Ceterum censeo: I am Richard Armitage’s fan, not his publicist
Although I have written this many times (here and here and here, at the least), aus gegebenem Anlaß, I will say it again.
I am not Richard Armitage’s publicist. If I wanted to be a publicist, anyone’s publicist, I’d apply for a job as a publicist. But in case you haven’t noticed, practically the only time I use the word publicist on this blog is in some of my many spoofs. I am not trying to build up this site in order to become a media outlet. If I wanted to work in media, old or new, I wouldn’t have chosen this blog as a way to start.
Writing about Richard Armitage is fun, and creative, and inspiring. Life-changing.
Creating publicity is work. I’m too old to work for free.
Why is Servetus — why am I — here?
I am Richard Armitage’s fan.
I am a miniscule part of his audience.
I am not the representative of a market segment.
I am here to be inspired by him to be me — not to hypothesize about he wants and do that.
I am here to enjoy the twists and turns of his career — not to attempt to steer it.
I am here to buy his audiobooks — not to market or sell them.
I am here to go to his movies as often as I like — not to urge anyone else to buy tickets.
I am here to respond to his artistry, not to engineer others’ responses.
I am not here to demonstrate Richard Armitage’s global impact.
I am here to reflect on his impact on me.
I am not here to move mountains.
I am here to be moved.
~ by Servetus on November 11, 2014.
Posted in Richard Armitage
Tags: fans, me, Richard Armitage, social media, stop bugging me
43 Responses to “Ceterum censeo: I am Richard Armitage’s fan, not his publicist”
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Me + Richard Armitage 
Beautifully said, Serv–and I feel exactly the same.
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Thanks, I was starting to wonder if I was alone here.
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Nah, never–I think maybe we’re in the minority a bit here with the newer members of the fandom, but I have to say I like the long time members a bit more from the respect standpoint.
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To be fair — I don’t think it’s really a point about respect or lack of same. One could argue that publicity-involved fans are more respectful than I am. I am not very respectful on a conventional spectrum of meanings of that term. I just hate being manipulated. That the culture industry does it … okay, that is one of the rules of capitalism. But I am not part of the culture industry.
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I think you’ve expressed something, in your usual penetrating and discriminating way, that I can agree with. I, too, just plain like Richard Armitage. I enjoy learning and seeing things about him that please me & make me happy.
I enjoy sharing those things with others, but if they don’t feel just the same as I do, that doesn’t make either of us right or wrong. He’s a person, an actor, not a cause. I have no sense of calling to be a “missionary” for Armitage. I don’t have a conviction about him, I have enough of those about other things. He is fun to me, sometimes relaxing, sometimes exciting, and an obligation-free part of my life. That is nice.
Oddly enough, if I occasionally learn things about him that I don’t like quite so well- I still enjoy it. I don’t have to “work through” this issue (as if it were a real relationship), yet it reveals him as even more of a real person to me- which fascinates the part of me that is somewhat driven to figure out how people tick. He is complex enough to enjoy puzzling over, but I am also completely free to suspend all analysis at times & just look at the pretty pictures, as if he were a beautiful sunset.
I’d love to meet him, would probably enjoy knowing him- but if I never do either one, I’m happy to admire him for all the beautiful, artful things he is gifted to do and be, and also wish him the best of everything in a completely fulfilled life.
So while I’m numbered among the distracted- rather than driven- I”m still a happy fan of the incomparable Mr. Armitage, thrilled to see his next tweet, next project, next gig 🙂
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I don’t belong to a religion that engages in mission any more, but if I did, I’d conclude that the most effective mission is not one that involves offensive marketing, but that involves doing one’s best to show how the religion influences one’s life and choices. Armitagemania isn’t a religion but I think the same principle applies.
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I agree that without some integrity behind it, there is nothing lasting in the end to market, promote or share. I think Armitage does have a basic integrity and certainly humility that keeps us coming back.
