BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / How much does real life play into the shows/books/artists you support?

**Posted by besleybean** September 23, 2014 7:31 pm

What you mean apart from his drunken, homophobic, mysoginistic, xenophobia?!

**Posted by Davina** September 26, 2014 8:45 am

Ha BB! Personally I think it would depend upon where the information about the actor's views was coming from. Directly from the horse's mouth or via an interview in the Press . I am innately suspicious of the Press, so would want further corroboration. Also some actors/writers avoid publicity and so it is actually hard to know what their views really are. The Press are also really good at using photos to tell the story they want to tell. As for the ones who are clearly nasty, yes it would put me off. Never really liked Tom Cruise much and Mel Gibson was only any good in the Mad Max Movies (in my opinion).

**Posted by tonnaree** September 26, 2014 10:58 am

besleybean wrote:
What you mean apart from his drunken, homophobic, mysoginistic, xenophobia?!

Oh. That.

What I meant was that he managed to hide all that for years so he was well into his career before I realized what an ass he is. So I was wondering if there was always something about him that put you off.

**Posted by besleybean** September 26, 2014 4:16 pm

I was possibly late to the party!

**Posted by A lovely light** September 26, 2014 7:24 pm

Well good for me that i don't like Cruise (with the exception of Magnolia where he is great, i think Cruise is massive overraten) or Gibson as actors to be further influenced in liking their work by their stupid choices.

But what doesn't influence me in liking someone works, and i see this as being very important for some people, especially between the woman
- if the celebrity smokes
- if he / she is or is not vegan /vegetarian/ fat/fit / / / ...
- if he/she gives autographs or makes fotos at whatever (un)appropaite time of the day
- if he /she supports or not the causes i support (i cannot cover with my support all causes either)
- if she /he cheats his /her wife /husband or get divorced

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 7:53 am

Ok, a few different themes to tease out here.
I can think somebody is good at their job, but not particularly like their work.
I can think somebody is good at their job, like their work, but not particularly like what I know of them.
I can think somebody is good at their job, I like their work, think they are gorgeous and a lovely person...but still not 'fancy' them.
I can think somebody is gorgeous...but useless in every other aspect!
Those are(some of?) the generalities, now to try and be a bit more specific.
Benedict: is currently my fave actor.
I think he is the top actor currently working, anywhere in the world.
I love his work.
I think he is a gorgeous man and intelligent and interesting. But two points on this:
1. I have always said, as a fat, grey, 50+ woman, I've never been under any delusions that we could actually meet and something happen between us(who knows, for some fan girls it could have been a possiblilty).
2. But added to that now, something has changed in the last year. It seems almost blatantly obvious that Benedict is with the love of his life. Because of that, I find any of the fan girl stuff incerasingly difficult to deal wih because for me, quite frankly I find it totally inapprorpriate.
We are human and cannot help how we react to a man who we find attractive, for whatever reason.
I also know that this forum should be a safe home for us to share.
But I have once before switched off the picture thread and I know I should really stay away, because for me: Benedict is not on the market anymore and I feel we should just be happy for him.
It just feels wrong to lust over somebody else's man.

ADDENDUM: if other people are disinterested or don't care about Benedict smoking: fine, that's up to them.
But I reserve the right to be concerned about his addiction for 2 reasons:
1. His health
2. The effect on his fans.

Last edited by besleybean (September 27, 2014 9:34 am)

**Posted by Liberty** September 27, 2014 8:53 am

Those are interesting thoughts, Besleybean.

I'm a strong believer in the human right to a private life, and I think good celebrity crushes go bad when they become too intrusive (for the celebrity).   After all, our crushes aren't really on the person, but on their public persona.    I think the real person should be given privacy and distance.

However, I don't think celebrity crushes are a bad thing in general. I don't think it matters if the celebrity has a partner or not (or whether they're gay, etc.) - the whole point (I think) is that it's fantasy - it's not going to happen. It's safe.   I think that's why they are so popular with girls growing up (didn't we all have them? I know I did) - they're a safe way to practice those feelings of lust and adoration.

