Sigh… such a magnificent otter. Okay, we have a few Cumbercrumbs today, mostly catch-up stuff from yesterday’s Cumberthon, with the Doctor Strange rumor and the release of Elle UK’s first excerpts. First of all, I think Elle UK sent out a press release with some quotes and a summary, because a lot of different outlets are running the Elle stuff with the same sentence: “Benedict – who was shot by photographer Mark Horn for ELLE UK – is currently in a relationship with Sophie Hunter but he admits the dating game has become more complicated since he became famous.” So… a confirmation that Sophie Hunter is the secret girlfriend? Yes. Just take it as a confirmation, even though we’ve known for MONTHS that he’s dating Sophie. And there are a few more quotes from the Elle piece:
Sherlock’s sexuality: “He’s asexual for a purpose. Not because he doesn’t have a sex drive, but because it’s suppressed to do his work. Cold showers, looking at a lot of dead bodies… that’ll do it for you.”
On playing geniuses in both The Imitation Game and Sherlock: “It [genius] is a very rich canvas to work with as an actor. Turing is so different to Sherlock. There’s a real subtlety about him; his flourishes aren’t flamboyant, he doesn’t think of himself that highly.”
The future: “I can imagine I’ll look back at this point in my life and think, ‘Wow that was really extraordinary’. But at the same time I hope I’m looking back and going, ‘Oh, that was the moment I got on with life and realized things beyond myself’. Without using words like ‘marriage’, ‘children’ and ‘family’ – although I have just used those words – put it this way: I hope I’ve got other people to look back with me at that point. I hope I’m surrounded by family.”
I don’t know why Bendy keeps getting asked to compare and contrast Alan Turing and Sherlock Holmes. It seems like a very tired line of questioning. But I could listen to him talk about Sherlock’s sexuality all day long.
Oh, and here’s the “secret project” Benedict did with the BBC. Because Bendy will literally do anything for the BBC. He’s their go-to guy. So he recited Hamlet’s “All the world’s a stage” speech for a BBC promotional ad for “A Lifetime of Original British Drama on the BBC.” All I can think is “velvet voice, hate the hair.” Oh, and yes he’s wearing a denim shirt. Of course.
Photos courtesy of Elle UK.
Oh thank God! We just haven’t had any Cumberbatch threads in like forever!
It’s Otter Week here at Celebitchy.
Otter MONTH, more like… I’ll have a glass of the house red, please.
hahahaha I KNOW!
Bivalves, anyone?🐚🐚🐚
•Punky•
Why thank you, my dearest. Shall we have a little wine to go with those bivalves? 🍷🍷
@LadySlippers – Yes. I prefer a cool, crisp Moscato. Sweet, yes, but so are the freshest bivalves. To you, my dear -🍷🍷
•Punky•
Treasures from the sea surely should be accompanied with a Chardonnay or a dry Reisling (German specifically).
@LadySlippers – not even a Piesporter?
😀
Those beautiful pics with the cool blue tones – he’d make such a great vampire. Sigh.
•Punky•
We shouldn’t add another adjective to his list — yes? No?
Oh yes. My femoral artery is his for the whiskering.
Ooooh, I wonder if he’ll dress up for Halloween!!!
I bet he goes as richard III.
His face looks good in the stairwell photo, but they dropped the contrast, all the way down, and pulled curves severely on the pants part, and it looks ridiculously obvious. The end result is that it looks like he is suspended over the stairs, doing a balance pee, so he doesn’t have to touch a toilet seat with his cheeks.
That is the balance pee of a man who is absolutely NOT Oscar campaigning.
Haha i thought that!
“He looks like me at a music festival portaloo”
Although id never touch the wall *shudder* its all about the thigh strength.
He’s ‘concentrating’ on something.
He’s concentrating but definitely not on Oscar; don’t want to splash while doing the balance pee.
It is all about the thigh strength and balance. Maybe he was drinking otter shots before this.
Bwaahahaha WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME I CAN’T UNSEE IT
Yeah, thanks so much. There will be retribution. I cannot sanction your buffoonery. Good day.
AWW, I hate you, *Gives hug.*
Tater would never stoop to balance peeing.
Just saying.
Or Oscar campaigning.
Or thinking.
@Kiddo – That’s it. I’m returning the Bill Murray potato peeler I got you for Festivus.
Well if that is what he looks like when he stops to balance pee and not Oscar campaigning they should definitely include it in Richard 111 and Hamlet because it suits him. He actually looks like an attractive older man with a relaxed informal fashion sense and the lack of words helps as well.
But I love how Elle managed to Hiddles bomb the article by throwing in Tom’s name in the word association. Naughty Elle
icerose, I hope you’re not talking about Mr Potato Head.
@kiddo who is potato head???I was talking about Benny who actually happens to look very nice in these photos
If hes confirmed it then can they stop acting like idiots now?
Its already seriously affected my Cumberboner.
I think the Sophie Hunter part was just inserted by the Mirror journalist how originally wrote the article and that it has nothing to do with the original Elle article.
The rest of the outlets are just copying it word for word.
Elle most likely sent out a few quotes for the press and the rest is just filling in the blanks. Plently of other outlets are running the quotes without the SH part.
And who’s to say the press agency that caters to the rags (Bang Showbiz) didn’t add that? If the SH mention was in the original Elle article why would other outlets omit it?
And I just checked Yahoo, for example.
They go with: “In real life the actor is thought to be stepping out with theatre director and actress Sophie Hunter, who appeared with Benedict in the film Burlesque Fairytales five years ago.”
That doesn’t sound like a fact taken from the Elle article, but speculation.
Leo is correct–the SH mention only shows up in *one* reprint and it was from a tabloid. The Elle copy that was picked up by mainstream pubs didn’t have the mention, full stop. And it’s highly unlikely, given the quotes from the article already out there about dating and sex, that he mentions a LTR at all.
ETA: @Leo: Came here to add that, lol. It’s all still speculation.
