I can. He's mentioned several times that he finds some of the comments he receives offensive and/or hurtful. He generally takes it well but he's been kinda ambushed with it in the past year. I can't see him making a huge issue out of it, but I was rather wondering when he'd get tired of all the bullshit.

But yes, ALL articles should be taken with a grain of salt. They pick and choose their quote and create their own context. Who knows what he actually said, to whom, following what question/statement.

Last edited by Wholocked (August 14, 2012 1:10 am)

The Daily Mail Online posted an interview with BC about how he's sick of 'posh bashing', that is:

"He's got a posh name, a posh education and plays the part of posh characters.
That makes Benedict Cumberbatch a prime candidate for ‘posh-bashing’."

"‘All the posh-bashing that goes on. I wasn’t born into land or titles, or new money, or an oil rig.’
The 36-year-old added he was often ‘castigated as a moaning, rich, public-school b*****d, complaining about only getting posh roles’.
‘It’s just so predictable, so domestic, and so dumb. It makes me think I want to go to America.’"

In what must be the ultimate case of 'the grass is always greener', does BC really think Americans are any different? Instead of "posh" I believe we call it "elitism" - for example, politicians (usually Democrats) are often 'put down' for having attended elite, Ivy League schools.

As much as legions of American BBC Sherlock fans would love for you to move here, I fear you wouldn't find things much different - in fact along with similar 'posh bashing' is an enormous amount of hypocrisy that coincides with it: continuing my example above, the same politician that 'calls out' another politician for being an 'elitist' often went to the same Ivy League school.

So it goes...

We would make him very welcome in Michigan.

There's a thread on this also here: http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=1596

I know that you can't believe everything what's in the newspapers.
But it was late, I was tired ... well, you know... 
And then I read this "I think about going to the US" and thought "See, I knew it! All for success." And yes, normally it doesn't matter where one lives, but somehow I was thinking soon he will be "lost" in those big Hollywood productions. And no Sherlock anymore, etc. .....
But I feel a bit different this morning, so no problem guys! 

What he says is not so much derogatory as true.  Invited snobbery is alive and kicking in the UK. Trying to put down those who are successful in any walk of life is something of a national pastime. He may think that moving to the US may provide more anonymity combined with pretty much all English people sound posh anyway. The US is typically viewed here in the UK as a class-less society. His complaint seems to be that people judge his work on who he is, or at least with his background the stereotypical view of who he is, rather than him being judged upon the quality of his work. He may also feel that the roles he is being offered here are being limited by his upbringing etc. and that this will be less of a problem in the US.

I hope this is the right thread for this and that it's not yet been posted elsewhere, but I just found and watched this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFT3awZrL3k

And don't really know what to think about it. I'm neither English nor American, so I'm probably not able to judge this. 

But what I do know is that what's happening to Benedict now because of these few lines is really horrible and totally exaggerated.

From http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/290900.html:

Meaning
Competing against someone who you are no match for.
Origin
The different classes of contestants in boxing matches are distinguish by the weight of the competing boxers - heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight, flyweight etc. The sport is regulated so that only boxers of the same weight fight each other. Someone from a lighter weight wouldn't be expected to have much chance if 'punching above his weight' against a heavier fighter.

The term is often used figuratively in situations where someone finds themselves competing outside their usual class; for example, the Irish comedian Graham Norton described that, since becoming well-known, he was able to attract better-looking partners than previously and that he was 'punching above my weight' when it comes to relationships.

Although I'm not quite sure about the "secret" thing. Our Brits should be able to explain that, I guess.

Wholocked wrote:

I think he should move to Australia and commute.

I second that emotion. All those in favour, say aye, motion carried, citizenship granted,plane ticket on the way.