They're also safe to have when you're in a real life relationship. Having a crush on a real live person that you could have an affair with would be a serious risk to a relationship, if you ever lost control.    Crushing on somebody you don't know, have never met and aren't going to meet outside of getting an autograph is no risk at all.   (I go one step further and only seem to have crushes on fictional characters e.g. characters Benedict plays, characters in books, games, etc. Just try being unfaithful with one of them!).   It's just a fun way to play around with romantic feelings, and (I think) can be good for your relationship (it's pretty easy to shift those feelings to your adored, sexually compatible and beautifully available real life companion!).

I'm talking personally of course, and I know that for some the crushes are much more powerful, and actually become real (some celebrities do end up in relationships with fans), or more obsessive. And I suppose if having a celebrity crush means that you feel real life people can never measure up, then it could be negative and isolating.

I don't think it's wrong to lust over somebody else's man, Besleybean - it's what you do about it that counts. It's wrong (in my book) to seduce your friend's boyfriend. It's not at all wrong to admire a celebrity from a distance, regardless of their relationship status . (As long as you don't intrude on their life ... or adversely affect your own or other people's, I suppose).

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 12:48 pm

For me personally it is hard to deal with David Lynch's heavy involvement with TM.

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 2:35 pm

TM?

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 2:39 pm

Transcendental Meditation

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 2:55 pm

Oh well I suppose if it's just for relaxation...but yeah, teetering on the woo!

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 3:13 pm

I have no issues with a technique like meditation but I do have issues with spiritual businesses who claim to have the ultimate truth or technique and where you have to pay insane amounts of money for "enlightenment". I am per se highly suspicious of stuff which smells of cult for me.

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 3:17 pm

Well as they say, one man's cult is another man's religion.
I remain sceptical of them all.

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 3:22 pm

Same here. It is the money they want people to pay for a "personal" mantra which turns me off. And I had always thought of Lynch as a free spirit and I truly admire his work. But then I saw the doc "David wants to fly" and that prompted my research and it was very hard to swallow. There is that shadow now

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 3:28 pm

Of course, but his work is still amazing,

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 3:37 pm

It IS, BB!!! I have endless love for his work.
Edit .. interestingly enough he hasn't done much work since he fully indulged into his promotion of TM

Last edited by Lilith (September 27, 2014 3:40 pm)

**Posted by besleybean** September 27, 2014 3:40 pm

So evocative and stays with you for a long time...

Oh and I've just remembered the classic for me...
Charlton bloody Heston.
Won't give him a moment now, gun toting loon.

**Posted by Lilith** September 27, 2014 3:41 pm

↑↑↑ this !

**Posted by Russell** September 28, 2014 1:43 am

Very, very nice thoughts. Liked how you put the different aspects of it, besley, something I try to keep in mind as well (along with that 'nobody's perfect' and to not compare myself to them any more than people I actually do know), and the also mentioned 'fairness' of what we critique them for. Thankfully never went through that myself with someone I admired or at least never heard about any "scandal" (was never really fans of the people already mentioned), but there was definitely sympathetic puzzlement/intrigue whenever I heard fuss about one of them - both for the fans, and on the part of the person, wondering how they could voice such hatred, being so public? Or with companies like those mentioned - yeah, easier to separate yourself from simply not buying their product.

Happens to plenty of people, but when you and your work are in the spotlight, it's kind of a shame… no one mentioned them yet, but remember how disappointed a lot of people seemed to be when this past year, both Woody Allen and Marion Zimmer Bradley (author of the favorite 'The Mists of Avalon') had children who spoke up with abuse allegations. Heard some very thoughtfully commentary, similar to comments here, about those who would still love their work, but were sad it was 'colored' by that knowledge now.

**Posted by besleybean** September 28, 2014 7:21 am

Yes, the Woody Allen one is a bit upsetting, but then, I don't think a massive surprise...thinking of some of his work.
Brilliant film maker.