Iantoe

[tencrush]

It's weird how, now that the CoE wangst has died down, the anti-GDL vitriol is slowly seeping its way into TW fandom. I swear, all I've read lately is he's fat and shit and ugly and will never work again. Was there some sort of fannish peer-pressure induced embargo on these opinions? Are they new? Or is karaokegal just really bored recently? (*waves* You know I'm only joking, right?)

Hey, you know what? Yeah, he's a bit porky at the mo, I still reserve the right to say that, but at the end of the day that is just his business and nobody else's. And he's looking scruffy. Again, his choice. And he's choosing some iffy projects. Again, whatever pays the bills. I happen to think he's rather fetching from certain angles, but everyone's mileage may vary on that one. What I don't quite understand is people's fannish investment in his porky/scruffy/b-movie ways. Is it really that important? I get this feeling lately that some people out there are actually personally offended by his choice of wardrobe or indeed film, while others are absolutely relishing the fact that he's looking bloated or taking on a shit project. It's like there's some sort of war waging that I am completely unaware of between the haters who desperately want to see him fail and the uberfans who desperately want him to get his act together and can't stand the fact that he's choosing instead to doss around and do bugger all of value for a bit.

Is this true? Are we fighting? Should I be choosing a side? Can I be Swiss?

Comments

[meleth.livejournal.com]

It's because he theoretically banged other women at Con. Now the fangirls are feeling betrayed and angry.

[tencrush]

Is that really it? Does that make the unlucky fangirl turn on him and call him "fat and balding?"

[cayendi.livejournal.com]

I'll probably be joining you in Switzerland.

As for his looks, still perfectly edible, and I like 'm rugged :)

As for the rest, his life, his career, his choices.

[aresnz.livejournal.com]

I've not heard that about him before; then again I'm not on the inside. As for his roles...I guess whatever pays the rent. GDL has to get stuff on his resume I suppose.

I'm not fighting anyone right now. :-)


Lori

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I haven't noticed that, but I'm usually a fan of characters rather than actors. I LIKE John Barrowman and GDL and would like to buy them each a beer and talk about Torchwood, but I'm not uh... planning to buy their CDs.

People were introduced to GDL through Ianto, so I can see why scruffy!Gareth is not as appealing as IantoInnaSuit. I sort of agree, but I like my men tidy.

I AM a James Marsters fan, though, and we bag on his unfortunate shirt choices and bad haircuts. It's not tied to hoping he'll fail at anything, more of an, "I love him, but WTF is up with the muscle shirts? Is it 1984?"

Sort of like your mom, telling you you'd look so pretty if you'd just "do something with those bangs, sweetheart".

Sweden

[caledonius72.livejournal.com]

If you're going to be Switzerland, I'm going to be Sweden. That leaves Ireland for someone else.

But who's gone all anti-GDL? Is it the Janto Fans? Or the Gwen Fans?

If he wants to pile on the beef, then fine, his choice. It might be for a part that he's got that he can't tell anyone about or it might be he likes pies'n'pints a little too much.

He's taking the work that brings in money, he has bills to pay, and a wedding to fund. The online "Girl Number 9" looks good, a good cast. He's also in a Sherlock Holmes movie (though what part?) and he's Exec Producing a film school film, as well as playing one of the leads. Not exactly dossing, but not wall to wall like Barrowman.

From what I've read he's also doing a part-time degree, and has gigs with his band. And the ponies. Along with lots and lots of conventions - which he should watch, nothing hurts the income at conventions if people know you'll be at every single one you can; make rare appearances and keep your value high. I know this because my partner was in some cult movies from the 80s and only does about 2 conventions a year.

I think some are struggling with the fact he's not walked straight into another part which is just like Ianto but in another series. Or they've disliked him all along and are loving his "descent" into obscurity. Or that they feel betrayed that he didn't fight harder to stay in the series.

He's had a full-on couple of years and he's got some other stuff to do, outside of acting. And since when can't he be a bit of a bad boy and go off the rails a little? The tabloids and gossip mags are full of stories like that - "come back little starface, all is forgiven".

Sorry - this is a bit long for a comment. Perhaps a meta-comment then?

