Tammi, my close friend whom I’ve talked about on blog here and here (with her permission, and yes, that’s her real name although I gave her the option of a fake name, and she said run with the original. phew), has said to me several times recently, “Wouldn’t it be great if you met Richard Armitage?!” My feeling about it is, no, it probably wouldn’t. This occurred to me when Heather was sharing her experience. Don’t get me wrong. I am glad for Heather; it felt like my child making good on something. How wonderful for her to realize a dream of five years! But my dream is far different.
I would want a chat with him that would last at least a few weeks non-stop. But my real fantasy (yes, I’m admitting to a fantasy about Richard Armitage) is him sitting in my den discussing various subjects with SO and with me as spectator. Two interesting men having wonderful discussions about topics that fascinate me? Umm, I might get lightheaded if I think about it for long. RA is so intriguing, but honestly, after knowing SO for more than two decades, he’s still an enigma to me, and what I really love about him (among many other things) is his ability to bring out the interesting in others. Can you imagine RA being more interesting? It could happen if he were to sit with SO, who could get at what RA thinks and what he likes, and I would marvel at what RA would willingly reveal in the discussion, and I don’t mean any sordid details but rather something probably to do with his view of the world and what he would love to see and how he thinks art reflects that or should and thinking more outside the box than even he is accustomed to doing. I’m always amazed at how SO can evoke this from others, and they love him for it. Maybe because they usually feel hopeful after a discussion with him.
And since my den and kitchen sort of make up one giant room, I would get to cook all the foods I think RA would love and I know SO loves while I listen to them plumbing the mysteries of the universe and creating new ones. Some chicken flautas with sour cream and guacamole, rice and beans and definitely some hand made flour tortillas cooked on my cast iron griddle to complement. Grilled shrimp, asparagus on the side and some homemade yeast rolls. Smothered steak with mashed potatoes and steamed, whole green beans with a little butter and garlic, and maybe some bread pudding with brandy (recipe from the Southern Living cookbook). Yeah, I can see myself cooking away while savoring their conversation. This would be heaven. And now that Tammi is coming along nicely as an RA Addict, I might invite her to help me cook. :D
Maybe when the discussion lulls, we could take RA to our local ski “hill” and let him schuss and slalom with some of the world class athletes who frequent the slopes around here. We might even get him to take on the ski jump — at night when it really gets fun.
But an actual meeting with him wouldn’t be like Heather’s where she had something to discuss with him. Mine would consist of manifesting a gibbering idiot while trying to get out the terribly original, “Oh, I love your work.” Nope, that wouldn’t be satisfying at all, and frankly, I would feel like a ditz while it was happening and later. Yes, I’m proud, and if I’m going to even think about meeting RA, it’s going to be one heck of a fantasy.
However, if I ever get anywhere near him in the flesh, I’ll just settle for ogling him from a distance close enough to assess the condition of his skin. :D
Promotional still courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.com
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RAFrenzy 
Believe it or not, but I have imagined conversations between my husband and Richard Armitage, the real Richard and not the chaRActers with whom Hubby has interacted in Sloth Fic, I should say.
Benny is so laid-back and a good listener. I could see him asking Richard how he deals with the fandom hoopla and commiserating over the sometimes crazed females.
I am the one who would want to query him about all sorts of artistic subjects. Although we could all enjoy discussing our favorites animated movies (we know he likes Pixar. Would love to know if he has seen “Up.” Love that movie. Cried and laughed)
I certainly believe it! :)
Angie, before I slip off to bed for a couple of hours…I;m sure Richard mentioned “Up” in the interview where he said he liked Pixar movies. I haven’t seen it but I believe it’s good – I’ve been trying to get a copy but it’s never in the sales! He also mentioned “Monsters Inc.” – how I love that movie!
Well I’d like some sordid :-)
Ducks behind sofa!
I think I would resign to staring at him from a safe distance. After all, how else would I manage to oogle him front AND back, side and side ;)
I love the way you speak about Richard and SO. You seems to “have” unless two wonderful people in your life. Lucky one. Like you I don’t need to just meet RA but I really would like to know him better (what he likes , what he thinks about many threads , as you have said). I’m especially interesting by how he consider the way of life , it seems that he have understood very young the most important : what he would be and how becoming it. I think of him a little bit as a hero (the hero of his own life) while I’m a frightened , shy baby LOL. His doubts and regrets interesting me too.
Your dream is very interesting , thank you to share it with us.
I want to meet Richard and now I want to meet your SO too. LOL
I am confident I would know what to say if I ever met him. And I would make sure to tell him all about you wonderful ladies who love and support him and his work. I imagine it would embarass him a bit but who doesn’t want to be loved.