Contact music can’t be trusted at all. They wrote that utterly bizarre article on SH a little while ago. So weird.
Isn’t Contact Music just a fancy tabloid? Or tabloid-ish? Are they considered an actual source-of-record for anything?
He makes me want float on my back and crack open oysters. Sigh…
Ha ha ha! Yes…
He makes me so happy. I want to wrap myself in the delicious velvet of his voice and float away.
Oooo oysters
Elle didn’t confirm he dates Sophie, it’s some Irish tabloid which did it.
Actually, it came for The Mirror and it was simultaneously published in The Irish Mirror.
So it doesn’t come from Elle, right?
Freebunny: No, it’s not from Elle. If it is from a press agency, which aggregates and distributes collected news stories to media outlets (and often have journos on staff who write news stories as well), it’s still likely the “news” was collected from rumors on the internet, thanks to the Mirror and Fail and was redistributed in the release from the agency. Double checked with a relative who works for a paper in Big City nearby and she confirms this is how they work with press agencies, at least in her department. Info is offered in packages and the paper takes the info and reprints, but the info comes from other papers or media sources nine times out of ten and is typically not new or written from whole cloth by someone at the agency.
Step off Sophie!
#SwiftBatchforever
*creates SwiftBatch tumblr*
*creates tumbler of vodka and grape kool-aid*
Seriously, post that in the right place, it’ll be in the Mirror tomorrow.
lol, Jaderu.
When was the last time we had a post on BC, a couple of months back right? Boy, it sure has been long? Bring his posts on!
I know am gonna be ripped to pieces for this but imho I get the vibe BC is bi. And NO the characters he played/playing has absolutely nothing to do with it.
He’s straight. He just has a lot of feminine energy, that’s all.
I will say all the Sophie is his girlfriend conspiracies are keeping him in the news, maybe not in the way he wants though.
Yeah, the whole thing really feeds my conspiracy theory of the “rumor mill” just keeping him talked about until some projects could be announced and take precedence. But I’m cynical lol.
Nene
Agreed. I generally stay away from these threads. It’s a select group of BC fans that go all school girl over him. I just don’t see it. And it only peeves me for 2 reasons.
1. Anyone expressing dislike over BC in a thread that asks Hot! Yay? or Nay?. And the flood gates open to bc attack dogs to al Nay sayers.
And 2. There are at least 2 BC threads in 1 day taking time away from other stories we have to discuss on our own in random threads or the links page.
Sometimes the 2nd BC thread is hidden. You go in with anothers face and name used, but BAM! Inside BC has taken over… Like an actor telling a funny story that happens to include BC. Thread never stood a chance.
I have a few commenting friends here so i’ll leave them to their Moscato and otter realness.
•Florc•
I’m wounded. Deeply wounded.
*slowly bleeds on floor*
*reaches for the last dribble of wine before expiring*
😉
However, people can and do express negative thoughts on BC posts but it actually HAS gotten nasty and that’s why some people overreact because it can quickly get out of hand (I’ve seen threads where a lot of comments get the ax — it’s been that nasty).
Kaiser is solidly a Cumberb!tch (and a Dragonfly). Unfortunately it appears as if you have not gotten infected. If we could meet — I would pull the CumberVirus from quarantine and infect myself. There is no known cure. Just remember — the virus isn’t fatal — it just makes otters, horselike men, vampires, and gangly geeks look sexy. That’s all. 😉
Really? His posts have been pretty mixed over the last year, and sometimes it gets really nasty.
I thought I was coming down with something. Silly me thought it was a cold..
@FLORC, I agree with LadySlippers and An. Ben’s posts have been quite mixed recently. I think the source of the increased snarkiness towards him is a surge in his PR antics (understandable since Oscars are coming, but I don’t think ANY actor could get away with opening a shoe shop here on CB lol) and a deluge of Cumberbatch posts here, many of which are actually non-news. I think it’ll die down when the frenzy is over and we’re back to much less but more substantial Cumberbatch news.
Interesting! I read it in like three places yesterday with a note it came from the Brampton guardian instead of a reporter’s byline–would that be due to a press agency thing? Asking seriously, not being sarcastic. Usually, when I see a story with another paper/media source in the byline, it means they got the info from that source and reprinted it directly.
Sorry–this is in the wrong spot. Deleted the comment… nothing to see here, move along.
I’ve no clue. Some ran it without the line about Hunter, which first appeared in a tabloid so…?
Lord, love the man and his acting but I’m going to have to build up an immune resistance if he’s going to be doing this until February/March. Too much.
Mazza
If he campaigns and it gets covered here even twice a week of laying it on thick there will be backlash.
What’s happening? Is the quote from Elle?Is it coming from BC’s people?Or BC himself?
Or is it bulls**t?
It was only yesterday that it was dismissed as be.What’s changed?
no worries, Kazlock It is not from Elle. It is either from a press agency (which are not gods and some even cater to tabs, as Leo pointed out) or from a single source. There is no “evidence,” it’s all speculation. He has not said he’s dating her, there’s no big reveal, there’s no “proof” like the folks on EB keep wanting/claiming to have. BC’s people didn’t release a quote, nor did the man himself. Also as Leo pointed out, sources such as Yahoo point out it’s speculation by saying he is “believed to be dating” her, which is a nice CYA way of saying “we don’t know but that’s a rumor going around so we’ll go with it but be careful about it.”
Elle posted the entire interview. I thought it was good.
No mention of SH.
One click baity comment with nothing to support it but it was not about SH and was par for the course with Elle and their interviews with popular actors.
You do know that quote was taken from a tabloid and just reprinted, right? Please stop believing everything you read.
This
Re the Sherlock is Asexual thing… It’s interesting how he keeps insisting on that while the writers don’t. I’m not saying they are making him a “lustful cock monster” but that they do touch on his sexuality–not having sex isn’t the same as asexual. Asexual is asexual. Not having sex is being celibate.
