Is There an Elephant in the Room?

January 13, 2012

Friggatriskaidekaphobia or “Fear of Friday the 13th” is with us again. This year will be especially bad. Occurrences of Friday the 13th from year to year vary from one to three, but in 2012 there will be five at 13 week intervals. Even if nothing happens, the possibilities must be terrific for those who are superstitious. Personally, I’ve only thought about the number 13 with fondness, and more especially when it’s on Friday as my father was born on Friday the 13th. He was a happy man most of his life and encouraged me to laugh at things like superstition, but unfortunately, he also encouraged me to avoid disappointment, which I often manifested as superstition. For too many years of my life I did everything I could to keep from being disappointed to the degree I didn’t talk about anything that really excited me. People had to pay close attention to figure out what I was passionate about. I believed that if I expressed my excitement overtly, it would be a jinx. So I kept my mouth shut about anything I really loved except for my children. They were too overwhelming for me to remain silent and withdrawn. In every other area I was on guard about ever feeling a tinge of let down and yet was continually let down. The thing I was trying to avoid I was wallowing in daily.

So what does all of this have to do with Richard Armitage? Well, he will be one of thirteen “dwarves” and the second Hobbit movie will come out on December 13, 2013 which is a Friday. Horrors! ;=) That aside, this fear of disappointment does factor into the dynamic his current fans are experiencing with his coming performance in ‘The Hobbit’. Some are afraid to let themselves get pumped up. The Frenz of old would have certainly been too cool to ever get caught up in the excitement and would have expressed caution to others. Thank God the old Frenz is on the wane, and the new one is having a blast feeling the thrill. And of course the question is out there, oh yeah, it’s still out there: couldn’t RA disappoint the public and me as well? Yes, he could, but I’m not going to dwell on that especially since it may not even happen. If it does, I’ll deal with it. And superstition can take its fat, capricious self back to the corner and stay there.

Once again I’ve mixed metaphors or bordered on it. I’m glad I haven’t let my fear of doing that, of not getting things perfect or darn near (how arrogant to think I could), stop me from writing this blog.

January 13, 2012
Categories: Fandom, Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 25 Comments

Whence Richard

It’s becoming obvious a chunk of folk are wondering about Richard Armitage’s official website. There isn’t one, and the topic has been debated for years by the fandom. The closest he’s come to having something official is RichardArmitageOnline, which has become by default the bearer of his messages but still technically an unofficial site. A lovely woman by the name of Annette runs the site, and we all appreciate her being there to ensure we are privy to Richard’s remarks to us.

There are three other places I would recommend for getting some good info on Richard:

RichardArmitageNet.Com — run by Ali, who is a love to all of us.

Richard Armitage Central — run by some indefatigable ladies. Seriously, I’m astounded at the work they do.

The Armitage Army — a forum that boasts its existence as the first Army site. You don’t know about the Army? Hang around. :D

For anything else, check out ‘Places to Get a Fix’ or the ‘Addict List’.

January 12, 2012
Categories: Fandom . Tags: , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

Housekeeping and Profanity

Those two can certainly go together, and when you blog about a celebrity who is potentially making his way to the ‘A’ list, there’s going to be some profanity. Oh, not from me most of the time, and not about the housekeeping on this blog. I’ve loved that, and long said Richard Armitage should bottle his ability to make housekeeping fun. What I’m talking about are the search terms from people trying to figure out ‘who the hell is Richard Armitage,’ or more so lately ‘who the fuck is Richard Armitage.’ The latter one I hadn’t seen until after ‘The Hobbit’ trailer making me conclude that the incidence of that phrase is directly proportional to his rise in fame. The MTV interview definitely escalated the occurrences.

It had crossed my mind to change the title of my page about him because I do laugh when I read the question, but I can’t do that to him. I’ll leave that to the Tumblrs. :D For those who frequently access the ‘Tumblr’ page, I’ve consolidated it with the ‘Addict List’. ‘Admin Notice’ has also been added to the left sidebar, so if something seems wonked up, check there to see what may have been done. If there’s no notice of a major change, then the site might have a problem, so please send me a note to let me know as I might be the one who’s wonked.

I’m also debating about getting rid of some categories. I’m not sure they’re used much, but tags are limited on the home page. So maybe I’ll start a tags page? It’s amazing how I get on this blog to escape mundane tasks, and I still can’t get away from them.

I was going to embed a picture, but my header is sufficient. It sums up the mood.

January 12, 2012
Categories: Housekeeping, Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 1 Comment

Going Mainstream

There is a new interview with Richard Armitage at MTV. Wow! I never thought to use those two names in the same sentence.

Jan 11 2012 5:00 PM EST
Richard Armitage’s Journey To ‘The Hobbit’ Best ‘By Far’
The U.K. actor is Middle-earth’s most badass dwarf and One to Watch in 2012.