Frenz, I only wish to meet the gentleman on an equal basis, not as fangurl. (Residual snobbery – why?? I love hanging out with fans, you are so great! And we can talk about the guy to our heart’s content :D ) Husband just accepted the actor crush thing -“well that’s just J*****”, and son thinks Mom is a nice nutter.) Girlfriends and Armitage World understand. Wistfully dreaming of interviewing him…As a professional something or other. Would settle for interviewing as a fan. Maybe.
You had me with chicken flautas. And the bread pud.
I have often said if I passed a celebrity on the street I would never have the nerve to approach them. I’m a Southern girl, so of course if our eyes met I’d make the obligatory gesture to acknowledge their presence – typically a smile and a slight nod of the head – but I’d most likely not have the courage to open my mouth to speak. And then I’d spend the rest of my life regretting it, of course. But I really love the way you presented your “chance encounter”. Under the circumstances you described, he is more “regular guy” and not reluctant celebrity. When that day comes, please invite me to supper! I will even bring a bottle of wine! LOL!
I guess most of us has this fantasy of talk to him or at least get to know some more about him, the man. Maybe make true the phrase ‘(we’re) the friend he doesn’t know he has’ and behave as such.
If I think about something more probable to happen if I ever meet him, it would be to ask for an autograph only to have the 30secs to admire him and blurt ‘My fav character: Sir Guy of Gisborne’. Is silly and he might not even remember me/it 2 days later but I feel the need to tell him.
My approach to celebs is like Joan, if anything I would observe them and move on thinking ‘hey! I saw …..’, RA would be the exception, if my brain keeps working after seeing him and if the circumstances allow it, I’d like to do what I wrote above.
OML :)
Frenz, the idea of RA sitting in my family room chatting with SO is appealing to me as well. SO would probably con him into watching college football!
But I’ve also pondered the question of an actual meeting, like in an airport or something. I have to admit I would definitely approach him, after staring at him from a distance for a period of time to soak in all the details (and to let me gain a little composure before actually being required to speak). I would certainly aim for a respectful and polite attitude, I would certainly ask for an autograph and a picture with him, would say something about my favorite of his characters, and then quickly leave him alone.
I know there is a lot of debate on the privacy issue, don’t bother celebs, blah blah blah, but I know for me personally if I were given that opportunity and didn’t act, I would regret it. And such an opportunity probably would never come along again.
So, seize the day. But don’t be obnoxious about it.
Joan, with you there. Somehow, that sounds appropriate. Not a southern girl. Surrounded by ice and snow at the moment. But sort-of Anglo ancestors, Steeped in “good manners”. Well, most of the time.:D
Cindy, as I just about come to his shoulder, probably wouldn’t request a photo – I’d look too silly. :) Very vain, me.
If I should ever have a chance meeting with RA, I would like to think I could come up with some smooth comment or humorous quip to make him chuckle (just to see a close-up of his brilliant smile when you know it is genuine and not just polite). But…the reality of my true reaction would probably be like Joan…a smile, nod, and keep moving while trying not to look affected by seeing him, followed by a visit to the local ER for treatment of severe bruising brought about from me repeatedly kicking myself for not saying, “What the hell…” and proceeding to go to him to ask for said autograph and picture in complete “Fangurl Mode”.
fitzg, I completely agree, I would only want to meet him from equal to equal, not from fan to actor. RA himself said he doesn’t believe in putting actors on pedestal and I completely agree but it would be inevitable. A fan/actor meeting is an unnatural situation. A professional situation, if I were a crew member or a fellow actress or a journalist would be nice or a meeting through mutual friends. But even then it wouldn’t be a meeting between equal because in my head I would still put him on a pedestal. That is why my favourite fantasy about meeting him would be in a parallel universe where he had become an architect instead of an actor and I had never heard of him before.
This is a great post, and I am glad you pushed it out!
Great post. I agree that the fantasy of meeting him as an equal is much more appealing than meeting him as a bumbling fangirl.
I want to meet him as the screenwriter of some movie he’s making. Or as the author of a book that he is narrating. Or I’d be happy to sit next to him on a long overseas flight and chat about life.
B6ft’: Have had the flight fantasies. Of course, my seat would be the window one by the emerge exit. And I would kindly give it up to his leg-room comfort..:).
Totally agree, I would be fine with seeing him from a distance instead of actually MEETING him.
Loved reading your post… I guess my first problem would be to remember a word in English… LOL…
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Giggles! Were I to even be in the same State as Mr. Armitage, I would be standing way in the back of the crowd–hundreds of feet away–having to use a magnifying periscope to even see the top of his head because I’m so short. Ha!
I have imagined various situations from working continuity to doing costumes on the Richard III project, from being an “advisor” to being a screenwriter on one of his projects — always in a professional capacity, where he would be free to chat or not as he chose. I’ve met some men whom I admire greatly, in both casual and professional encounters, and I haven’t been tongue-tied or gushed. If I can take a demigod’s blood pressure or have my hand kissed by one and still remain lucid, I think I could handle working with Richard.
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