Re: Sweden

[radiant-pip.livejournal.com]

Speaking of ponies, did I miss the big £2K party?? :( I was going to make Espresso...

[santousha.livejournal.com]

lol

I'm almost tempted to ask where you have been reading this Anti_GDL vitriol, but I'm Fandom mia at the moment (while I bleed over an epic fic that has me by the balls).

But when I last checked the comms it was mostly COE-hate, Gwen-hate, Jack-hate, JB-hate, RTD-HATE, fan-hate followed by fan-bashing. I knew GDL was gonna end up on the hate train eventually.

Or it could be some fangirls trying to get attention by hating on the guy they think most of fandom likes.

[radiant-pip.livejournal.com]

Oh, there have been plenty of Ianto digs since COE, so GDL "bashing" was soon to follow. I'm just glad he's finally getting some work other than signings, gigs, and conventions. Is that being a bad fan? Oh well.

As for the school projects, does anyone know what his degree is in? Maybe this is helping him to complete his studies...and if he gets an exec. producer credit on a short film that turns into a District 9-type hit (long shot, but still), that seems to be a pretty good move.

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

I wonder if he isn't trying to distance himself from the Ianto part. Unfortuantely, sometimes an actor does get type cast - this seems to be especially true with the sci-fi genre.

I remember after the first 3 Star War films were finished that Mark Hammill tried some stage work. I saw him in Amadeus and he was fantastic. But he never could get anything going for himself acting wise. Not that he doesn't have a very nice career in the video game arena, but its a shame.

Daniel Redcliffe made a great move by moving from Harry Potter to Equus - but I'll be more impressed if he can continue his career after that finishes.

[stargazer60.livejournal.com]

I've only seen a little bit of this...I'd rather observe than participate.

It's also easy to bash someone that will never hear what you are saying about them. It's so easy to attack a persons appearance when they aren't right next to you. (okay, I think we're *all* guilty of this...not necessarily about GDL, but there's *someone* out there we just don't get the appeal of....).

Separation of actor and character can be a difficult thing for some people. I say give the guy a break, he's doing projects for the same reasons everyone else does, we all need to work to pay the bills. If you don't like them, don't bother with them.

I'll just always support GDL in whatever he does...Yeah, I first became a fan of a character he portrayed, but then I became a fan of the man... We don't have to agree with *everything* he does in and out of the public eye, but I guess humans being how they are....this sort of thing will never go away...

sorry for rambling.

[bandgeek01.livejournal.com]

(okay, I think we're *all* guilty of this...not necessarily about GDL, but there's *someone* out there we just don't get the appeal of....).

*hmmmm I may have an idea where you thought of that phrase before....

Nicole

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

My favorite were the shrill cries of "he's homophobic! he's just pretending to like John so we'll like him!" Gold. :)

[tencrush]

Yeah, that was a fun fannish meme, that one.

[x-starfuckers.livejournal.com]

Thank you for being a normal human being. Just like GDL. I hate fans who expect actors to look pretty for them 24/7.

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

I'm rather pleased with the projects Gareth's doing at the moment, although it could be because just a month ago, I thought he'd only be spending the rest of the year doing conventions and playing with his band. The fact that he's doing some ACTING is rather encouraging.

Since JB can also do rubbish projects in order to pay the bills - Shark Attack 3 - things can only get better for Gareth, can't they? John did Shark Attack after having notable roles in theatre, he wasn't totally unknown.

If people think Gareth's going to walk into another significant role in just a few months - that's not soap - they're sadly forgetting how difficult this industry is, look at Naoko's career since leaving Torchwood. Burn's doing better but he's yet to have another role that's as good as Owen.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'I'm rather pleased with the projects Gareth's doing at the moment, although it could be because just a month ago, I thought he'd only be spending the rest of the year doing conventions and playing with his band. The fact that he's doing some ACTING is rather encouraging.'
Me too.

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

I guess people can only rage about RTD for so long... and most of the GDL hate seems to be in the category of 'OMG, HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IANTO!'

[tencrush]

But at the same time, he can look like Ianto. He has that ability. Isn't that reasonably, I don't know... clever?