This! I’m asexual and Benedict seems to have no clue what that means. He never seems to truly get Sherlock either, oddly enough!
He’s not saying he doesn’t understand asexuality, he’s saying Sherlock just isn’t an asexual, which I agreed with. Where has this concrete notion amongst fans come from that he is anyway?
I’m sorry but did you read this article? :/ He just said: “He’s asexual for a purpose. Not because he doesn’t have a sex drive, but because it’s suppressed to do his work.”
That is not understanding asexuality at all.
The fact he said “Sherlock is asexual” kind of made a lot of fans believe that. His quote in the Elle article is actually “He’s asexual for a purpose” which, if he wanted to be correct, should be he is celibate for a purpose. He’s mentioned in past interviews that he feels Sherlock is asexual, using that word exactly.
yeah he may have added another tier to that fave is problematic page but at the same time, it is another tier where he is either taken out of context or has no clue what the hell he is talking about.
I think he’s just using the word incorrectly. Asexuality as an orientation is widely misunderstood and misrepresented (my primary partner is Demisexual so there’s a lot of AVEN stuff in the house and a lot of education going on lately) and it’s easy to say “Oh, he’s asexual” when you mean “he’s celibate”, but (and this is my opinion and not meant to dictate the opinions of others) I wish he’d understand that he’s misusing the term and that it is hurtful to some people when that happens (no matter if it’s BC misusing it or the guy at the corner store or whomever).
The entire Sherlock crew incorrectly calls Sherlock a psychopath (or sociopath) and he’s not. At all.
So it wouldn’t surprise me if they (or just BC) thinks the words celibate and asexual can be interchanged. They are very similar but that doesn’t mean they’re synonyms.
Unless I have missed something, asexual as a word has multiple definitions and doesn’t just refer to the orientation.
@Miss Mary I agree -there discourse on the definition Asexuality is just opening up beyond many people’s current understanding.
I don’t watch the show but the original character is indeed asexual. He shows no interest in women (or sex, or family, or marriage) apart from intellectual interest in the problems they bring to him. The only woman he appears to admire is one who out-witted him, and since hardly anyone ever does that it’s perfectly natural that he would hold her in some sort of esteem. But he does so not for her beauty or any other sexual attribute but because of her brain. It’s more like recognizing and appreciating genius in another than being attracted to her.
I can’t speak as to what they’ve done with adaptations, but the Sherlock Holmes of the books is both asexual and monk like in his existence.
The writers have said it on multiple occasions though? I think when things get passed through fandom they can get twisted to have whatever vibe fans want, but it’s more that they just don’t seem to be able to make a joke without queer-baiting. As far as serious talks about his sexuality, they’ve always backed this idea. I think Asexual is the wrong word though. More like abstinence. He’s not really trying to portray asexual, just someone who chooses not to be sexual for single minded reasons rather than sexual orientation.
The cast all need to learn how to put that into words better. They’ve gotten into it a bit in some of the commentaries and interviews though.
OMG
http://sue-78.tumblr.com/post/101257834492/benedict-cumberbatch-talks-sex-sherlock
Hee hee, nice. Wait, wait…did you hear that? That’s a hundred new fanfics being written. He just gave so much fodder. (I’m not anti-fic… I just think it’s funny that all of this is now likely going to show up in a bunch of ’em).
He must know what he’s doing…
Oh, I have no doubt in my mind he does, lol! Esp as he’s made comments indicating he’s aware of things like fans wanting to see him in a white shirt for the ice bucket challenge, and things like how he tries to make sure his hands are featured in poses since “the women seem to like it” (it was an interview a year ago? Ish? where he made the throw away comment as he was interviewed during a shoot). Even if he’s not reading tumblr, twitter, and other places, he has “people” (likely Emily, lol, who is the one who told him about the white shirt thing) who do and let him know. He’s not dumb–he knows how to feed a minor frenzy for some parts of fandom.
Dear god he knows about the fingers LOL. Then he must know how we feel about him with longer, curly hair! Although even I have to admit that I have come to agree with him and prefer the shorter hair now.
I just read this on my Tumblr…I was like, Benedict, you sly dog you. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
SWEET JESUS
Part of me can’t stop laughing at this though…
I do wonder how many drinks he’d had in advance, or if his give-a-damn finally busted, lol.
I thought it was fanfiction at first. I couldn’t believe he was actually saying that.*
*but I’m very glad he did
I laughed through the entire thing. That was f***ing hilarious. Test the latex! I don’t think Sherlock would be good at it either. He’d look at percentages of what women like, start up and get frustrated if it wasn’t working for that particular female. He’d have a eureka moment about work, jump off, and tell her to finish up on her own and this is a waste of time.
That’s what ACD wrote about Sherlock. That he considered emotions as impeding the learning process and a waste of time and energy.
so when you read that, what do you feel? I laughed my ass off. Anyone actually went to get the vibrator?
HMM, let me think about that…HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
The writers have said over and over and over that Sherlock is NOT a psychopath or a sociopath. Other characters have CALLED him psychopath because they don’t understand or like him. He calls HIMSELF as a sociopath as a way of protecting himself, because emotions affect him more than they affect other people. But neither is true of him. I’m not sure why some people who watch the show can’t seem to distinguish between when a character says something and when a statement of empirical fact is being made.
BC did use “asexual” incorrectly, however. He meant “celibate.”
•Tippet•
Can you post links please? I’ve actually seen and read Stephen, Sue, Mark, Benedict, and Martin all call Sherlock a psychopath/ sociopath. I totally get and understand why Sherlock does himself as he’s also playing on lay people’s lack of understanding of psychology, in addition to protecting himself. But I’ve seen the cast and crew repeatedly make the same error as everyone else. And it frustrates me to no end!
Well the fact that they are using both sociopath and psychopath means none of them really know the meaning or understand the complexities within the labels.