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I happen to think that in this case, although, again, it’s not an essential issue to me (more relevant — that there isn’t some dealbreaker there). I can really only talk about myself in that sense and that is what I am here for.
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Absolutely.
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Very well said! My feelings exactly 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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Did or does someone think you are or want to be his publicist? Are you sending out press releases on the sly with your name as the contact person? I am sorry I missed them. I am sure they are informative, interesting, well written and received with grateful sighs by members of the entertainment press. 🙂
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I’ll put you first on the list as soon as I start doing that 🙂
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🙂 He cannot aford it !
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Seriously.
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Aus gegebenem Anlass? Da muss ich wohl wieder was verpasst haben, denn für mich sprichst du gerade in Rätseln. 😉
Schreib einfach weiter, was du willst – schließlich ist es dein Blog.
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Wie jetzt? Das ist hier nicht die offizielle Pressestelle und du bist nicht das Sprachrohr von Mr. A.? Da muss ich ja über die letzten Monate was komplett falsch verstanden haben :-). Spass beiseite: “Aus gegebenem Anlass” Hört das eigentlich nie auf? Ich stelle mir das wahnsinnig ermüdend vor, das immer wieder erklären zu müssen. Tun diese Leute nur so dumm, oder ist das auch immer ein versteckter/offener Angriff? Ich fühle mich hier bestens untehalten, teilinformiert und freue mich an deiner Sicht auf Mr. A. Und wenn es mir nicht mehr passt, dann verlasse ich den Blog. Klingt doch einfach und plausibel. Was haben die Leute nur für Probleme, dass sie an anderen herummanipulieren müssen…..
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Jemand hat mich gestern wieder unter Druck gesetzt, nachdem Sie zwei höflich gebeten wurde, mich in Ruhe zu lassen.
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Ätzend da! Bleib stark!!!!!!
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seufz Warum kommen die immer wieder, wenn sie doch wissen, dass Servetus sowieso alles falsch macht? Was ist so schwer daran, den Blog einfach nicht mehr zu lesen?
Serv, die meisten lesen deinen Blog, weil sie etwas Gutes darin finden.
Andere lesen ihn, um negativ darüber zu sprechen.
Ich weiß, was von beidem mir sympathischer ist.
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ach, man muß so ungefähr alle sechs Monate wiederholen, weshalb man da ist, wegen eifrige Newbies. Das war aber gestern jemand, der mich ständig deswegen nervt. Hoffentlich versteht sie jetzt 🙂
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Vielleicht solltest du dir einen speziellen Anti-Nerv-Newbie-Filter auf deinem Rechner installieren, der solchen Müll einfach Richtung Spam weiterleitet
😉 Das wäre doch mal eine fantastische Innovation!
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auch Newbies müssen Newbies sein … war nervt, sind die wiederholte Versuche seits einer Fan, der ich schon öfter wegen sowas abgewiesen habe.
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Korrektur zur den Newbies: klar, war ja auch mal klein in Armitage-Welt und habe nichts gewusst. Soll kein Angriff auf die Lütten sein. Man darf ja auch mal nachfragen und vielleicht ein wenig quengeln. Nur irgendwann sollte man auch wissen, wenn es genug ist. Na hoffentlich hat es diese Person nun geschnallt und du kannst dich wieder erfreulicheren Themen zuwwenden 🙂
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There’s always someone who wants to mess around with our lives. Sheesh. (hugs Serv). May we all have many more years of friendship and admiring the gorgeous Mr A.
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Absolutely. I’ll do it on mine, others should do it on theirs 🙂
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das ist ein Wort.
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Like! (Mir fehlt leider der passende Button) 😀
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Lass Dich nicht ärgern, mach Dein Ding weiterhin und genieß die positiven Rückmeldungen von denen, die Dir und Deinem tollen Blog gerne und mit Vergnügen folgen. Take care !
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Thanks.
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Genau!
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Simply, Amen.
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No idea what prompted this post but of course we are all just fans, not his PR people, not his manager, not his mother …
Well said Servetus! 🙂
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Thanks.
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