 1, part 2, part 3). I plan to continue this feature intermittently, so if you are interested in being interviewed, please let me know. My email address can be found in the sidebar under “About.” — Servetus]

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My favorite of the charities Richard Armitage has raised money for on JustGiving is Childline. If you liked this post or appreciate Armitage’s work, please consider making a donation of yourself. Demand for the service in most of the UK is up, and in some places only a portion of calls can be answered. As always, many worthy causes deserve our support, but this week I’m blogging to draw attention to this one. Thanks for listening.

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Continue your F3 reading with the Day two tagteams! In freeform: Melanie on why Harry Kennedy is the perfect man • Itsjsforme unveils Guy of Gisborne’s latest public service announcements (not safe for work!) • In fandom, Fabo on Richard Armitage’s statements about fans •  Gratiana Lovelace requests help captioning in “I’m Too Sexy for My T-Shirt!” • The Hobbit chain goes creative with The Queen on Hobbit quilts • Mrs. E.B. Darcy on Hobbit action figures • For King Richard Armitage, IngeD3 reviews the Michael Hicks biography of the fifteenth-century king • In fanfic, John Thornton on why he loves Margaret Hale • Jo Ann introduces us to a new Armitage character she knows we’ll love in “Surrender My Heart” • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day!

~ by Servetus on March 13, 2012.