By Kevin P. Sullivan

This winter, director Peter Jackson will deliver the long-awaited return to Middle-earth. “The Hobbit,” which will unfold across two films, begins with “An Unexpected Journey,” as Bilbo Baggins leaves to win back gold stolen from his companions. But these are not just any friends. Bilbo is accompanied by 13 dwarves, each with a larger-than-life personality.

The leader of these adventurers, Thorin, will be played by Richard Armitage, who made a brief appearance in “Captain America: The First Avenger,” but will get his biggest Stateside break in “The Hobbit.” The British actor played a key role in last month’s trailer and will soon join the illustrious ranks of Tolkien alumni, alongside Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean and Orlando Bloom.

We spoke with Armitage about traveling to Middle-earth, the difficulty of working under pounds of makeup and leading a band of treasure-seeking dwarves.

MTV: Congratulations on being named to MTV’s Ones to Watch!

Richard Armitage: Thank you very much!

MTV: Where are you currently in the filming schedule?

Armitage: We just finished up our second block, so we start again at the end of January, and then we go — we think it’s the end of July. Then there’s a bit more in 2013, we reckon.

Read the rest here.

Wonder how all of this is going to look when we get the full court press.

January 11, 2012
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 24 Comments

In Case You Were Wondering

There has been a lot of talk in RA universe about the significance of Richard Armitage’s character to the Hobbit movies. Would he be as major a character as many hoped? I’ve witnessed countless discussions and yes, debates about this subject, and now it seems that someone a bit on the inside has given an answer:

‘The Hobbit’ Countdown, Character Guide: Who Is Thorin Oakenshield? (And We Don’t Just Mean Richard Armitage)
By Larry D. Curtis Jan 10, 2012

Larry D. Curtis, as part of the team at TheOneRing.net, has been comprehensively covering the works and adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien for more than a decade, making the not-for-profit site the leading source about The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings for fans and film makers world wide. Curtis is one of the lead content producers for the site and represents it at conventions and press functions. You can read his The Hobbit Countdown here at Movies.com every other week. You can reach him at MrCere@TheOneRing.net.

One crazy thing about the two Hobbit movies coming out the next two Decembers: it has one giant cast. Sure Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films had a Fellowship of nine to deal with, but they were different races (elves, dwarves, men, wizards and hobbits), and there were fewer of them while these new films are stuffed with mostly dwarves! And, the Fellowship splintered near the end of the first film, allowing us to cut from one group to another. (And to be honest, some viewers confessed to being occasionally confused between Merry and Pippin.)

snip….

So when we see Thorin in Bilbo’s house, he carries with him the physical remnant of his family’s legacy: a map showing the secret entrance back into The Lonely Mountain. He also carries with him the failure of his fathers and the hope of his people. Like his father before him, he is taking his kinsmen and heading back — with a burglar and a wizard — to reclaim his kingdom. He will drive the dwarves, and the film, with this desire that may at times boarder on obsession. But hey, if a dragon burned and ate your family, lived in your underground castle (not the one that a balrog lives in during The Lord of the Rings) and slept on your pile of gold and jewels, you might obsess a little as well.
Audiences for the newest Middle-earth films will have 13 of these bearded dwarven fellows to keep track of and they will nearly always be together. Making each a distinct character is a big challenge for Jackson and company and the images released so far make it clear that the design team went to great lengths to help the audience tell at a glance which of the revenge-minded adventurers is which.

That doesn’t mean readers will need to wait for the films though because Movies.com has you, and the collection of characters, completely covered. We know the difference between Bifur and Bofur and Fili and Kili and if you stick with us, so will you. But the dwarf who is most likely to become a household name is the more fully titled Thorin Oakenshield and we think not only will we have an unforgettable character on the first Hobbit day (Dec. 14, 2012, the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) but also the actor Richard Armitage will become a household name. While there are many who know and love the English actor, that day and the films, will change his career forever.

Read all of it here.

emphasis mine

Thoughts?

January 11, 2012
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 18 Comments

Some Awesomeness

More Musicilove and no Richard Armitage again except I’ll bet he’s known some violinists. :D

Found this below while surfing around for the last post about Vitamin String. Actually I found quite a few wonderful talents, but I have to highlight this guy:

Isn’t YouTube something as well. Might give the notion that the web will become the next entertainment platform. ;-)

And here’s one to maybe convince those who aren’t big on Katy Perry:

I’m going to stop now. If you run across anything else of interest, let me know.

In the meantime, I keep a list on Twitter aptly named musicilove. I also use it as a placeholder for talent I’m checking out.

January 11, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: Leave a comment

You Just Think You’re Not a Gaga Fan

No, this isn’t more about the perception of fans. This is another post in the series of Musicilove and not much related to Richard Armitage except a cello.

