Hilarious: Richard Armitage pro-Cybersmile fan sockpuppet suggests I’m crazy
I haven’t been talking about it here, only on Twitter, but I had problems with the way that fundraising in conjunction with Richard Armitage’s birthday was conducted by both Armitage and fans. I wasn’t the only one, and when I tweeted my dissent, several other tweeps agreed with me. I didn’t tweet it at anyone, I simply stated my disagreement. In my fan world, I am not required to love or agree with everything Richard Armitage or his fans do or say.
The next time I logged on, I found this account, apparently created by a Richard Armitage fan to support the CyberSmile initiative a few months ago, accusing me of ruining Richard Armitage’s birthday (wow, if one dissenting fan ruins a birthday, the birthday boy is fragile indeed), tweeting that I am #notarealfan, and today asking if I “need help.”
I’m pretty sure this is exactly what Richard Armitage wanted to see happen when he decided to become an ambassador for a charity that supports positivity on the Internet — people tweeting in support of that charity and his initiatives who call those who disagreed about the charity and the method of solicitation not real fans and hinting that they are crazy.
Of course, fans, do as you please — but now we have Richard Armitage fans engaging in something that might be considered bullying for the purpose of supporting a charity that seeks to combat bullying. The irony in that position screams so loudly that it is almost deafening. Dumbfounding.
Here are some screenshots, in case anyone’s tempted to delete the evidence, as tweets of conversations I had last night have already been deleted by some participants. Not sure why — all I am doing is disagreeing, with the pseud I’ve been using for four years. Nonetheless, in the “new” Richard Armitage Twitter fandom — fandom post-Armitage joining Twitter, beware: disagreement with the majority position is no longer allowed. Armitage’s opinions (I’ve seen them called “teachings” by some fans) are held to be absolute. A fan who disagrees will have her loyalty and her sanity called into question.
But Richard Armitage is proud of that strategy, I am sure!
Me + Richard Armitage 
the phrase “not a real fan” is getting to be one of my biggest pet-peeves. also, a new Twitter account with the tagline “I have nothing to lose” blatantly sums up their intent 😉
LikeLike
I’ve heard it a lot over the years so my irritation level is high, but I’m also accustomed. I don’t know when people will get that there are no “fake fans” …
LikeLike
Oh good grief.
LikeLike
indeed.
LikeLike
Not that you need this of course, but you have my support
LikeLike
Thanks. Funny that this happened the last two days — but it was a great test of something I’d been wondering about. Post soon.
LikeLike
I have come to the conclusion that it would have been a wiser move for RA to make an instagram account instead of a twitter account. More eye-candy (bts pics etc! Oh, what could have been!), less preaching. I mean it would have been a logical step, seeing as he likes weird filters so much cough BUT at least he didn’t make a facebook profile, so there’s that 😀
LikeLike
world through Armitage’s eyes — would have been fascinating. But I get from his Twitter that he doesn’t really want to share that much with fans (which is absolutely fine, it’s his life).
LikeLike
What an asshole.
LikeLike
I think it’s a known asshole, if that’s any consolation.
LikeLike
The representative and collective “we” and “””””””””real fans””””””””” are setting off red flags for me. It’s rather amazing that this person can’t equate what they’re doing to what Richard’s supposedly fighting against.
LikeLike
I agree with Kell DS. I cannot say it any better than she already has.
LikeLike
She definitely has a way with words.
LikeLike
Gosh, some people really need to improve their perception of reality.
LikeLike
The real question is why so many people feel he needs to be defended.
LikeLike
It’s the plutonian army unit, imho 😉 and they don’t “defend” – they PROTECT – tooth & claw.
LikeLike
don’t you think, though, that people can be aware of their impulses and overcome them? I would definitely agree that I have some of these impulses — but I know about them, I remind myself that boyfriend is an adult and can take care of himself. Is that a serious issue in astrology? Can we behave differently than intended by the stars?
LikeLike
I must have missed your “negative” tweets, or maybe I was so in tune I breezed over them. I only received one trollish blog comment suggesting that I was jealous of Richard Armitage, that I give up the blog and that I get a job, since I’m a pretty good writer.
