Vicar of Dibley | RAFrenzy

Who the Hell is Richard Armitage?

[NOTE: I now have a permanent page (“Who is Richard Armitage?”), and it has more video clips.]

This post is for all of you who have recently been introduced to Richard Armitage, the actor, via some poll or celebrity site where he popped up as perhaps the number two or even the number one contender in a contest. But you have never seen him animated and are completely perplexed by his fans’ love. Somewhere, sometime, some of you have uttered that question. I used to ask it myself! Hopefully when you are done with this post, you will begin to understand what his fans see. I’m not going to waste time trotting out his bio. You can read that on IMDb.

I want to gush and draw you the perfect picture of him with my words. To somehow convince you that he deserves the respect his fans give him. But I know it is probably wasted because I’ve been where you are, and no words were going to do it for me. I had seen stills of Richard Armitage before I saw him act, and I was profoundly unmoved and even put off. He just can’t be appreciated from a few pictures. The chameleon quality he brings to his acting helps to make him one of the finest actors, but it sometimes puts him at odds with stills. Seeing him moving and speaking is the key to understanding. If you have never done that, then you don't get it. But you’re in for a treat if you watch him. Not only is he extremely masculine, he is sensitive as well, and the superb mingling of these makes him an utterly beautiful man to behold. As gushy as I am, this post has been very difficult to write. I want to gush a lot more, but I’ll refrain and let him speak for himself.

John Thornton:

Guy of Gisborne:

Harry Kennedy:

Claude Monet:

John Standring, one of my favorite characters:

Lucas North:

Ricky Deeming:

John Porter:

edit:

Thorin Oakenshield, his latest portrayal:

August 4, 2010
Categories: Fandom, Miscellaneous works, Movies, North and South, Robin Hood, Sparkhouse, Spooks, Strike Back, The Hobbit, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: contests, Guy of Gisborne, Harry Kennedy, John Porter, John Thornton, Lucas North, Monet, Richard Armitage, The Hobbit, The Impressionists, Thorin Oakenshield, video clips . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 23 Comments

Do Wah

Phylly, thank you so much for the Versatile blogger award. I guess those tangents weren’t too much then?

Before I get to the ins and outs of this award, I just want to say I really enjoy Phylly’s blog. She and I are on the same wave length if her interests are any clue. She has similar taste in music, movies, literature, humor, …actors. Her posts always strike a chord with me. One of my favorites is May 13th, “Show Your Pearly Whites!” Love this post for lots of reasons not the least of which is anyone who puts up a video of Allan Sherman is someone I would love to know better, and there are many other posts which make me think this about Phylly. That’s just the one that stands out in my mind. Wait. Then there was the post about Earth Day where she talked about being a great fan of Joni Mitchell. Me too! There was also the time she mentioned Ogden Nash, The Beatles, Far from the Madding Crowd and John Standring all in one post! I assumed she’s a fan of all of those, and it had me thinking me, me, me and also me are a fan.

So many times I’ve read her blog and had the thought, “I would have a great time with this person.” I’ve had these thoughts so much with some bloggers that I’ve wanted to acknowledge it with fanfare somehow. If you’re thinking this is a long thank you for my award, almost in the vein of an award for Phylly, then you’re right. It is in fact an award.
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DRUM ROLL
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To Phylly goes the first ever “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” Blogger Award.

Phylly, may you be the first of many to wear it with a giggle if not with pride, and hopefully, this will keep us all from becoming too serious. As far as any rules for passing this on, it may be passed onto two bloggers who have you musing, “Yeah, I’d like to party with them.” But only two since oftentimes finding more can be a real hassle. Most important the recipients must not take themselves too seriously, which means they have to have some affection for Bill Murray. No Bill Murray love, no award. Fine Print: must like at least one thing — skit, movie, whatever –with Bill Murray. See his IMDb page for reference. The recipient must then share this Bill Murray love with us. Below is mine and what inspired this award:

I’ll get back to you on my Versatile Blogger award.

And just so this post won’t qualify as a tangent, I must have an RA segue, i.e., something that is not strictly about RA but not a tangent either. Sort of a variation of Six Degrees of Separation or the Kevin Bacon game.

So where was I? Oh, yeah, trying to think of something to say about RA. Since I’m tired, and I don’t really have anything to say about him this evening (yes, there are times when I really don’t have anything to say about him), how ’bout a picture?

and a song (the whole thing LOL!):

Screencap courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.Com

August 2, 2010
Categories: Fandom, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: awards, Bill Murray, blogging, Dawn French, Do Wah Diddy Diddy Award, Harold Ramis, Phylly3, sassy librarians, screencaps, Stripes . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 11 Comments

The Home Stretch

For those who don’t know the meaning, home stretch refers to the last part of a horse race and not to be confused with the seventh inning stretch which refers to taking a break before the last part of a baseball game. We’ve passed the time for taking a break. As I write this, we have less than two hours to break the will of the O’Loughlin fans.* MUHAHAHAHA. So get over there and do your part and vote for RA as the Hunkie of the month! Even though RA is really THE Hunkie:

Don’t get confused and take a break and think it’s time to just go home, which is what I thought at my first professional baseball game. Imagine my chagrin and if I’m honest, my disappointment when I got up to leave and realized the game was not over. It had two more torturous innings and thank heaven it didn’t go into extra innings. I’m glad to know this poll is going to end soon because I’d like to rest this weekend. LOL!

