Noel Fielding using his Twitter followers to bully critics [split topic]

[Small Man Big Horse]

I've not seen the series yet, it's sitting on my hard drive waiting until I'm really bored, but this news story from Digital Spy has put me off from doing so, despite previously having some time for Fielding:

Art critic Waldemar Januszczak has responded after Noel Fielding urged his online fans to insult him on Twitter.

The Times journalist Januszczak upset Fielding by claiming that Channel 4 hiring him to review Damien Hirst's Tate Modern exhibition was "like draping a naked woman across a bonnet to sell a car". In response, Fielding said: "yesterday Times art critic Waldemar januszczak Layed into me on twitter because channel four asked me to interview Damien Hirst x (sic)

"I thought it would be fun if me and all my followers went onto his Twitter and insulted him. Just to be childish . x "

He added: "Teach the horrible snob a lesson x Whose with me? X X X X Fly my beauties fly X X x Ha Ha ha ha x Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha this is gonna be brilliant x x x x x

"Ha Ha Ha ha this is a Frankenstein moment. Oh well he shouldnt have been so mean . He was rude as toast x"

Abuse from Fielding's fans, much of it retweeted by Januszczak, included suggestions that he is a "gitface", "poopy pants", "a c**t", "a pedophile rapist", "still a virgin", "a total scum bag", "smelly s**t arse", a "batty crease", "a stuck up piece of s**t", "absolute poo face", "self righteous tw*t" and "made from s**t sperm" with "a face like a hobbit in a headlock".

Fielding said: "Just spent five minutes pissing myself at the insults ha ha ha best day ever! x x really creative verbal pummelling x"

In response, Januszczak said: "Dear Noel Fielding fans, thanks for the laughs. You're hilarious! Noel could learn a lot from you!"

To me, only Januszczak comes out of this looking good.

[Famous Mortimer]

Oh, absolutely. God, Noel Fielding's fans are even shitter than he is.

[Lfbarfe]

It's all very interesting in terms of illustrating the dynamic between celebrities, critics and fans. All the fanboys and girls saying that Januszczak must be "jealous" and deriding him for having fewer followers than Fielding. Fielding declaring proudly that despite being "well into" his thirties (39 next month, I believe) he's got the maturity of a 12 year old (cue all of the 12 year old girl fans squeeing), and attempting to make bullying seem all fluffy, surreal and random, while being precisely no better than Alan fucking Davies. Fans declaring that critics can only be h8rs. And so on. Absolute fuckery, but very illuminating.

[Consignia]

The thing that really gets me, is Fielding's pass aggressive tweeting style where he fills his message with 'x's. It's almost a parody of a nasty bitchy personality.

[Ignatius_S]

Tate Modern and Channel 4 collaborating on an online virtual tour of the exhibition (any guesses who they picked to be the guide?) and I suspect that this programme is part of the same deal.

No doubt  Januszczak was also be having a pop at both Tate Modern and C4 over the decision to use Fielding for the online tour.

It's all very interesting in terms of illustrating the dynamic between celebrities, critics and fans...

On the other hand, Januszczak has indulged it some rather petulant behaviour on Twitter, so he's not whiter than white.

Rich, poor, famous or unknown, it doesn't matter – anyone can be a childish prat on Twitter, it's a great leveller.

[Mildly Diverting]

Fly my beauties fly

Words fail me.

_{Except it should be 'pretties' obviously. Twat.}

[I accept the terms of the]

The thing that really gets me, is Fielding's pass aggressive tweeting style where he fills his message with 'x's. It's almost a parody of a nasty bitchy personality.

Hmm. Biffo did this too.

[Noodle Lizard]

Ugh.  He really is rubbish, isn't he?  And I sort of quite liked The Mighty Boosh when I was a bit younger, but I've always been of the opinion that Julian Barratt was the important one there.  Since Fielding's been getting exposure on his own, he's been nothing but irritating, and this is just another case in point.

I suppose what I'm really trying to say is that Damien Hirst is a complete hack, and for cunts.

[Neil]

I was going to post about this last night, but couldn't be arsed. I also noticed the same thing as Ignatius: Januszczak has been desperate for a bit of a spat. He seems to dislike Fielding personally, which obviously shapes his critique.

Fielding is still an absolute cunt, though, no doubt about that, and this kind of organised bullying by people with thousands of followers should result in a suspension from the service.

Louis has already mentioned it, but I thought this was the most insightful comment Fielding made:

"@noelfielding11: I cant believe i am well into my thirties i am like twelve years old mentally X Ha ha ha x"

I'd actually been mellowing to him lately, and quite enjoyed the Hirst show.

[Jack Shaftoe]

I am startled to find am genuinely a little bit upset by Fielding's poor spelling.

EDIT: 'AM' startled. Fucking 'AM' startled.

[The Boston Crab]

I know what exactly you mean.

[Lfbarfe]

Fielding is still an absolute cunt, though, no doubt about that, and this kind of organised bullying by people with thousands of followers should result in a suspension from the service.

Absolutely.