These fan reaction were predictable – the reaction to the birthday fund drive and the reaction to criticism of it. Gosh. I feel like crap helping to ruin Richard’s birthday. I hope he managed to still pop a cork while licking his wounds inflicted by fans who didn’t give him the exact birthday gift he asked for.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting how that “get a job writing” comment comes up over and over again, isn’t it. (that was a rhetorical question)
re: licking the wounds inflicted by fans who didn’t give him what he asked for — that was more or less my reaction to the original tweet. I suppressed my reaction in the interest of not ruining his birthday, but I guess that gift to the fandom (not to him) was insufficient. The thing is if Richard Armitage had a good birthday, it wasn’t because of what fans did, or if he had a bad one, that wasn’t our fault, either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a blatant overstatement that one fan could’ve single-handedly upset Mr A’s birthday celebrations. However – and please don’t take this as agreement with their position – I am wondering whether you are giving them far more attention than they deserve? I understand the need to clarify and to speak, and I am not trying to gag you. But if you hadn’t pointed this out to me, I would not have known of the existence of this tweep…
LikeLiked by 1 person
This post fits in precisely with two things I’ve been talking about for 6-8 months: the way in which Armitage’s preaching calls forth exactly the opposite behavior than that which it prescribes, and the “Richard Armitage religion,” which this is a perfect manifestation of. So this post was pretty much a no-brainer for me.
LikeLike
Studying Richard III’s chart, I came across an aspect (Moon opposite Venus) that may be the reason, why he remained misunderstood until today … seems his namesake is (sadly) perfectly able to channel that (he also has a Venus/Moon aspect).
LikeLike
Awww… What a helpful Armitage’s fan! 😄 ( think how proud Richard must be, Serv 😉 )
LikeLike
And he would be entitled to be proud because he actually did inspire this behavior.
(As opposed to being proud of something in which someone has played no role)
LikeLike
“… he actually did inspire this behaviour.”
True.
But would you really prefer it if he just talked about his work? He has the same right you and I have to stand up and speak for what he thinks is worthy to stand up and speak for.
If someone speaks up for something there will always be people who twist their words.
The only way to avoid this is to say nothing at all.
LikeLike
I was being sarcastic, but yes, he absolutely has the right to say what he likes and should do so — see my long post here: https://meandrichard.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/im-with-you-richard-armitage/ and discussion around that the last time that came up.
re: would I prefer if he spoke just about his work? Possibly. (Big question.) Should he do what I or anyone else prefers in this regard? Doubtful, since one can’t please everyone.
re: silence being the only way to avoid misinterpretation (and even then it’s a doubtful strategy): absolutely agree.
One of the things I was trying to point at here was the question of what we are “proud” of. I feel “proud” of Armitage as a fan, but I think that is unjustifiable, as it is mostly a feeling about myself, i.e., I have done nothing to make Armitage the person he is, so I am not justifiably proud of him. I can be happy for him, or I can be pleased that I picked an actor to follow whose work is generally pleasing to me. It seems a bit condescending to say that I’m “proud” of a total stranger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
WTF is wrong is this fando I’d so wish that I could get a peek on some more die-hard fans’ charts.
He makes us all crazy in a way. And in a waaayyy beyond a “hey I really like movies with this actor” fashion. There was a time when I was head over heels into Bryan Ferry. In review it was nothing compared to this RA-thing. And it clearly got worse when he joined twitter. It created an illusion of “approachability” and he really seemed to enjoy interaction with fans at first. And then – just before christmas – he withdrew. I don’t get it.
And I have a nagging question on my mind since last summer: what was his reason to “shed more tears than in his whole life” during the run of the Crucible?
The longer I muse about this, the more pretty heretical answers pop up in my mind.
So, you are not alone, Servetus. I actually did support Childline, as the pink-&-blue Cybersmile world is just still not my cup of tea.
LikeLike
One of CyberSmile’s suggestions if you’re being bullied is to call ChildLine, but every year ChildLine is unable to answer all the calls they get due to understaffing so ChildLine is a great choice.
Agree that Twitter has made everything worse, but that was totally predictable. Armitage joins the central social media platform used to mob people in a campaign to get them to stop mobbing each other? Like that was going to go well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If that’s the case, that ChildLine is on the front (phone) lines due to referrals from Cybersmile, then Cybersmile ought to consider using some of its windfall as a donation/grant to help Childline.
LikeLike
“… in this fandom?” of course.
LikeLike
LOL.
LikeLike
Um … Wait a second? Did I get this right?