Yeah, Keith, I know how you feel.**

Hang in there. The poll will be done at 9pm GMT today (well, today for some of us). Just to make sure you know exactly how much time is left, I provide a big fat link to London’s time below. More of my public service.


 Click here to see if there is still time

And be sure to read the instructions about multiple voting so your votes are not invalidated! Hunkess has got her whip out, so don’t be messin’ with her, or our guy will pay…

and we’ll be left behind:

Doncha love how I mixed these metaphors? I can’t think of a better way to honor baseball than to confuse the subject. LOL! But I apologize to race fans for mixing the two.

This post was inspired by Nat, who uses pictures and words to tell wonderful stories or give her own slant on all things RA or somehow related. Phew, that was work, Nat. It’s her blog’s birthday this week, so be sure to give her some good wishes!

*You were supposed to click on that link. ;-)

**Professional ball player Keith Hernandez

Screencaps Courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.Com

Candid shots courtesy of various artists and allowed under the Creative Commons license.

July 30, 2010
Categories: Fandom, Miscellaneous works, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: CBeebies, contests, Natazukii, Richard Armitage, screencaps . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 20 Comments

Tangent — Facebook, Facebook, Facebook, What am I going to do with you?

I guess I should have made a Facebook page before this week. My hit count has gone up quite a bit from that link! So welcome to all of you who have come here from Facebook. I love you! It’s just Facebook that doesn’t thrill me. It’s a pain in the ass to get around on, and they (the guys who run that place) make the functions one way. There is no back out plan on some things unless you’re technical and have a crystal ball or you’re a bulldog. I’m technical but don’t have a crystal ball; however, I am a bulldog. Even though this is what you have to be if you’re going to run a “page” on FB, I hesitate to go into that mode. But for RA and all of you, it’s worth it. Hope you enjoy the blog. :D

Hmm. I almost hate to associate RA’s picture with Facebook, but I did post his picture over there several times now, and this is really in honor of all of you. So I’ll post one that some of you might not have seen. OH, and since snaffling seems to be the order of the week ;-), I snaffled this one from Mulubinba. Over here. Be sure to thank her! and frankly, she has a wonderful blog that’s thoughtful on several levels. Definitely one of my favorites.

I also need to say thanks to WordPress or whomever it was that wouldn’t allow me to embed that Strike Back Viral video on my first attempt. Yes, good can come out of bad. I’ve always known that, but Facebook had me doubting it.

edit:

I’ve added snaffle to the lexicon. I didn’t learn it from the RA fandom but would have never used it in a sentence if not for the British ladies I now interact with on a frequent basis. The context in this blog entry makes the meaning pretty plain, but hey, you need to read the lexicon if you haven’t already.

MC864RTMW5AG

July 24, 2010
Categories: Fandom, Strike Back, Tangents, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: behind the scenes, bulldog, candid shots, Facebook, Facebook hate, Mulubinba, RA Lexicon, Richard Armitage, social media . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 7 Comments

Time Out

I’m doing laundry today. Usually I don’t do laundry on Saturday. I’d have to be a masochist to willingly do laundry on Saturday. But I’ve been so busy lately, that I’m behind. Good thing the little SOs do their own laundry, or I would be in worse shape. I hate laundry and would rather muck a bunch of stalls. For those of you who have never mucked a stall, trust me, that’s saying something.

I finally had to take a break, and of course check my email, and what should come up? My YouTube subscription update! and on the list was something that has me grinning, and saying, “yes! yes! yes!” and “Thank you, bccmee, for a great video!

Uh, yeah, or something like that. LOL! Love that song! It really captures the frenzy.

Isn’t Dawn adorable? And of course RA is adorable.

Be sure to watch this to the end. I mean the last second.

I really need to get back to the laundry, but you’re making this tough, bccmee. :P

July 10, 2010
Categories: Fanvids, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: bccmee, Harry Kennedy, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 11 Comments

Diary of an RA Fan — Part 7 Fear of Punctuating

See Diary Part 6 here, or to access all entries, hit “The Diary” tab above.

Entry — a few years ago minus four or five months:

Man, trying to find something else that Richard Armitage has been in is tough. I looked at his IMDb page, and there were several things listed. I looked on Netflix, and they had North and South and that’s about it. I did see where he was in “Star Wars: Phantom Menace,” so I pulled it off the shelf and rewatched the stupid thing but with no luck. Not a fan of this movie. Only bought it because someone else in the house wanted it, and I actually watched the whole thing just to get a glimpse of a “Naboo Fighter Pilot.” I didn’t think about him wearing one of those blasted masks. Oh well.

A few days later:

I see a show called Robin Hood on YouTube, but I’m not into Robin Hood. What’s amazing is that I think there are actually more fan videos on that show than on North and South. No, I can’t go there right now. I’ve already freaked myself out watching the P&P and N&S videos.