Those terms were used back when I fist started working in mental health 40 yrs ago but you do not hear them used that often now,
@ Tippet
I agree. Characters in the show call him a psychopath and Sherlock, the character, calls himself a sociopath. Both Moffit and Gatiss have said on a number of occasions that he is neither. He calls himself a sociopath to protect himself and to try and deny the fact that he has very strong emotions and as you say, ” because emotions affect him more than they affect other people.”
So no one on the show is using the terms incorrectly but viewers do get the wrong idea at times.
Asexuality is also a term that has a fairly broad definition .
“Some asexual people engage in sexual activity despite lacking a desire for sex or sexual attraction, due to a variety of reasons, such as a desire to please romantic partners or a desire to have children.”
I am sure he probably does mean celibate but asexual is not necessarily wrong in that context.
Hahahaha, if he isn’t doing this on purpose then I don’t know… It reminds me very much of the zygoma polishing comment. Benedict, stop the fan baiting. 😉
And I really feel for Emily if she knows what’s going on on twimblr (twitter+tumblr), reading all that stuff about my uncle would scar me for life.
Of course he is! 😀 But I loved his answers, hilarious and VERY MUCH on the spot. Thanks for a great laugh, Ben!
OMG I’m quite moist
We had to memorize “All the World’s a Stage” from As you LIke It in Grade 10…I remember a couple of the boys in class snickering as they emphasized the “mewling and PUKING in the nurse’s arms” line (as boys will do). But listening to Benedict reciting that speech was a whole other experience! I could listen to that velvet voice forever. 😉
Sadly I saw this last night and it was probably the worst rendition and voiceover u have heard,It was dated and over enunciated and sounded like a amateur actor doing a poor imitation of Alan Howard.
I just hope his Hamlet and Richard 11 does not sound anything like this or I may end up falling asleep
Kaiser he may have sounded sexy but he pretty much stripped the text of any subtlety or interpretive complexity.
It was just a voiceover. Your obsessive hatred for this guy is really disturbing.
In your opinion Icerose.
I thought it was very good and was quite a different “reading’ to the one he did for Google.
The last few lines gave me goosebumps.
I think it was full of subtlety and complexity.
It’s Richard III. Maybe you should return your ticket so someone else can see it who actually likes the guy.
yes I am entitled to my opinion without being accused of hatred.
I am actually hoping that his director for Hamlet who has a good reputation will work with him on making the soliquay feel more like someone who is speaking naturally. That voiceover was fine if you are playing Smaug or a pantomime villain but Shakespeare has moved away from over enunciating and threatrical voices, The main reason I go to lots of theatre shows. To see how the production and the actors interpret the material which is always a bit hit and miss so why should I feel the need to return my ticket,
He sold me on the BBC. I was thinking throughout how the BBC really has some amazing dramas.
Jesus, Mila, SPAM MUCH?
The cover story is up…interesting stuff. Dinner with the Elle writer and BFF/Adam Ackland, who refers to him as “My Benedict”. Sweet.
He and Adam Ackland are awesome together–they really come off like close brothers and it’s adorable.
I thought it was crap.
+1
I noticed the writer of the article added this to the bit about looking back 30 years on at this time in his life and (hopefully with a family):
” My guess is that Benedict is a man in love, and making plans already.”
Think this is a reference to Sophie?
Yes! I was like what? I definitely thought Sophie.
Nope. I think it’s a journo making a conjectural, pointless and fan baity sound bite.
Nope. Elle would’ve been all over a gf, and I mean all over. Coy “his love life is off limits but there is a special someone” type thing they do with a lot of their articles, or like they tried with TH. The writer may have been hinting at rumor though, since, even at Elle (especially at Elle?) they’re not blind to gossip. The interview was done before the glut of SH rumors really hit and while the writer may be implying something, they are just speculating on nothing. Elle does these “date interview” things and they always come off as dingbatty and ill-informed (I’ve yet to see one with an actor where the performer didn’t at least once snap at the interviewer, such as BC with Hamlet or TH just being exasperated).
I don’t think so. The Interview was done months ago. Before all of the Sophie gossip/rumors, really hit.
And “someone’s guess” is exactly that.
I am sure she has read the rumors. It is her words though, not his.
Course she’s read the rumours and to be quite honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was recently tagged on to hop on the back of rumours about his love life. Elle are quite gossipy and they know what’s going to generate attention.
The interview was done months ago and was likely in edits up till September deadline for the October mag layout (or even August for October layout, depending on how close Elle likes to toe that line)… the gossip fuel was added, esp as it’s a single, throw-away, twee line.
Yeah, felt like a very tacked-on line to me, especially with no name mentioned. And interesting that many people were conjecturing that the “mystery blond” he was seen with at the National Theatre in August was this journalist but she does not mention it in the piece. Maybe they *did* hit it off and went on a date after? LOL
It makes no sense. His words alone don’t indicate anything but if they do, then it’s actually that he hopes to have that family in the future , therefore, he’s not planning now. Secondly, if he said anything else to indicate that, they would’ve printed it..they’re not going to protect him, because if that were case, they wouldn’t have added the last comment at all. Thirdly, she said ‘my guess’ and fourthly, this interview was done back in august, IF he was seeing SH, then it can only have been for three months at the most. I don’t know the guy, but planning for the future with someone you’ve dated only that long (and for much of which he was away) seems v v unlikely indeed.
Bit shit of her to put that in if he didn’t say something…
By that reasoning journalists can put anything so long as they put “my guess” at the start.
Yep–Elle isn’t exactly serious journalism and aren’t above making little off hand comments based on rumor. If the rumor ends up being true, they look great. If it’s not true, then it was couched in “my guess” and “I think” and is plausibly deniable.
No way he would’ve said anything to her. And like I say, if it was to keep whatever he said secret, she wouldn’t have made the comment at all. If there had been more of a discussion around his status, she would’ve added something to that. Just more mysterious nonsense. Except it’s not mysterious, it’s just boring and manufactured.
