Question: Do you enjoy Richard Armitage fan forums?101 people voted and here are the results:
Yes 81 (80%)
No 6 (5%)
Yes 81 (80%)
No 6 (5%)
Not a Member 13 (12%)
I've been banned 1 (0%)
So the YES vote took the cake this time by a long shot.
I think I know who was banned... you rebel you. (No, not me!)
I've personally had a love/hate relationship with forums. I've been a member of a couple for only a short time. At first, I had a few run-ins with forum mods when I posted links to this blog (since it contains info/speculation about RA's personal life and therefore considered "inappropriate.") It made me feel bad, as some of you may have been offended when being reprimanded by a forum moderator. I told one, "I feel like a kid in elementary school with a mean teacher!" (Yes, a bit dramatic of me, but that's how I felt.) Then I realized the forums have rules, and if I don't like them, I don't need to participate and there's no sense whining over it. (It would've helped if I read over the rules ahead of time -duh.) I'm an invited guest in the forums and need to respect their outlines... while this blog is my territory and I can say whatever I want here. (If I want to speculate about RA's personal life here, by golly I'm going to!) Since coming to terms with that balance, I have really enjoyed the forums and have met some lovely ladies from all over the world.
That being said, for those of you that voted NO... I've been there. I hope you have enjoyed this blog and feel that you have a home here. You are more than welcome to comment or send in RA pictures/info that can be added. (That goes for everyone.)
Those of you who don't belong to a forum and wish to join one,
here are a few that I know of. (If there are others, please feel free to add the link in the comments.)
C19- There is a Richard Armitage Section.
Click HERE.
The Armitage Army at Richard Armitage Central
Click HERE
The Armitage Army
Click HERE.
Charlie -Focused on the film RA is set to star in next year.
Click HERE.
*Thank you to Annie G. for sending in beautiful RA photo at the top!*
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12 comments:
It can definitely sting a bit to be reprimanded by a mod, and it can take a while to get a thick skin and keep on truckin'. But you've got a great attitude. Keep it up! :D
Whilst I have never been modded, I have detected a headmistress/pupil or a holier than thou attitude which I find patronising. They seem to think that they are the experts on all things RA and I too find this disturbing. An impression is given that they have some *special* relationship with RA which of course they don't; an impression which the unitiatated might believe! You are prepared to post pictures of RA which they would not and its a welcome breath of fresh air. Thanks and ditto - keep it up.
I have been a member of a fan forum(not a Richard one) and eventually became a Moderator and then an Administrator.
The webmistress that owned the website and forum had a very strict Stalkerazzi(pap pics and comments about personal life etc) policy and sometimes posters would break the rule and I other mods had the job of putting things right.
There was always a "rules" post on the forum but alot of "Newbies" in their excitement failed to read that first.
Most posters were ok and respected the rules but others thought you was being harsh and taking away the fun.
Sometimes we had posters that came on to stir up trouble and that caused real friction which ended up with posts being locked etc.
The thing is (and I am talking about any person in the public eye) they have eyes everywhere. Just because they might not visit forums personally they have people who do check places out and see whats being said about the person in question.
Getting back to Richard. His last message was so sad because it brought up some rubbish saying he had upset fans by making fun of the gifts he gets from them and he(yet again) feels he has to explain himself. I cringed reading that.
Richard gives us his acting talent and for some reason certain fans feel like he should give them more.
Thank Goodness for this place where you can have fun and share the love.
I voted not a member but could also vote no. I just tried to join the discussion in the CHARLIE forum 'cause I'm really interested in Richard's Italian project about WWII but ... quite ... may I say that? Silly points, not very interesting. Now they're even asking Richard's fans for money. Don't like it at all! This is my only experience in Forums. I prefer blogs and sites. Some blogs and sme sites, of course! ;-)
I was a member and left.
It was just as RAdored said - the mods/owner's implied impression that they had a special relationship with RA which, from my observations over time, were stretching the truth somewhat.
Then the cliques.
Some ladies were lovely, but the undertones were sufficient to leave me enjoying blogs, like this!
And also, although I hate to admit it, my adoration for RA has faded to a healthier enjoyment!
I voted "not a member."
It sounds like some of the previous commenters are the vocal minority since so many others voted that they liked the forums. (Just a guess?) I wouldn't know since I don't belong to any.
