BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Let's talk all things lovely about Ben...

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 5:55 pm

Come on, guys, have some self-irony. I think it's hilarious.

**Posted by Liberty** October 15, 2016 6:30 pm

It is funny, yes. Clever that it makes an actual word!

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 7:25 pm

I've tried to copy and paste a definition of cumbersome here, but obviously I can't.
Have you all read it?

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 7:29 pm

There isn't a definition? It' s just fun.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 7:33 pm

Cumbersome means: awkward, badly organised, clumsy, large, heavy, inconvenient,inefficient, slow, unmanageable, ungainly, unwieldy, wasteful and difficult to carry,

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** October 15, 2016 7:35 pm

I just googled it too, yeah... I know it was a bit of fun, and I won't be offended... but now that's a clever 'insult' (sorry, insult is too strong a word)

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 7:36 pm

Well in the English language, it certainly isn't a complimentary word.

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 7:47 pm

I shouldn't have shared it.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 7:48 pm

I'd seen it on Twitter, anyway!

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 7:54 pm

It seems I'm one of the few fans with a sense of self-irony.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 8:07 pm

In what sense is it 'self-irony'?
For me it's either accurate or it isn't...though to be fair, possibly only for 'some'!

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 8:22 pm

I think that either you see it or you don't? I've never bothered Ben. Never written anything negative about him online, never queued up and screamed at him, never seen him him in real life - and still I see the irony, am proud to be Cumbersome and think it's hilarious.

That's why I think that either you see it or you don't.

Last edited by Vhanja (October 15, 2016 8:26 pm)

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 8:25 pm

Well the problem for me is that I do see it.
I think that only some fans, but also some Media are indeed 'Cumbersome'.
I know I am not. For like you: I've never even approached for an autograph/photo etc...though to be fair, I once visited Gower St to watch a few hours filming of one scene.

**Posted by JP** October 15, 2016 8:49 pm

besleybean wrote:
Cumbersome means: awkward, badly organised, clumsy, large, heavy, inconvenient,inefficient, slow, unmanageable, ungainly, unwieldy, wasteful and difficult to carry,

Well, it's a(ny) fandom in a nutshell.
I also see self-irony in the "other" word. But as soon as an outsider uses it, it becomes an insult. Because they take it seriously.
This new one might share this fate as well.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 8:53 pm

I mean it's no big deal for me...
It's just it was mentioned on here and so I've responded to it.
I don't think it's as bad as 'Cumberbitch'. It's not as cute as 'Cumber Cookie' and for me it's not as empowering as 'Cumber Collective'.
The difference with this term is that it comes from Benedict(albeit via Tilda) himself, rather than form the Fandom...at least he is claiming it.
So does he see the fans as 'cumbersome'?

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** October 15, 2016 9:19 pm

There's two types of fans.... Type A. the ones who respect their idol and their privacy and type B. those who don't.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 9:23 pm

Good analogy!

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 9:34 pm

I agree. I'm firmly in camp A - and STILL find the term hilarious, and am proud to be a Cumbersome.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2016 9:35 pm

I'm proud to be part of The Cumber Collective!

**Posted by SusiGo** October 15, 2016 9:51 pm

I never really understood why we need an umbrella term at all. It started with the Cumberbitches which is very four years ago. But I have no idea why people come up with new terms again and again. I do not see the point. I am his fan and proud of him. This is enough for me.