If he is in love it´s with himself. Nothing wrong with that, just the vibe I get from him.
Lol
Great, now I am picturing him doing the Buffalo Bill dance and going “Would you love me? I love me. I love me hard.” *snerk*
Judging by the bizarre sound of that interview, that wouldn’t have surprised me at all.
I think the man in love comment is something she picked up. I would bet he would have said to her, during some point, whether he was single or not. Usually these girly mags play on the person being single/a bachelor to keep the readers fawning.
Annabell is married with a child so she did not go on a ‘date’ with him even if it was her, which I don’t think it was. Subjective words like beautiful, young and stunning were used about tupe top….
Never mind! I see the date comment to which you are referring!
Naah. I think it’s something she used to spice up the article. He’s not so stupid that he’d talk about anything he didn’t want printing to some journo he’s only just met. As I said above, she would’ve printed something related to it if they’d talked about relationships.
They surely knew (some) people were expecting a big Sophie reveal in this piece. This lets people have it, if they choose to believe that particular fairy tale LOL
If there’d been talk from himself of a gf, a journo from Elle would’ve been on it like a duck on a June bug, even if it was just “he does have a special someone, but that topic is off limits today” or something coy yet baity. With the amount of interest in his private life, it wouldn’t have gone unmentioned.
Like a duck on a June bug… Lol you must be southern. Which part?
@Sigh((s)) lol Southeast Texas (which, anthropologically, is Southern…tx is “southern” until you hit Dallas, then you start getting Western). Most of my family is from Louisiana though.
Sorry to have to correct – but that’s Jaques’ monologue from “As You Like It.”
Thank you Bel! I was just about to mention this. This writer really needs to brush up on his or her Shakespeare.
It’s funny that the miscredit gives me almost physical pain… houray for OCD. It’s AS YOU LIKE IT not HAMLET, goddamit. Ok, I feel better now.
BC….you are a gorgeously filthy SOB and I love you for your tongue and fingers….ah, I meant to say yourself! Now, call me up for some great phone sex.
Oh, THANK GOD, he assured me that Sherlock has a sex drive because what kind of man would he be without one? Virility is key, and this Sherlock fellow is just so good that he can repress his natural bestial instincts! By golly, that’s good to know. *eye roll*
Also, asexuality and celibacy are two very different things.
Since S1, he’s been very keen on making sure people know Sherlock has a sex drive but it just not “using” it… Makes me wonder what script read throughs sound like lol, and if he’s asking for writers to add in something that shows sherlock is celibate by choice every episode now or something.
It’s Moffat/Gatiss’ interpretation, actually. That’s what they say, as well.
In the books, Sherlock does say something about staying away from women because he can’t afford the distraction but I can’t remember the exact quote anymore.
Gatiss has hinted otherwise but he’s also a big fan of the patische, meta, and academic subtext works. But yeah, in the original ACD stories, Sherlock eschews romance because he feels it distracts from his work as well (though there’s heaps of subtext scholarship about ACD canon that’s out there from academia. It’s interesting to see all the interpretations with supportive reasoning).
True, MissMary. I’m fairly certain BC is just saying what he’s been told by the writers 😀
Naw, Benedict is a huge geek himself. He researches crap to the Nth degree — I’d bet he’s even read the academic stuff too.
Oh, I’m sure he has, LadySlippers, but he seems like a directors’ actor too.
I’ve noticed that, too, and it’s part of why it annoys me. It gives me this uncomfortable sense that Cumberbatch buys into the mindset that men can’t be fully rounded without being sexually adept. It keys into that whole virility = masculinity approach. It may not be his intent, but that’s how it reads to me given how much he harps on it.
MissMary – absolutely love the buffalo bill reference!
The interview was entertaining, but I don’t know. I’ve been a fan of his for years, but I may be suffering from Cumberbatch fatigue because I’m not sure if he comes across very likeable. Not that he cares about that, nor should he. But him asking someone to see their phone because he thinks they took a stealthy pic…He should really let those things go a bit. It comes with the territory sadly, it sucks, but it’s the not the worst thing ever to happen. Of course he can react to it in any way he likes, but I find his reaction a bit over the top.
It’s really weird, he seems to court HW fame, but he isn’t really cut out for it. He’d be better off being a brilliant stage actor a 100 years ago. Being fawned over in certain circles, but for the rest left alone. I think he’d actually love that would he have the choice. Alas, sadly time machine don’t exist yet. I’m sure he’ll find his way though. I’m just a bit in a negative Cumberbatch mood. ‘It’s not you, it’s me’. 🙂
-Alex: I’m REALLY biased when it comes to obnoxious fan-celeb interactions (because he’s really only talking about those ones who gawk and are super obvious and obnoxious about it), but it’s because they’re treating him like a zoo animal and then lying about it. {Also, as noted, some of it’s in his head and not what he does}.
But he’s handling it pretty well, compared to other celebs who have gone though their currency rising, and will get more used to it even if he doesn’t understand why people would do that. Getting used to being treated as a thing and not a person is a process.
Ladyslippers:
http://www.vulture.com/m/2014/01/steven-moffat-sherlock-holmes-best-man-speech-interview.html
Excerpt: “As Moffat puts it, that’s merely Sherlock “bullshitting.” “He always is. He doesn’t think that at all. He doesn’t think any of those things, but he wants to think that he does, just as he wants to think he’s a high-functioning sociopath,” says Moffat. “He’s not a sociopath, nor is he high-functioning. He’d really like to be a sociopath. But he’s so fucking not. The wonderful drama of Sherlock Holmes is that he’s aspiring to this extraordinary standard. He is at root an absolutely ordinary man with a very, very big brain. He’s repressed his emotions, his passions, his desires, in order to make his brain work better — in itself, a very emotional decision, and it does suggest that he must be very emotional if he thinks emotions get in the way. I just think Sherlock Holmes must be bursting!” “
Thank you Tippet. I had read that as well but couldn’t remember when or where.