Several years ago I stumbled onto Vitamin String Quartet. They are a group of musicians in Los Angeles who have done countless covers of classic rock artists. My first introduction was to their arrangement of a favorite Nirvana song:

I’ve listened to literally hundreds of their covers and love quite a few, but my favorites are from the Gaga album that came out in 2010. Many reading this blog like Lady Gaga’s music, but there are a few of you who have dismissed her because of her silliness and only see something like this in your mind’s eye when her name is mentioned:


Lady Gaga riding a zip line into a show for Good Morning America in Bryant Park in NYC

Don’t let that keep you from listening. Trust me. You’re going to like it:

You can check out their other albums here, and give yourself plenty of time. It’s easy to get lost there. They have everything from 30 Seconds to Mars to Adele to Elton John to Pink Floyd to Metallica, and on and on and on. But they don’t have Britney Spears which is surprising. No problem. YouTube has everything. :D

note: Vitamin String does have one song by Britney. I want an album! LOL!

January 11, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 3 Comments

A Little Regression Therapy


[click to enlarge]

I had to post that screencap again. :D

And I can’t tell you who is the winner of the Guy Secrets contest, but it’s someone with big plans for Little Guy:

She will join a host of others who have no shame about their love for Little Guy:

Dhana, who was not content with just a Little Guy. She made a Little Lucas too complete with pea coat. :D

Kiteflier, whose Little Guy escapades were the first I saw in 2008. Don’t be a snob and miss out on that!

Some other exploits of Little Guy are in the Robin Hood folder on C19.

I’m sure there are some I missed. Feel free to show us your Little Guy! :D

For those who did not win, thank you for your entries and don’t despair. There will be another Little Guy contest sometime! In the meantime, some ‘i’ dotting and ‘t’ crossing for those who may wonder.


[click to enlarge]

The above is a screencap of the random selection. Number five in the slideshow was chosen.

Other than all of that, can someone tell me the absolute best way to ship a package to Italy. I’m thinking Fedex but open to better suggestions.

edit: I may have met my quota for at least six months on the use of the words “Little Guy”.

Screencaps courtesy of my stash.

January 10, 2012
Categories: PHWOAR!, Robin Hood . Tags: , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 7 Comments

I’m Feeling Alternately Relieved and Apprehensive

Since I posted about a certain celebrity, I’m getting some bizarre search referrals. Some make me snicker, some make me gasp, and some make me scratch my head. But all of it makes me realize I have never been privy to this kind of examination of Richard Armitage. The one who will not be named has some seriously rabid fans. Oh yeah, “peaches” are tame by comparison. So rest easy my fellow fangirls; I don’t think we have anywhere near the craziness going on that the man who likes to wear a kilt has.

I’m starting to feel a little sorry for him, and of course can’t help but wonder when all of this craziness will hit the object of our affection. Will this still be fun when it does? I honestly don’t know. I do know one thing though. You think I’m snarky now? When that fodder comes into my path, I will not be able to resist it. Just giving warning.

Yes, yes, yes, we need a picture!


[click to enlarge]

Of course I know G*rry has some very nice fans, and the ones reading this are probably thinking, “Just wait; you’ll find out what it’s like!” Oh my, I’m not sure I want to. At least we have until the fourth quarter before things get really nuts.

Screencap courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.com

January 9, 2012
Categories: Fandom, Robin Hood . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 46 Comments

A Few Items of Note From Down Under

[Note: It’s come to my attention that I have misapplied the description of Oz to NZ and neither parties like it! So this post is now titled “A Few Items of Note From Down Under and Slightly to One Side.” Thank you for the suggestion, Maegwen. :D]

I was awaiting the return of Joanna Scarratt and her report from New Zealand. In my head the report had taken on a life of its own. For those not familiar, Joanna is part of the Brand Partnership Department at United Agents, and my snark gene wants to go off on what it means to develop Richard Armitage as a brand. Tough work but someone has to do it. And the report? Wonderfully brief. You can read here. It confirms the idea that the first rule of branding is to leave the public wanting more. :D Maybe a shirt color would have been welcomed. It’s amazing what my mind can do with that little.

The bidding on Peter Jackson’s offer to host two people on ‘The Hobbit’ set is final, and the amount was a bit surprising to me. I made the assumption it would end with a much higher figure. Surely someone will take issue with my expectations, but I can’t help my gut reaction: c’mon, people! it’s Peter Jackson! Then again Peter Jackson is more low key and under the radar at times than I first imagined, and I suspect this unassuming demeanor is part of his charming heritage as a Kiwi. Net: if I had known the bidding was within my capabilities, I might have bid. SO has always wanted to go to New Zealand.

If I ever do go to New Zealand, I have to visit Lake Wanaka. The area is very familiar since friends and some acquaintances have visited, and it’s also the home of Jossi Wells, who spends a lot of time in my neck of the woods and is very well known here:

New Zealand has been on my bucket list for years. It’s obviously a beautiful place, but frankly, so is the area where I live. So the attraction to the country is not just its beauty, and no, this has nothing to do with Richard Armitage. Of all the people I’ve met from New Zealand (both face to face and online), to a person they have been down-to-earth. That is quite a statement about the country. I may have said this before, but it doesn’t matter. It’s significant enough that it bears repeating.

January 9, 2012
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 13 Comments

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