I also found Vicar of Dibley on YouTube, but I really haven’t wanted to watch it. The title doesn’t sound appealing at all, and apparently, he’s in just a minor role. I’ve already been burned on Star Wars. Have to recover from that, and then maybe I’ll watch Vicar of Dibley. I do recognize this Dawn French from a comedy duo she’s in, but I’ve never been a huge fan of theirs. They’re funny but not that funny. Kind of crude. But then I wonder why I don’t like them very much since I like crude humor just fine. I can’t help it that I have a bit of an earthy attitude about all things including humor, but there’s just something about them that’s a bit of a turn off. Maybe it’s that they’re women and seem to try too hard. Man, I’m biased. Give those girls a break.

A day or so later:

I can’t stand it. I have to watch this Vicar of Dibley. If for no other reason than the thumbnails I saw of Richard Armitage are adorable. He doesn’t even look like the same person who was in North and South, and well, I guess he’s not. LOL! But he just looks so different, and I guess he actually smiles in this one. I mean really smiles. Not that coy little smile he had in North and South.

A little while later:

Oh Dear Lord! I was right! He is so freaking adorable! Why have I never known who this guy is?! He is awesome, and I hate the word awesome, but I’m in awe! I didn’t think he could be any more appealing. I figured it was his character in North and South, but I had to watch something else! And here I am using all of these exclamation points, and I hate exclamation points! When I see them, I think of an air headed female with a high pitched, tinny voice who can’t think beyond the moment, and she’s just irritating. Will she shut up. No wonder I was taught to use an exclamation mark no more than once a year; less if possible. So why am I continually using exclamation points when I write about Richard Armitage! No, no, no. I’ve never been that air headed female who squeals and acts giddy. Can I start now? No, no. But he is so cute, and I think I actually got high when he said, “Well, there you go.” What the hell?

An hour later:

It happened again! I’m watching, and then Richard Armitage’s character, Harry, makes a move on Geraldine. Man, that guy looks good in glasses!! And I love the name Harry! I’ve never really liked that name, but I’m diggin’ it now! And I guess I got over my fear of exclamation points. They are the only punctuation that fits! And I don’t care if I sound like a high pitched, tinny sounding air head who can’t think beyond the moment. I CAN’T think beyond this moment! It’s too good to think beyond this moment!

And Dawn French. I love her. Good on Geraldine for getting her man! I love that, and how slick a move was that for Richard Armitage to be the love interest? Wonder if Dawn French had a say in that. Bet she did. Oh, I love so many others in the cast. I’ll have to watch some more of this show whether Richard Armitage is in it or not.

A few hours later:

It’s on Netflix! But Richard Armitage isn’t listed in the cast!!! And apparently, I’m so over my fear of using exclamation points that I can easily use three at once! Even if this weren’t on Netflix, I’ve already ordered it from Amazon. Be here day after tomorrow!

So that makes $50 I’ve now spent on Richard Armitage. But even if I hadn’t bought Vicar to replace my N&S watching, I’ve at least cut down on that. Now I only watch N&S about once a week and only the scenes I love.

The next day:

ROFLOL!!!!! ROFLOL!!! I’m sick. I am sick. There was a little clip on YT from something called Comic Relief Special recommended from watching Vicar of Dibley. Geraldine and Harry are married, and they participate in celebrity wife swap with Sting and his wife. That is the funniest thing I think I’ve ever seen. Dawn French is my hero. I love her. My favorite part is when she says she’s not a teenager and then breaks down screaming before she opens the door. ROFLOL!!!! Hmmm. I’ve watched that clip maybe five times now, and I know the timing of it exactly, and I STILL belly laugh at that part. This Dawn French is a genius. Must rewatch some of her comedy duo stuff.

That weekend:

Well, the family watched Vicar of Dibley with me, and they could not stop laughing, and they LOVE Dawn French. SO thought the show was hilarious, and he and I have belly laughed repeatedly at the Comic Relief clip. It was so good to watch something with the family that had Richard Armitage in it and they liked it! Made me feel less like a kid with a flashlight under the covers. SO did ask who the tall guy was, and I said he was from another show called North and South. To which he said, “You mean the DVD you got from Amazon?” I didn’t think he noticed that. He’s more alert about those things than I realized. He always surprises me because he never seems to notice details and yet he always does. Why do I always think he’s oblivious. He’s never been oblivious. I wonder if he’s noticed my new love of the exclamation point.

See Diary Part 8 here.

Screencaps courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.com

April 23, 2010
Categories: SO, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: Harry Kennedy, punctuation, Richard Armitage, screencaps . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 2 Comments

RAddicts-R-Us

So I’ve been sharing these diary entries in an attempt to show how someone descends into this madness, and I’m only just beginning. I have never spent as much time on something frivolous as I have this fangirling (is that a word?) over Richard Armitage. But of course I’m doing this as a public service, so that the rest of you don’t feel like such nuts. ;-)

I promise to throw in more media even if it’s something you’ve seen a thousand times. Can we look at these pictures enough?

I said I love his jawline, and this is where it started, and if you don’t know which picture is under the link, then you’re not really a fan of RA. LOL!

A few more for your pleasure: