Looks like I made it + OMG are people crazy about Batman or what??
I could hear you guys cheering me on, the last hour or so of driving. Thanks for your thoughts. I’ll have the update on the charity appeal tomorrow, and Legenda will appear tomorrow afternoon (after I go to shul, and take a nap) as well.
For a change I was listening to actual radio on the drive (usually I listen to audio CDs, but they were buried in the car and I didn’t feel like digging them out) and the news just got stranger and stranger as the day wore on:
- commentators on a Top 40 station commenting about how angry fans were about Affleck’s casting
- commentators on a conservative station noting that fans were petitioning President Obama to remove Ben Affleck as Batman (is this true?), and an “o tempora, o mores” comment about how people don’t care about important things anymore
- report on “All Things Considered” from a nerd who thinks Ben Affleck is a terrible choice
- report on “Marketplace” from a commentator who said Affleck can do nothing to destroy the franchise
I mean: what does NPR care about Batman? After they interviewed Affleck at length last year about some film about the Middle East he was involved in … anyway, it would have been bizarre to hear all that talk about Richard Armitage today, frankly. And I don’t think, good. As the third report I heard said — they could have picked anyone and some people would have been angry. I’m sure the storm over Armitage’s casting as Thorin Oakenshield would have been nothing, comparatively.
Once again I feel like I’m an inadequate fan for failing to care enough! LOL!
OK, going to bed. Will get caught up on everything again tomorrow.
Me + Richard Armitage 
What where you listening to? I have not listened to NPR in awhile, what are they reporting on these days? To much Richarding to listen to NPR, ( I always listened in the old days before the boys got home from school) I wait to watch BBC World News on BBC World News channel on TV. Thank goodness nothing about Batman.
I am glad to here you are back and that you are safe. Get some rest as driving can be so hard on a person and make you tried.
LikeLike
I’m not sure what the first two programs were … I didn’t listen long. The first was just a phone radio show somewhere.
NPR is really dumbed down. I’ve been suspicious of them since 2003, but I still listen to BBC World Report on the radio as often as I can.
LikeLike
So glad you are safe at home! Sleep and rehydrate!
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
Good to hear you got back safely.
You’re right – the whinging we heard when RA was cast as Thorin would be nothing in comparison with the reaction if he had got Batman. I feel for Affleck – the guy comes across as pretty grounded but it would have to hurt.
LikeLike
I wonder if they picked Affleck to some extent because he’s too big to fail.
LikeLike
Home at last! Time to rejuvenate as much as possible before school…
The Batfleck backlash is surreal. I doubt Richard would have received the same treatment; he’s still not universally known. But I’m betting he’s glad he slipped out from that mess unscathed.
Sheesh!
Now. We’re still waiting. I wonder if Richard is any closer to knowing if he’s landed something. It was May when he gave us those clues, wasn’t it? May!!
LikeLike
Batleck, lol!
LikeLike
So glad you are home safely! Love NPR and mystified at the reaction to Ben Affleck. Is it really that important?? I don’t think so. “Yawn” I mean, really?? I’m still recovering from the sensory overload of Armitage Day! What a trip! My first! Welcome home!
LikeLike
I think it would like (for some of us) when we see the next remake of North & South in 20 years and are totally invested.
LikeLike
I didn’t care about the news either. I’m not thrilled that Affleck is Batman but you never know, he just might nail it and make those WB execs happy in their Testarosas. And as long as WB is happy, meh, then so be it. It’s not like they’re listening to anyone else but people in the industry they know anyway.
Hubby can’t even name who played Batman the last four times because his favorite is the first one with Jack Nicholson as the Joker, whom he says stole the show. And for me, between Nicholson and Heath Ledger I’m with him.
So glad Armitage is out of that ring, or was never even in it to begin with.
Batman who?
LikeLike
I agree with you on the insularity of the industry executives. Most people I know don’t really care about film any more and decisions like this are the reason.
LikeLike
Yay, glad you got home safe! I really really don’t think many actors would get as much stick as Affleck has, but then they haven’t been in Daredevil or Giggli.
BTW, for if you’re in the mood for something light during a roadtrip, might I suggest you give “Cabin Pressure” a go. It’s a BBC radio series created by John Finnemore and stars Benedict C. We’ve been listening to it the past few trips we’ve taken and it really made the time fly by 🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lmcxj
LikeLike
Thank you for the link, it´s really funny:)
LikeLike
Thanks for the tip!
LikeLike
I hadn’t heard that there was petitioning Obama (What the?!), but Variety said that petitions to Warner Bros. began immediately.
I agree that even NPR reduces itself to the mundane stories that should really be left for the likes of morning gossip talk shows and TMZ…and we Bloggers?! 😉 But lately they too will go towards the ratings. It’s a shame, that. I still love NPR.
Twitter exploded after the nerd glaze broke, and went into completely disproportionate anger. (#benaffleckbatman &, as mentioned above, #batfleck) And Richard is still getting press about it:
http://www.eonline.com/news/451938/sorry-ben-affleck-5-better-choices-for-batman?cmpid=tweol-manual
Welcome back!
LikeLike
Wow. That’s a bit … I don’t even know. Revanchist? To complain after the casting?