I’ve been away for a few hours.Anything new happened?SH pregnant yet?…(vom!)
The line the journalist put in about him in love…
Wtf is she on about?Did he tell her he was but to keep quiet?..
MissMary… I’m trying not to be so naive with all this crap,but wouldn’t it be unethical to do that?…randomly put things like that in an article?
@Kazlock: No celeb worth their salt, at least not one with a career trajectory like BC’s, would tell a journo a secret. It’s not unethical in a strict sense because she couched it in terms that made it clear it was her own opinion/theory. Like if I went on twitter and posted “Benedict really loves his wild colored socks. My feeling is that he’s a man with a foot fetish.” It’s my opinion, I didn’t say “This is definite, this is proof, this is a sure thing!” so there’s nothing actionable, but people who want to think he has a foot fetish could take my words and run with it, and the rest of us would go “Uh, no…she said she FEELS that he has a foot fetish! Based on his socks! WTF?” Journos, esp for mags like Elle and similar, will pop in references to rumors about whomever they interviewed, esp if something juicy or popular comes up after the interview but before layout time when everything has to be finalized. If the writer had any tidbit of info about his actual love life, you can bet she’d have written about it, just said “Oh, he has someone but he refuses to discuss his personal life with me” if he’d said he has a gf and didn’t want to discuss it. Basically, she just restated the Fail and Mirror’s click bait.
Word to the wise: Ignore EB posts. Because I’m sure it’s getting or will get ugly w/all sorts of “omg he so told the writer but asked her not to print it!” type b.s. If something “juicy” and proving a popular rumor was confirmed, they’d print it and damn the torpedoes about a lawsuit because if it were true, and they printed it, it’s not slander.
Thanks MissMary x
Ms mary i wish you had a tumblr so i could folllow you instead of eb…that stuff does my head in. you’re so level headed!
@Claire: Lol my tumblr is so boring IRL. When I remember to check it, I end up reblogging political memes and cute animals.
For anyone who’s still not sure about the sociopath thing, it’s was a topic that came up at the 2013 comic con sherlock panel.
“Moffat said that labeling himself as a sociopath is just a “convenient” way for Sherlock to get away with things. After encountering Moriarty, however, Sherlock realizes he’s “comparatively nice” and that he’s on the side of the good guys. “The slow humanisation John encourages is all part of it.”
Not explained in the most eloquent way, but the point is, he’s not actually a sociopath, nor does he really think he is. Part of the point of seeing things from John’s perspective (he is our eyes into the world of sherlock) in the first two seasons is to show us that while he lets and encourages people to label him as an excuse for his behavior, it’s not actually true. We’re not supposed to believe it is. We’re supposed to be able to see that he’s using it to get away with behavior that doesn’t follow social norms.
Edit: the whole thing is on youtube if anyone wants to see it
i’m curious about the part where he implies he worries that people are talking about him not settling down yet. it seems the must care about this. i hope this doesn’t mean he’ll just settle for anyone just to shut people up.
but also this seems (to me) that he isn’t above being in a PR relationship, which is what i think the sophie situation is. i’ve said before that his PR may be trying to make him look more ‘dateable’ as part of a larger image-making scheme. they elle article kept harping on how he doesn’t take on sexual roles, and hasn’t been a romantic lead. this is very true. but i don’t think they realize that the sophie weirdness makes him look even more sex-less owing to the absence of any chemistry. whatever is going on i hope he is happy in the end.
@Blended: I think part of the reason for his concern, at least in my opinion and based on interviews he’s given, is that people were really harping for a while on “omg now he’s said he’s not in a rush to have a wife and kid! omg, what’s wrong with him?” and that bugged him enough that people were saying it that he mentioned it in at least one interview that was for a large media outlet (I want to say it was Vanity Fair but I could be very wrong–it was within the past two years). He may want people to calm down about him being single, and I agree that the SH thing smacks of a PR stunt. No celeb is above PR, not even DDL who is notoriously unHollywood about many aspects of his career.
Maybe they’re trying to make him seem datable or make sure he stays “desirable” or in people’s minds as someone who gets ladies (if this is a PR thing and not a huge tempest in a teacup based on supposition and whatever else). I know some folks are saying it’s part of a “plan” to quell any gay rumors since he’s playing Turing, but he really doesn’t seem the type to care if people think he’s gay. If it’s a PR thing, I’m prone to think it’s to lend to an “old Hollywood” image–outings with a classy (um…), attractive woman who is not reality telly wannabe, someone who has a career that won’t overshadow his… and someone who can be put away neatly when her job is done and won’t make a fuss in the tabs or sell stories about him. Granted, I’m not saying that’s what it is, just a theory I like.
And better, IMHO, than the theory they’re fake-dating b/c there’s dirt on him and he’s trying to look ‘normal’ (that makes me think of Troy McClure on the Simpsons but… I might be aging myself with that reference, lol).
To sum up: I still don’t believe they’re dating, lol.
@missmary-I completely agree,. Probably why they aren’t saying either way if it is a relationship or not. Image purposes on both parts.
Honestly, they ask women those questions all the time, so I don’t feel too bad about him getting snagged with a few of them.
OMFG…does it ever end?
http://cumberbatchcoffeeklatch.tumblr.com/post/101298987959/what-do-you-think-sherlock-would-be-like-in
After sitting the the school carpool line for 30 min, I managed to get through the Elle interview and found the whole “what Sherlock/*he* would do in bed” discussion distasteful and too graphic. I’ve been marinating this in my brain and realized it was the catering to his fantasizing female fans and reducing himself down to a sex god that ticked me off. At times, I feel like he overcompensates for his early years of insecurity with girls by making sure the fandom knows that he’s a great lover. As if any of them would think otherwise.
I hate it when female celebs use their sexual attractiveness as their primary vehicle of attracting the opposite sex and it felt like BC was doing the same in that whole exchange. To him and all the others, YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN THAT. Please don’t pander to those that are already lusting over you, it just makes you look cheap. While I understand the desire to be desirable, that’s not the essence of your value in the world.