[Neil]

"I thought it would be fun if me and all my followers went onto his Twitter and insulted him. Just to be childish . x "

This makes it seem like a jape he'll be personally involved in, rather than something he just orchestrated, and then laughed his cock off over.

I really despise the bloke for legitimising this kind of safety-in-numbers bullying. If he had a decent comic mind - or simply the ability to take criticism - he wouldn't need the help of others.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

Absolutely.

Playing Devil's Advocate for a moment, what about Limmy's similar co-ordinated Twitter attack on Paul Daniels? (the 'longfright')

Is it a case of:

Twat (Fielding) co-ordinates humourless attack on little-known critic = unacceptable
Current cult favourite (Limmy) co-ordinates (arguably humourous) attack on well-known twat (Daniels) = acceptable

Not taking sides - I view Twitter with a haughty disdain and encourage all my servants to do the same - just wondering what people's thought processes are.

[Gradual Decline]

Well done Noel for showing restraint and not commenting on the Daily Mail Samantha Brick episode.

[Old Nehamkin]

Playing Devil's Advocate for a moment, what about Limmy's similar co-ordinated Twitter attack on Paul Daniels? (the 'longfright')

Is it a case of:

Twat (Fielding) co-ordinates humourless attack on little-known critic = unacceptable
Current cult favourite (Limmy) co-ordinates (arguably humourous) attack on well-known twat (Daniels) = acceptable

Not taking sides - I view Twitter with a haughty disdain and encourage all my servants to do the same - just wondering what people's thought processes are.

The main difference in that case is that it wasn't an act of personal retaliation like fielding's was, it's not like Limmy had any sort of agenda against Daniels, he was just a randomly-chosen subject of a joke. That and the fact that the stuff sent to Daniels were completely ridiculous and meaningless- it's hard to see anyone get that offended at accusations that they have a terrible secret involving pins and needles/ Jude Law. Even then, Limmy seemed genuinely upset when he threatened to leave twitter, despite the fact that he came straight back anyway.

[Jack Shaftoe]

Don't know about the Limmy thing, but Paul Daniels was very happy, years ago, to sign a copy of his magic book my granny thrust at him after he happened to walk past after she'd just bought it. So I can forgive that man a lot.

Also, when I was about eight, I laughed for an hour at 'I'm a mystic, and here's me stick'. So Limmy can fuck off, basically.

[Noodle Lizard]

The main difference in that case is that it wasn't an act of personal retaliation like fielding's was, it's not like Limmy had any sort of agenda against Daniels, he was just a randomly-chosen subject of a joke.

That makes it better?  Hm.

[Old Nehamkin]

That makes it better?  Hm.

If he had set his followers on someone in response to a personal slight and his aim was to actually hurt them as revenge like Fielding it would make him a lot more of a cunt, yes.

[Slaaaaabs]

Rude as toast? What the heck that is KERAAAAAZY!!!!!

[Clatty McCutcheon]

If he had set his followers on someone in response to a personal slight and his aim was to actually hurt them as revenge like Fielding it would make him a lot more of a cunt, yes.

Devil's Advocate again - it's possible to take an alternative view and regard the fact that Fielding actually had a grievance as a mitigating factor, having been insulted - as he saw it - whereas Limmy just did it for the hell of it, which is nastier in a way?  Both essentially have their roots in an attention-seeking personality type though, when it boils down to it (Limmy is much smarter and funnier than Fielding is, of course, but all the same, he can be a total pain in the arse)

[hoverdonkey]

Toast isn't rude Noel.

[Nuclear Optimism]

Those insults are exactly the type of dreck you'd expect from Fielding fans. He really is an insufferable arse. Have any slebs taken him to task and told him to grow-up, if only to send some attention their way?

[AlanB]

Am I alone in liking the "face like a hobbit in a headlock" insult?

[Nuclear Optimism]

Yes.

HE LOOKS LIKE A BADGER WILL BALL-ACHE

[Slaaaaabs]

Am I alone in liking the "face like a hobbit in a headlock" insult?

You're safe. It came from an actual comedian...

https://twitter.com/#!/RealBobMortimer/statuses/178759812383911936

[Beagle 2]

Rude as toast? What the heck that is KERAAAAAZY!!!!!

Oh fucking hell, we used to say "...as toast" when we were at school all the time, year 9. It was written all over my old music textbook recently when I found it in the loft. I cringed like fuck. Noel is absolutely right about his mental age, and that's why we don't give children their own comedy shows.

[Blumf]

and that's why we don't give children their own comedy shows.

http://www.e4.com/schoolofcomedy/

[Catalogue Trousers]

Erm...didn't Johnny Ball use that "I'm a mystic" line before Daniels?

[Ejit]

Playing Devil's Advocate for a moment, what about Limmy's similar co-ordinated Twitter attack on Paul Daniels? (the 'longfright')

Don't really know about the history of 'longfright' but I was watching on Twitter when the Paul Daniels stuff was happening and it really didn't look like an attempt to annoy or offend anyone (there were no insults), just baffle them - I don't think it justifies the label of an attack. Additionally the aim was to get a laugh whereas, regardless of pretense and any amount of Xs, Fielding's stunt was pure, directed spite.