Some fans call Mr. Armitage’s opinion “teachings”?!
As in “Richard teaches us good fans to do the right thing”?
Um, yeah. Sorry guys, but I’m going to hide in the bad fan corner.
We don’t have lectures there but we have cookies.
AND cake!
LikeLike
Yes, this fan clearly learned to do the right thing from Richard Armitage.
Cake is good. Mit Schlagsahne, bitte.
LikeLike
Kuchen mit Schlagsahne – kommt sofort! 😉
LikeLike
Santa here has 1 follower. I rest my case.
Let’s have LOTS of cake🍰and chocolate.
LikeLike
lol!
LikeLike
Some people are just a royal pain in the a**, waste of time to even look at them imho.
LikeLike
This had some serious anthropological value, though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
mhm, this kind of reaction makes me feel very similar to reactions to migrants i have seen recently too, all seem to stem from desire for unrelenting unity of some sort and hate of ‘other’, whatever the ‘other’ may be. It is why extremism is never just a thing of historic past.
LikeLike
Closed mouth scream of frustration. May have scared the dog.
LikeLike
I know how you feel, jazz. I think I’ve triggered my TMJ again.
LikeLike
Breathe deeply, ladies.
LikeLike
Good freakin’ grief, he’s Richard Armitage, not the Dalai Lama. rolls eyes
LikeLike
IKR?
As I grow older, I find myself more often saying things my mother would have said, like, “If Richard Armitage told you it was a great idea to jump off a cliff, would you do it?” I mean, we all still have our own minds (I hope).
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is priceless and totally made my day 😛
LikeLike
my gran used the window rather than the cliff 😉
LikeLike
My gran used to say something about the well 😉
LikeLike
Sometimes I think I’ve lost bits of my mind, Serv 😉 but not in thinking I must now follow the “teachings” of Mr. A. It’s like some Saturday Night Live skit . . .
LikeLike
LOL, I looked for the like button just then fedoralady!
LikeLike
Thanks, Tigerfilly, one can but try. 😉
LikeLike
“now we have Richard Armitage fans engaging in something that might be considered bullying for the purpose of supporting a charity that seeks to combat bullying.”
long sigh
I just really don’t understand people.
LikeLike
this strains even my maxim of “let nothing human be alien to me,” I admit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drama, drama, drama. Some people just create it to make themselves feel better. So sad.
LikeLike
It’s fairly obvious to me who this is — in their case it’s not just drama. There’s an actual goal here. It’s just hilarious that they think I care.
LikeLike
Those responses were very predictable. As soon as you expressed an opinion that was outside the “party line” you blew the candles out on poor RA’s birthday cake.
LikeLike
Spat right on top of it! That’s me! cupcake spitter!
LikeLike
Anybody who asserts that you, a long-time fan and blogger, would “ruin” Mr Armitage’s birthday does not know you or this fandom at all. This is such utter garbage and I am glad you posted it for the rest of us to see.
As for the notion of calling Mr Armitage’s opinions “teachings”…..well, I am both amused and somewhat horrified by that. I shall be joining Hedgehogess in the “bad fan” corner for cookies and cake, and no lectures.
LikeLike
Thanks for coming “out,” and welcome.
I’m reminded actually of a point a few years ago now where I linked to one of Judiang’s spoofs and a new fans was so horrified that she wrote in comments “Who IS this person??”
I do know that relatively new fans often feel the obligation to be extremely serious and that I’m not serious enough for them or appreciative enough of Armitage to suit them, either.
LikeLike
With some tirade , sentences found in the french version of PJ Hobbit movies and directly translated I can only say
to Mr Armitage :
“In a hole there lived a hobbit. It was not an unpleasant hole, dirty and wet, filled with worms and musty odors … It was a hobbit hole, which means good food, a fire in the hearth and all the comforts of home”.
“When I called them, they came running. Loyalty, honor, a brave heart, that’s all I ask “.
” Is your fight ?”
to you Servetus :
“Is it your fight ?”
“Come, crain do anything. Between the light. I feel something within you. Something you hold, something gold . But, more valuable” .
” I am looking for someone to share an adventure” .
“Speechless he yells, wingless, it flutters, toothless, it bites without mouth … he whispers.”
” I do not trade any of these dwarves against an army of Iron Mountains.”
to those “good- minded” fans :
“Thirty white horses on a red hill, First they champ, then they prance, then they keep quiet.”