[alba17.livejournal.com]

Haven't seen any of those complaints myself. Are you talking about who_anon? (haven't looked there in awhile) Since he's a very good actor, I'd like to see him get a good role on TV or in a wide release movie, not just a web series.

[tencrush]

No, I've not been reading the anonmeme much, it seems to be eating its own young at the moment. I've been doing a lot of random link-hopping, and reading fandomsecrets, mostly. It might just be me suddenly frequenting odd circles of fandom.

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

I'm betting the OP for that who!secret is a h8ter, because "fat and balding" is a bit extreme, imo. (And, seriously, Jack is not known for being choosy about his partners. If he had a third eye in the middle of his forehead Jack would probably be turned on - that's canon. The poster is making excuses for his/her own prejudices.)

~~~

I love that he's doing a b-movie, though I expect it'll be a terrible, awful film, but I love Cult Films. That's why I loved Torchwood in the first place. (And, honestly, I'm betting the acting will be Quality, it's the script and the effects that'll probably land it in Cult territory.)

I wish we knew what role he'd have in it. If Dom Keating is a costar, I'd expect GDL to be Holmes - because I'm sure he's the taller of the two. But someone suggested Moriarty. I can't decide which I'd prefer.

~~~

I don't think there's a fight going on. It's just the same shit with more Actual Stuff to talk about. (And some people probably are bored, as we still have a month or so before the next Who special.)

I want GDL to play Watson

[hohaiyee.livejournal.com]

I grew up reading the books, and I adored Watson as much as Holmes. He's a doctor, he was a soldier, he's a writer too. John Watson is the competent and composed and trusted companion of Sherlock Holmes, who does not suffer fools. He makes sure that Holmes remember to eat and got him off cocaine, sometimes he doubts that Holmes remember to care for Watson (though of course he does, Holmes got very emotional when Watson almost got shot, and Watson noticed), he has faith in Holmes and he keeps on.


.....and yet, out of the same bizarre place where people remembered Kirk as the sort of womanizer who doesn't respect women (NO, just because Kirk has to play on people's attraction to him to play an enemy or smooth diplomacy doesn't mean he's a womanizer. ...and when he sleeps with a woman he actually wanted something long term. ...and he respects his female officers, it's not like he was hitting on everyone)...Watson was popularly remembered as a comical idiot.

Just, no.

[bandgeek01.livejournal.com]

I'll be the other neutral country :) Unless someones claimed it by the time I've replied.


You know I think a lot of it like people said stems from his "supposed" actions at the con. I'm not taking sides on that one either.

But I can say I'm happy for the fact that he's actually doing some ACTING now.

So they may be small projects but it's something. And something is better than nothing.

Unfortunately he's going to be typecast as Ianto for a long time to come, or until the fangirls grow up and realize that Ianto is a character, and Gareth is an actor and it is his job to portray characters. See the plural there? Characters. As in many different ones over a long career.

Gareth's said from day one he's no where near a Ianto type, heck wasn't it said that he wore his clothes in Countrycide?

And you know what, I think GDL's look could be influenced by region, and people. I mean I've seen quite a bit of pictures from around his area, and I really don't see a lot of the men being all Ianto like in looks. They are scruffy men.

Ok, I must get back to work now.


Nicole

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

This. There seems to be a huge problem with some folks not understanding that GDL & Ianto are not the same.

I think this was before CoE, but there was someone who really let loose with some nasty stuff on LJ about GDL because (s)he was upset about something that Ianto did in an episode. Yeesh, repeat after me, Ianto isn't real, Ianto isn't real.

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

*waves back*

Honestly, sweetie, I SWEAR it has NOTHING to do with me. I'm just sitting back and watching the show, although it does feel a bit odd to have some of what I've felt validated by others, anon and otherwise. Also, I'm fairly chilled out about the whole thing right now, given the outcome, and wish GDL the best in future endeavours. (I reserve the right to revert to full vitriol should the situation change.)

[tencrush]

PUPPIES!! I knew it had nothing to with you, honest.

Oh, God, don't worry, the situation isn't going to change, anyone who thinks there's even a hint of a possibility of a return of Ianto to any sort of scene is really quite delusional in my book.