LikeLike
Maybe some Fandoms like to be consulted? I’m not even sure if his name came up much in the recent months of chatter and gossip, so maybe that’s part of it. I don’t know. But the studios have no qualms in changing things for there own reasons, so I can easily why a group of people can think that they have the power over something that affects them – like their actual desire to want to pay to see the movie? So yeah, manipulative it might seem, but the fans know that that the studios have to seriously look at that. That is their paycheck, or a serious chunk of it, should the investment of time, money and effort be made.
Viva La Revolucion or Let Them Eat Cake?
LikeLike
I think it’s let them eat cake. At the most recent ST con the fans rated “Into Darkness” the worst ST movie ever. I don’t think it’s quite that bad, but speaking as a casual fan, I really didn’t like it. Fans were definitely not the primary intended audience for that film.
LikeLike
Yes, probably that. I liked Into Darkness, and I’m a fan. There are a lot of “purists” out there.
LikeLike
“Looks Like I Made It,” – Hey Serv, I didn’t know you were a Fanilow! So glad you are home safe. Definitely do read some of the tweets about Affleck today for a laugh.
LikeLike
I *am* a Fanilow. Well, not like going to his concerts and dancing on stage with him, but yeah, I have always liked Barry Manilow. I meant to comment about that on your post. Eventually I will get there.
LikeLike
Happy you are back. Deep breaths now, re-charge batteries.
Flap over Ben is reminiscent of a segment of Tolkiens when RA was announced as Thorin. But (from what media here reports – much worse!) Poor Ben – Argo was a VERY good film! Notwithstanding vocalities here about “what about the Canadian role???” Not one of our finer Canadian moments, the response to Argo. I hope Ben puts on the bat ears and knocks ‘m dead! 😀
LikeLike
I think Argo was the film I heard the interview with him about … and it was a good interview. I don’t doubt that he has a lot of strengths.
LikeLike
ahaha very funny! sleep ty.
LikeLike
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
Glad to know you have arrived safely.
LikeLike
Thanks 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
fanboys are very hard to please, and the Batman faction can be particularly ruthless. there are also a lot of sane friendly ones too that I’ve conversed with over the years 🙂 but “DareDevil” did not do Ben Affleck any favors…
LikeLike
I’m sure there are some nice ones. I’ve heard people say mean things about fangirls, too 🙂
LikeLike
Welcome back home, glad you’re finally arrived.
About bad response on Affleck: poor Ben, I’m really sorry for him but I can’t understand WB choice, honestly.
I didn’t know RA at the time he was casted as Thorin. Were reactions so bad? I feel sorry in retrospective. Now I understand why poor RA didn’t unpack his luggage for 3 weeks and all his doubts about his ability in portraing Thorin. And so happy he gave life to Majestic Thorin! 😀 It sounds like a big battle won.
LikeLike
There was a segment of TORn fans who were emphatically opposed to Armitage’s casting. I saw a post somewhere saying that surely at the latest Jackson would realize what a mistake it was after dwarf camp and send Armitage home. I suspect Armitage saw it, too, based on some things he said later.
Anyway, it wasn’t the majority. The majority were “wait and see” about him at first.
LikeLike
oh dear, poor RA. It must have been very hard for him, that’s why he didn’t unpuck his luggage 😦 Really happy PJ had faith in him, and as UK cast director said, saw potential in him nobody had seen before. RA is really great in AUJ and Thorin is an unforgettable character. I don’t know how I’ll manage 3rd movie… 😉
Thanks for explanation 🙂
LikeLike
The White House pulled down the petition. It doesn’t follow the guidelines.
I heard a little positive chatter regarding Ben Affleck as Batman. The bartender at the restaurant we ate at last night is apparently a fan. On the ‘net, lots of comments from people who did not like him as Dare Devil. People worried he’ll bring a Boston Accent. People who would prefer him if he was the director rather than Zack Snyder.
Personally, I am taking a neutral stance until the trailer comes out. I can wait for the DVD.
As to Richard, I anxiously await to hear what’s next. (Please let him trod the boards someplace in the US.)
LikeLike
Good for the White House. I wondered whether they were going to pay for allowing and responding to the petition about the Death Star.
I think I’ve heard him speak without the Boston accent so presumably he’s capable of that …
LikeLike
So glad you made it home safe and sound.
LikeLike
Thanks. I’ve had worse drives, but the timing on this was so tight. School starts tomorrow!
LikeLike
I’m just glad you made the journey okay and arrived safe and sound. (For me, the rest is just noise in the system.)
LikeLike
That’s probably wise!
LikeLike
Great that you had a safe journey back!
According to this tweet, Richard seems to have celebrated his birthday in London:
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
How young does one have to be to have childhood memories of “Robin Hood’?
LikeLike
Glad you’re home and safe.
Hope you get a chance to rest and recharge before stuff starts up.
*hug*
LikeLike
thanks — hope things are okay with you, too, zan.
LikeLike
Glad to hear that you made it home safe and sound.
I have to admit to being stunned about Ben Affleck’s selection to play Bruce Wayne/Batman in the next movie. I had no idea he was in contention. But I’m also stunned at the fanboy reaction. Sheesh is all I know to say.
I’m happy to know that RA made it back to London to hopefully celebrate his birthday with friends and family. This of course assumes he celebrates the day.
LikeLike
I don’t think anyone knew he was on the list — which makes me wonder about who was behind creating the list we did see.
LikeLike
[…] the Affleck backlash? There’s now Pattinson backlash. Really puts a perspective on the Armitage backlash of […]
LikeLike
Richard Armitage tangentially related | Me + Richard Armitage said this on July 28, 2019 at 11:45 pm |