….
I should find more suitable words , but it is late . I hope you would be able to understand , what I mean and I am not allowed to write now after the cybersmile’s advices .
LikeLike
It’s a good question, what is my fight — I think I know. Appreciate the teeth metaphor!
LikeLike
Wow! This is just crazy.
LikeLike
it was odd.
LikeLike
I’m glad you can find the humor in it, Serv….. the whole sock puppet thing does seem strangely hilarious to me (with emphasis on the “strange”), but I’m sure it would be very difficult to see the humor if it were happening to me!
I think your point is well taken that the real proof of whether we’re antibullying is how we respond to people who don’t fit into our own mold. I think it’s probably not easy for most of us, but it’s worth committing to. And in the instant drive-by world epitomized by Twitter, where we don’t take much time to listen or understand (or don’t want to), it can be more of a mantra than a reality. Things that make you go “hmm” 🙂
LikeLike
This is a relatively harmless one. The paradox interested me more than anything else.
LikeLike
Sounds like some special snowflake is having a petty party. Sigh. We all celebrate Armitage Day in our own ways and as long as it is doing something good for someone somewhere, he’s no doubt good with it, if he even gives it a thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve often wondered over the years whether all of Armitage Day isn’t more of a burden to him than anything else, not in the sense that he dislikes the amount donated to charity or whatever, but usually what we least want to do on our birthdays is fulfill some kind of obligation. There was at least one year when he didn’t acknowledge his birthday (despite fan donations at the time) and I’ve wondered if the best gift to Armitage on his birthday might not be a completely fan-obligation-free day. That will, however, be impossible from now on.
LikeLike
Wow! Some people must be bored. How someone (fans) celebrates Armitage day or not to at all is up to them.
LikeLike
or even if they choose to criticize how it is celebrated …
LikeLike
An Tuareg proverb for example remind you what also say the blue men :
” When somebody gives you a piece of advice, looks how his own advice makes him live ” .
L’ homme a fait entrer la terre dans une nouvelle ère géologique : l’anthropocène . Dans l’anthropocène nous assistons non seulement à la 6ème extinction , celle de la vie de nombreuses espèces animales et végétales , mais aussi à la 7ème extinction que je définirais comme celle de la pensée exprimée , de la liberté de parole, par la dictature du bien penser . Feront nous partie des mutants qui y survivront ou disparaîtrons nous comme les dinosaures au CT ?
Humanbeings brought the earth into a new geological era: the Anthropocene. In the Anthropocene we witness not only to the sixth extinction, that of the lives of numerous plant and animal species, but also to the 7th extinction which I would define as that of expressed thought, freedom of speech, by the dictatorship of think well. Will we be part of the mutants that will survive , or will we disappear like the dinosaurs in the KT ?
LikeLike
In the end, I don’t have massive doubts that Armitage lives according to his own advice, or else why share his views … I just think he’s not a systematic thinker.
LikeLike
I’m sorry this happened, and sorry that people are such ridiculous jerks, but I have to say –
I got to the part about “teachings” and had a moment of full-on Charlotte la Bouff glee at the sheer dumbassery of some people. No idea how to embed gifs, but enjoy http://cdn2.crushable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/charlotte-la-bouff.gif
Just wish folks like this were less rabid and attack-y; they’d be so much more entertaining.
LikeLike
I know, right?? 😀 As someone else said, he’s not the Dalai Lama! He’s just a hot, sweet, hot, smart, hot actor… did I mention he’s hot? lol
LikeLike
At some point I’m going to get so sick of his sayings it’ll be like how I feel about Keanu Reeves . . . “no no, shh, just look pretty.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, now THAT just made my day! 🙂 Good ol’ Keanu!
LikeLike
One kind of doesn’t want to go there, but every now and then …
LikeLike
As I said on twitter, the sockpuppet’s tweets are plainly ridiculous and definitely aimed at stirring trouble.
I could sort of understand that RA asked the fans to donate money instead of sending him presents but – as I pointed out at the time – cybersmile is not a charity I would support financially. We can all decide independently whether we want to make a donation or just leave a birthday wish on one of the fansites.
If RA spent his birthday catching up on how fans reacted to his birthday wish I would be somewhat surprised 😉
LikeLike
No kidding … I hope he spent it doing his favorite things 🙂
LikeLike