[travellingone.livejournal.com]

I'm going with, "They've finally realized he's not Ianto" and their fantasies have been crushed.

[travellingone.livejournal.com]

and now they're upset that they have to put their panties back on.

[jo02]

karaokegal hs always been an aggressive anti-Ianto shit-stirrer.
Maybe she lives in such an insulated world she doesn't know the difference between the two of them.

I'm a non-fan of GDL because he appears to lack all of the qualities that I love in Ianto, but I still want him to do mega-well in the acting and what-he-calls-music world so that his profile is raised up to where everybody knows who he is and he's never out of work.

I also live in hope that he will eventually grow up enough to realise you'll catch more work if you shave more often, go jogging or to the gym, eat less pies even though you love them, stop wearing silly hats, wear clothes that flatter your gym-body and stop singing like you've caught all the neighbourhood cats and are putting them through the garbage compactor. I know I shouldn't poke fun at his looks because I'm a middle-aged, overweight housewife, but he does this for a living and I do not.

I wonder if people are picking on him because seriously, he IS the only person on the planet who could give them some more Ianto, by looking a bit like him and acting a bit like him, but even he seems to have dropped him as hard as RTD, JB, and all the rest of that crowd have.

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

Karaokegal has a very specific view on the relationship between Jack and Ianto. I don't think she hates Ianto. Hey she's on this thread so she can speak better for herself than I can.

But I don't believe she's an anti- GDL person. I think she is well aware of the difference.

I think its more likely that some of the shwoopie fans that totally emasculate the Ianto character can't stand GDL being well...a man. A not very well groomed, not prissy, not well mannered man at the moment. As someone else said, doesn't fit their RP fantasies as all.

I think he has more than a few demons to work out from the show. Whether that's due to his character being thrown under the bus, or the disrespect his character, and to some extent the actor was shown by RTD, (hey he's just a plot device), Eva Miles (Well he's just comedy) and JB (hey CJ will get himself another fuck toy for next season) who can say.

But how would you feel if you were playing an enormously popular character (certainly more popular than Gwen) and then found yourself out of work? Just when your star should be rising your career crashes to a halt.

Yeah, he had a year to deal with it, but I think the post-CoE furor probably opened up a few wounds.

Don't care for his music, but hell, its his life, his career and I wish him nothing but the best.

[stuffphile.livejournal.com]

I wonder at the idea that some of this behaviour/appearance stems from a desire of his to distance himself from Ianto's image--is that necessary? People DO know about actors, don't they? Aside from that I don't care.

Fandom secret pissed me off, tho'. Sure, it's cool in a fictional world for everyone to be super-pretty, but actors and TV shows are part of reality, so sometimes you need to use your imagination to help things along. Suspend your disbelief! W/E -- He was totally still hot in COE.

I do note that I've read a couple of fanfics where, along with bringing Ianto back to life, they also sneak him back to series 1-Ianto weight. Not that weren't good fanfics in every other respect, but WTF? What kinda priorities are these?

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

Has anyone else noticed that scruffy Gareth looks like scruffy Russell Crow?

[sugarberi.livejournal.com]

Yes! He looks like Crowe of a few years ago

[sugarberi.livejournal.com]

I really don't care. The way some people spout off about how GDL needs to be doing this or that like they're experts. He's talented, something good should come his way at some point. Working gets you out there and makes contacts. Barrowman sang at a car dealership pretty recently. Was that so beneath him? I doubt he'd give a damn if anyone thought so.

But please let Blue Gillespe only be for fun, kay :)

[sugarberi.livejournal.com]

Anyone listen to Barrowman's recent stage-something podcast? I found the link at Gallifrey. At the end came the inevitable Ianto question and JB sure got an edge about him. It's now down to 6 coffee bags. JB's so over Ianto talk.

It will be interesting to see where the chips fall if TW doesn't get renewed. (I think it would be because TW is expensive, has no set and RTD has vamosed) JB was saying they'd be stupid not to renew it but I myself wouldn't call people I was planning of doing business with "stupid". Was he a little passive aggressive?

[sugarberi.livejournal.com]

Here's the link if anyone needs it. It's about 45 min of JB on his favorite topic.

http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/podcasts/