Snooze… I thought it was funny to know what he thinks Sherlock would do in bed.
I swear, people on this blog get waaaay too worked up about everything this man says, like you know him or something. It’s ridiculous.
Agreed @mountainrunner
I usually stick to lurking on this site, but I had to reply to this.
I completely agree with everything you’ve said. I found the interview very distasteful and slightly off-putting. I think he’s a good guy, but something about reading through it made me feel awkward and uncomfortable. I’m by no means a prude, and I don’t think anyone should shy away from talking about sex in an adult way. But when he has to build himself up to be this fantastic lover… it just makes him seem like a dorky pimple-faced schoolboy on an internet forum. That’s how I would describe this entire interview, it just felt needy and big-headed on his part.
This whole interview felt off. The last few he’s done have really put me off him. The only reason I really come back to read them is because it’s so amusing to see how he thinks he’s ‘the shit’, now.
Yeah, I have enjoyed his interviews in the past, but I’m finding that as more of his arrogance and moodiness have been cracking his persona of being humble and gracious to his fans, I’m enjoying them a lot less. The ELLE interview was a new low for him, I think.
Depressing he goes to the chiltern shithouse, crappy depressing celebrity hangout. I miss the days he’d take a journo to his local boozer for a quiet pint.
Word. I wonder if it was the journo’s choice or his, though? Either way, they can do better than Chiltern.
Gosh he’s annoying me something rotten the last couple of days. And now more fanwankery about bloody sherlock and Irene Adler. STFU about Sherlock and who he has or hasn’t shagged. Talk about something interesting.
While I agree Elle is boring, Nic, it’s not his fault some of the Sherlock fans are behaving like spoilt children. If an actor isn’t allowed to even joke about his own character, that is pretty ridiculous. His fans suck, to put it indelicately.
What’s his fans got to do with it? He’s the one talking about it. He knows that going on about it like that is going to bait fans, it doesn’t matter that he’s joking. The fans are very annoying so he needs to stop with nonsense like that which just plays into their hands.
Because he’s not responsible for their ridiculous reactions. I doubt he’s sitting around thinking all the Sherlock fans are as annoying as they are. He’s not camping out on Tumblr all day long. He’s supposed to know they act like children?
Actors do this sort of thing all the time without any problem.
[To be fair, it’s just an annoying loud minority of Sherlock fans.]
I’m with Nic. He’s totally baiting the fans that swoon about him online, giving them more fodder. He knows that the “joke” will be everywhere and forever online once he starts talking like that, lighting up Tumblr and creating a wave a new sound bites for the obsessed.
Yes, he knows exactly how to play to them and their fantasies…
I find it interesting he is ALL ABOUT Sherlock hooking up with women, but mention slash fic or art to him and he gets very snide/dismissive. I get being uncomfortable with something but ffs, be aware of the fact you are giving an interview to media outlets and not just heteronormative straight people are reading/interested. There’s better ways to handle it than being dismissive of the sexuality or imaginings of a chunk of your audience. Orlando Jones needs to give an effing master class in fan-creator interactions, I think. That man knows what he’s doing and could teach not just BC but several creators a thing or two about how to deal with fandom and now to handle interactions you’re uncomfortable with. Even a simple “Well, that’s not my cup of tea” type remark is better than mocking and being reductive of things.
MissMary, he didn’t used to. The tenor has changed because those particular fans are who have been crossing boundaries left and right. They are terrible, I’m sorry.
I agree he could handle it better, but talking about fictional scenarios with your character and consent ≠ unsolicited graphic work involving coworkers from total strangers.
Not even getting into how weird it must be if he’s not playing the character that way.
IDK… I grok that it wasn’t so intense in the start of things but being very reductive towards one set of fans then going on and on about basically his own fan fic in his head about how Sherlock is down to f*ck with Irene Adler just irks me. I’m fine with him not being comfortable being in slash fic but there’s really better ways to handle it than being reductive and dismissive as he has been–even if he just kept with the “well, I don’t read it/some fans have shown it to me but I’m not into it”. BUT that’s my opinion and not meant to be gospel for anyone.
Oh, yes, don’t get me wrong, I get your point.
But, to be blunt, I really feel that would change if people were handing him fanart of him and Lara Pulver. I know someone, a long time ago, asked him about people shipping him and Loo, and he was immediately like, ‘That is my friend, my coworker, that makes me really uncomfortable.”
Low and behold, he jokes a bit about the Molly kiss but is a firm ‘No’ on those two characters together.
I admit I’m biased because I personally would be super embarrassed and uncomfortable if people I didn’t know were handing me that, and it would upset me a lot that they didn’t understand not to do it. I am prudy 😀
I got the impression from the remarks made by him and Adam Ackland about getting the private snug for the rest of the evening that the arrangements were made by Elle.
Am I the only one who thinks that BC has been hitting the 69 Shades of You tumblr? Some of that Sherlock porn could have been lifted right out of Sherlock as a Flatmate/Father!
For those interested: BC is slated to appear at the Hollywood Film Awards (not really a high end sort of thing, iirc) on Nov 14th, televised in the states on CBS. But he’s NOT campaigning! Nope!
Of course he is campaigning but he has to fit it in around the work he is doing on Richard III. He will be contractually obliged to campaign just as all the other potential nominees are doing.
Most of the presenters at that Hollywood Films Awards are potential Oscar nominees.
He always supports his films and Harvey will expect him to fulfill his obligations.
“Scheduled to appear are Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey, Jr., Jonah Hill, Keira Knightley and Kristen Stewart. Janelle Monáe is scheduled to perform. They join previously announced guests Gerard Butler, Robert Duvall, Michael Keaton, Julianne Moore, Jack O’Connell, Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum, Jean-Marc Vallée, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley.”
Loads of Oscar potentials.
