Stephen Fry

So, what do we make of this article?

Stephen Fry: The most annoying man in Britain?

Generally, I do love Stephen Fry. Jeeves & Wooster, Melchitt, QI, and the delightful documentary about the printing press (please make more along such lines).

But I must agree with a few of the points about Twittering. (I think this is largely the nature of Twitter though, rather than Fry or his specific use of it.) I've found myself rather tired and even annoyed on occasion at some of the things he's 'tweeted'. And yes, much the same as changing the channel away from a TV programme I don't like, I could stop reading or following him, but that's not the point. Not major things, just little bits and pieces here and there.

Perhaps it is a case of the old adage that one should never meet one's heroes - and through Twitter, we're exposed to our celebrity idols in a similarly personal, un-broadcast-sanitised manner? It shatters the illusion, exposes us to what may be, in our opinions, their more dull sides, whilst leaving out the personable familiarity that would counter that, if we knew them in the 'real world', whatever the flip that is.

But on the other points, the article is cobblers.

That article is total and utter bollocks with absolutely no basis in reality whatsoever. If Stephen Fry's stardom was in the decendency, I think we'd all know about it by now. His biggest critics seem to be rather petty and jealous showbiz types who wish they had one tenth of his popularity and wealth.

I can't wait for the next article Last Chance to See - a fascinating insight into man's influence on a balanced eco-system and the disasterous effects of extinction...or fat poof looks at some animals?

I call arse.

I can't stand Stephen Fry. "a stupid person's idea of what an intelligent person looks like" from the article seems pretty accurate.

I have read on more than four or five occasions that he is a genius. At what? He's a good comedy actor and he can do accents but what else?

I read that article the other day and felt it was just a bit of an inevitable back-lash piece against the "national treasure" status that Stephen Fry has had thrust upon him in recent years. It was bound to come at some stage.

I don't Twitter so that aspect of Stephen doesn't impact on me. He has been a bit ubiquitous on TV & radio over the last couple of years. Perhaps he's used too much to front shows, but that is as much the fault of the producers as of him accepting such work. I adore QI and like his documentaries. (Though the American tour suffered from the scale of its ambitions and was pleasant, but not that informative.)

His overall body of work is wonderful though. I would like to see him direct a couple more films, as I thought he did a great job as writer-director of Bright Young Things.

The "bourgeois" comments that he made about the expenses row was unfortunate. I don't agree with him on that, but remember they were made after he had a microphone thrust under his nose outside an awards ceremony, not volunteered after careful consideration.

As for his intelligence, well it may be an image he trades on a bit, but not one that I feel he has deliberately tried to craft. Occasionally he is overbearing and a tiny bit pompous, but then (especially given his mental health) he shouldn't be expected to be perfect. I think a lot of us would miss him if he were gone.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ September 10 2009, 2:40 AM BST

I can't stand Stephen Fry. "a stupid person's idea of what an intelligent person looks like" from the article seems pretty accurate.

I have read on more than four or five occasions that he is a genius. At what? He's a good comedy actor and he can do accents but what else?

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His books are fun. And although Stephen Fry in America was tediously glib (and I wasn't wowed by his printing press documentary either), there are much worse programs on TV. I probably would find Fry annoying if I read his tweets.

I like Stephen Fry to a point, always been very amusing and so on, but the near deification of him by some f**king idiots is vomit inducing. He's a clever, funny man, but to hang on his every word like some people seem to is f**king pathetic.

Quote: Aaron @ September 10 2009, 2:22 AM BST

But I must agree with a few of the points about Twittering.

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I don't Twitter, or follow anyone on Twitter; all I've got are his TV appearances and his books to go on, and they're marvellous.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ September 10 2009, 7:49 AM BST

He's a clever, funny man, but to hang on his every word like some people seem to is f**king pathetic.

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I think a lot of people take against me for the same reasons.

As for the Twitter business. I used to follow him, but he's a massively tedious twitterer. And his tweets certainly aren't anything special.

I don't get involved much in Twitter. What do users get from it? What am I missing out on?

Quote: Nogget @ September 10 2009, 11:29 AM BST

What am I missing out on?

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My excellent tweets for a start! Other than that, nothing. It's rubbish.

So let me get this straight, Stephen Fry is a comedian, comic actor, script writer, novelist, theatre actor, voice over artist, panel show host, film actor, documentary reporter, film director, journalist, charity fundraiser and all round British institution.

But his Tweets aren't very good.

That's all I need to know - hang, draw and quarter the big fat queer bastard now!

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ September 10 2009, 12:26 PM BST

So let me get this straight, Stephen Fry is a comedian, comic actor, script writer, novelist, theatre actor, voice over artist, panel show host, film actor, documentary reporter, film director, journalist, charity fundraiser and all round British institution.

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He's not a particularly good novelist, documentary reporter, film director, or journalist.

The Liar as very good. And The Hippopotamus was excellent. The other couple weren't up to much though, I agree. And he deserves a lifetime award just for Saturday Night Fry IMO. Have you watched Bright Young Things out-of-interest, Chip? I thought he actually directed that very well, it's not an easy novel to translate to screen.

To all those who don't like Stephen's Tweets - you should have made Mitch Benn the King of Twitter when you had the chance.

Quote: chipolata @ September 10 2009, 12:31 PM BST

He's not a particularly good novelist,

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Aw, I like the books I've read of his.