Until two weeks ago, Robert Llewellyn was, to me, "that guy" from Red Dwarf, a show I hadn't followed much back in the day but had a lot of respect for, and Scrapheap Challenge, something I'd lay in bed to on a Sunday until late in the afternoon. The latter catered more for his personality, in that he likes to horse around a lot, and was perhaps the reason for me stumbling across and eventually following his Twitter feed.
I'm not a particular fan of actors, singers and celebrities in the sense that I watch or listen to what they do best, hit them up on IMDB to see their performance history and maybe do some Wikipedia investigations to look into their background. I want to learn what paths they crossed or if they ever performed near where I live, and that's where my pursuit ends. I'm not a raving lunatic that wants to eat and drink the same brands as them, or demands the latest news on their whereabouts. I like to see them perform and then leave them alone, which is what most celebs and actors crave.
Updates such as this photo at the voice-over of the new Red Dwarf DVD can be found on Robert's Twitter feed.
Robert Llewellyn is a different breed. He knows he has dedicated fans and doesn't seem particularly bothered about keeping himself out of the spotlight - nor does he go chasing it. His Twitter feed shed light on his Youtube (Llewtube) channel and website, on which he submits videos and blog posts surrounding his opinion on current events. His modesty ensures that there isn't an ego waiting to be massaged, instead you get the feeling that he simply wants to vent to the world without getting in the way - you choose to follow him on Twitter or watch his videos - and entirely thankful for you, the viewer, for choosing to listen.
It's this sort of character that appealed to me. A famous name and face that doesn't beg for attention and instead leaves it entirely up to you whether his opinions are heard or fall on deaf ears. He's also a man of efficiency; not in the way you'd think of Germany, more of a "friend of the earth". Electric cars, despite the type of people that bleat on about them, have more efficient engines compared to their petrol and diesel counterparts, drive quieter and don't pump out any nasty fumes - you let the power station do that. Notice I steered clear of the "G" word - green - as Bob tactfully points out, no car will ever be "green", they aren't environmentally friendly machines. But we could do a lot more to make them less savage on the countryside.
The openness of the man astounds me; his Wet Liberal videos delve into the mind of Robert and show that despite his successes, he's just an ordinary human being. Perhaps the recording that touched me most was when walking in the woods, explaining how people his age feel about their wives as they grow older and the pro's and con's of early and late marriages. A real down-to-earth piece that struck a chord with me since I also have older friends and often hear those sorts of stories, and was great to have something to relate to. His keenness for self-sufficiency (but not over-the-top) is another element I can relate to, having dug up half the garden to plant vegetables and always wishing I could turn the back part of the roof into a sunlight-collecting energy station. Hell, I'd have a watermill if we'd a river near us.
His fun-loving style often ensures a hilarious update, be it a Tweet or a video, that brings at the very least a smile and some thoughts for the day. Seeing his update when in Scandinavia (covering the rally tournament) and his escapades with the locals was certainly a treat (or should that be Tweet?). His latest endeavour, Carpool, features himself and another famous face simply driving somewhere. Far from an interview, it's just chatter on a variety of subjects with no structure or reasoning. Bob describes the show as "something you'd hear whilst sitting in the back seat", which isn't far from the truth.
Wet Liberal - almost-weekly Youtube series
Robert Llewellyn - lovely chap.
I'm not a particular fan of actors, singers and celebrities in the sense that I watch or listen to what they do best, hit them up on IMDB to see their performance history and maybe do some Wikipedia investigations to look into their background. I want to learn what paths they crossed or if they ever performed near where I live, and that's where my pursuit ends. I'm not a raving lunatic that wants to eat and drink the same brands as them, or demands the latest news on their whereabouts. I like to see them perform and then leave them alone, which is what most celebs and actors crave.
Updates such as this photo at the voice-over of the new Red Dwarf DVD can be found on Robert's Twitter feed.
It's this sort of character that appealed to me. A famous name and face that doesn't beg for attention and instead leaves it entirely up to you whether his opinions are heard or fall on deaf ears. He's also a man of efficiency; not in the way you'd think of Germany, more of a "friend of the earth". Electric cars, despite the type of people that bleat on about them, have more efficient engines compared to their petrol and diesel counterparts, drive quieter and don't pump out any nasty fumes - you let the power station do that. Notice I steered clear of the "G" word - green - as Bob tactfully points out, no car will ever be "green", they aren't environmentally friendly machines. But we could do a lot more to make them less savage on the countryside.
The openness of the man astounds me; his Wet Liberal videos delve into the mind of Robert and show that despite his successes, he's just an ordinary human being. Perhaps the recording that touched me most was when walking in the woods, explaining how people his age feel about their wives as they grow older and the pro's and con's of early and late marriages. A real down-to-earth piece that struck a chord with me since I also have older friends and often hear those sorts of stories, and was great to have something to relate to. His keenness for self-sufficiency (but not over-the-top) is another element I can relate to, having dug up half the garden to plant vegetables and always wishing I could turn the back part of the roof into a sunlight-collecting energy station. Hell, I'd have a watermill if we'd a river near us.
His fun-loving style often ensures a hilarious update, be it a Tweet or a video, that brings at the very least a smile and some thoughts for the day. Seeing his update when in Scandinavia (covering the rally tournament) and his escapades with the locals was certainly a treat (or should that be Tweet?). His latest endeavour, Carpool, features himself and another famous face simply driving somewhere. Far from an interview, it's just chatter on a variety of subjects with no structure or reasoning. Bob describes the show as "something you'd hear whilst sitting in the back seat", which isn't far from the truth.
Wet Liberal - almost-weekly Youtube series
Twitter has me constantly checking on the status and updates of a celebrity, something that I've never once done before. I even find myself replying to Tweets, like I'm having a conversation with the guy himself. I sometimes fear I reply too much and the great man may think "ok, you're a bit over-eager, I'm blocking you now"; I guess I'm just besotted with finding someone so down to earth and very in touch with reality that I can't help but respond. His personality and lust for life are as contagious as the media make out this Swine Flu to be.
Robert Llewellyn - lovely chap.
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Jesus dude, you've gone on a bloody tear of posts!
ReplyDeleteAwesome content though, you're a very good writer, to the point that you've convinced me to read about some stuff I normally wouldn't bother to.
And I agree, Bobby's one of my favourite people to follow on Twitter, and I greatly enjoy Carpool. However I think the one time he responded to one of my Tweets was because I may have accidently annoyed him when he misunderstood what I was saying and thought I was calling him a Tory.