He has never said he will not campaign just that the work commitments comes first.
I’m not denying there’s many oscar potentials slated to be there but I’m just being snarky about his “above it” attitude he is bringing to interviews (example being his comments on the awards aren’t why he does it, etc) and then showing up all over. I grok Weinstein has a well-oiled promo/campaign machine and most actors will know that signing up for one of his movies (and know that when he says jump, their feet best be off the ground before he finishes the word when it comes to promos). I just have my bitchy pants on tonight, it seems.
Since filming for Richard lll moved to Haddon Hall there haven’t been any reports or sneaky picture’s.
Are they still filming?
It’s gone quiet
“I’m just being snarky about his “above it” attitude he is bringing to interviews (example being his comments on the awards aren’t why he does it, etc) and then showing up all over.”
LOL What actor worth his salt is going to say they made a film for the awards?
Showing up all over? He went to TIFF and some small events in London which none of the press will have even noticed outside of Britain, and The GN show along with Timothy Spall. He is doing no more and probably less than many of the other actors in possible Oscar worthy films and he is working on a TV series as well.
And, IMO, this was a passion project for all involved, Benedict tracked the screenplay for about two years for example and Moore, the writer, has been obsessed with Turing since he was a teenager. They do want the general public to see the film to get Turing’s story out there and also for less altruistic reasons, of course. Who doesn’t want their projects to be a success?
I have my defensive pants on. LOL
@Maggie: LOL fair enough, and you’re making excellent points. Personally, I’m glad he’s doing campaigning because I have such a history boner for Turing, it’s not even funny, and I so want his story to be more widely known, even if the movie or actors don’t win Oscars. I’m still giving him some eye rolling though. Because I can, lol.
@Kazlock: If there’s closed sets, there won’t be any sneaky pics of filming. So far, most of the ones we’ve seen have been due to open sets or the cast/crew saying it was okay to take pics between scenes.
I’m going to be Factual Fanny 😀 and note he didn’t sign up for a Weinstein movie.
They weren’t involved in production at all, that was BlackBear and Bristol Automovie. Weinstein is just who bought the US distribution rights at auction after it was made. Eyeroll away, though 😀
AH! You are so so right! Thanks for pointing that out!
Kazlock, a few days ago there were a few Tweets from other actors re: Benedict. I think no sneaky pics because it is just so far from London. But looks like he will spend a good part of November in the US – Breakthrough Prize, Hollywood Film Awards, TIG NY premiere and they just announced a panel at the 92nd St & in NYC too. He will probably hit the talk shows that week.
Me again.Another question(sorry)
The Brighton girl apparently has an Instagram,where she said he was with a brunette who was snobby.
Does anyone know if this is true or not?And if it was confirmed as being Lady Stickupherarse?
Thanks xx
It’s so not true. No one confirmed anything, much less his presence in Brighton as far as I know. He’s been filming at Haddon Hall for about a week now, and no one has reported seeing him out and about with anyone, period. It sounds like a Seynorita (or however you spell her name) account, or one like hers, esp since there’s nothing solid.
My cynical self thinks we’ll hear less and less about SH except from pressed SH stans as campaign season for Oscars gets more underway and he is involved in more shows and projects.
Thanks MissMary.
The instagram says ‘snobby brunette’,but can’t see what the question was.
I know the tweet was from Sunday(?)
But the that doesn’t mention any woman or anyone else for that matter.And she wouldn’t answer any questions about who he was with.
Can’t understand why you would say one thing in your Twitter and something different on your Instagram?
Someone just wants attention, it sounds like, or is trying to set up a story to pass around.
@Kazlock.
There is no proof that she said he was with a brunette, no proof that she said he was with SH. No, she did not say “snobby brunette.”
From her Instagram: “she is! But quite snobby:,) haha”
That is all it says. The question was deleted, along with the Instagram that asked it.
A few people on EB (ugh) are claiming that she said, he was with a brunette. That she deleted her Tweets and comments on Instagram. IF she had said that SH was with him, sock puppet accounts would have been all over it. There would be screen shots. There were a couple of sock puppet accounts, drilling her on Twitter. So, if she had said that, they would have spread it like wild fire.
From her Twitter:
“Thanks for the story:) Heads up: those persistently asking questions are fishing for gossip to spread on blogs/sell to rags.”
(Brighton girl) “haha, yeah I haven’t replied to a lot of mentions cos of that haha”
A lot of people on EB are becoming more and more desperate.. Some were trying to say that it was SH, in the behind-the-scenes ELLE photoshoot pics. You can clearly tell that it’s NOT her. “I see a woman and she is a brunette, it HAS to be SH.” I wish EB would just disappear.
Aren’t EB and TOBY run by the same person, or was that just a rumor?
Yeah the desperation for the SH thing to be true is strooooooooooong and I’m kind of amazed by that. The brunette in the Elle pics? omg so not her. Seriously?
Linz MissMary
Thanks again.They are seriously placing her anywhere that he is seen.
Which makes those of us ‘in denial’ more convinced something is ‘off’.
I seriously get tempted to make a sock puppet acct just to post “sightings”. “I saw him in the men’s at St Pancras!” and see how many people ask if he was with a tall brunette and if it was SH. “I saw him trick or treating in New Orleans tonight! He was with a tall brunette! OMG they’re so in love and hiding it from the paps!” I can’t wait till he’s seen with James Rhodes or Stephen Fry and someone posts that he was seen with a tall brunet… Never mind that it was one of those two, lol.
MissMary.. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve posted on EB that all these ‘sightings’ and no picture or definate ‘yes it’s SH’.
In a time when almost everyone has a mobile phone with camera,no one has managed one picture of them ‘together’?
Well…I saw Benedict Cumberbatch walking with the Queen. Doin’ the werewolves of London. Aaahooo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCUr4_bWK80
When even *paps* don’t get them together, I doubt anyone who claims they saw them loved up in public.
Though I do buy the Werewolves thing…