I also detected a bit of a haughty attitude among a couple of RA's fan sites. I guess I'm so insensitive (yes, I really mean that), that I don't care if some are that way. They have interesting info, and I can bear the chilly reception for a few minutes to get it.
I also have to acknowledge that there are some really nice people there as well, so I can ignore the ones who think too highly of themselves.
But hey, I've been on a couple of forums (not fan site forums) for years, and it's always a mixed bag: great people, nice people, forgettable people, and hateful people. Pretty much a reflection of the public. :D
Bzirk, I pretty much agree with your assessment. I'm a big forum junkie, I belong to all of them, and post on some more than others.
There are some members who are aloof, I guess you'd say, but they don't bother me. Plenty of people are friendly and crazy, just the way I like it.
I've had my wrist slapped a few times at one of the forums, mostly for mistakenly posting copyrighted material, and each time, the mod who contacted me was very gracious and almost apologetic for having to contact me. Maybe this was just my impression at the time, but I personally haven't been too put off by any of the moderators.
I think that sometimes the mods get overwhelmed if the forum is busy, and so sometimes might act a bit abrupt when contacting members about posting against guidelines, so this might account for some members feeling a bit abashed if they break forum rules. Kudos to Nat for taking her own brush with the moderators in stride. I think she's got the right attitude.
There are times, let's face it, when the mods have a bad attitude. I've seen that too. I try to stay on the forum that is the least crazy most of the time. (No, I won't tell you which one that is!) In truth, they ALL have great people on them.
I've never been modded on a RA fan site, but I have on a couple of others, and most of the time the mods do seem apologetic when they have to call you down. I too have also experienced a rude mod.
IMO, the whole key to being an admin, mod or merely a poster on a site is to not take things personally -- even if they're meant that way. This is a rule I live by on the net and in real life. It's served me well and kept me from having a nervous breakdown. I already did that when I was younger and don't care to go there again, so I don't get my knickers in a twist about someone I don't really know scolding me or thinking poorly of me. I'll submit to the scolding and they can get over their view of me. :D
Interesting discussion. I have a love/hate relationship with the forums but they can be an important form of contact for those who may be lonely or isolated. I agree with RAadored above that I get a sense of possessiveness of RA when reading some of the comments made by a few of the regular posters. There seems to be a very "in group".
I also feel that the attention and information gathering that happens when there is a hint of a new job is to the point of intrusive particularly when writers/directors/producers are contacted in person. (I actually thought this contacting people RA works with was against forum rules but I've never seen any modding happening. I'm sure it is somewhere in the AA rules).
Maria, I'm glad you've brought up the Charlie film and the plea for money. It just seems to me that this type of crowdfunding is taking advantage of the vulnerability of many fans who wish to show their support and loyalty for RA's work. I would have liked to have seen some discussion on the forums ... or at least some clarification or a position statement about where the forums actually stand when it comes to a filmmaker asking the fans for money (he has been allowed to join the forums so I wonder if that is inhibiting discussion. The fan forums all have links to the film forum where the investment advice is being posted which to me implies they condone what is happening). I have been very tempted to post on my blog ....
In short I try not to spend too much time on forums but often can't help myself ....
I try not to spend too much time on the fan forums either. (I have signed up for many of them.)
I used to spend a lot of time reading the threads. But once you get use to each one's format, you can pretty much:
Sign on.
Check out the latest posts.
Comment (if you choose to).
And sign off.
I voted YES - I enjoy them, because I view them as the easiest way to network with other fans to get the latest celeb info. I don't post on most...but there are a couple (I'm not revealing which ones).
On the two that I do enjoy, the rules aren't as strict and the Mods have reasonable guidelines. We ARE able to discuss RA and many other gorgeous actors without all of the wrist slapping - THANK GOODNESS.
That's pretty much what I do, Debra.
As for the Charlie forum, I'm glad to see others are uncomfortable with the solicitation. I joined that forum when it first started to keep up with when the movie may be coming out and frankly, to learn a little bit more about how movies are made. Blame it on my curious nature about almost everything. :D However, I've only checked the forum a few times since then and the last time was a few days ago when I saw the mention of contributing. Oh, I don't think soliciting for funds is terrible, but it did have an ick factor. Not sure how high yet.
Plus, I sensed a pretty powerful clique at work there, and I really don't care anything about that kind of stuff. Exclusivity has never appealed to me. I'm the type that wants to smash it when I see it, so it's best I stay away.
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