Tweetness and light as Fry ends Twitter spat
Actor apologises in 'sheepish' return to micro-blogging site after 12-hour retirement sparked by 'boring' jibe
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Stephen Fry has nearly a million followers, including Sarah Brown, the PM's wife
Big Following: Britain's Top Twitterers
Even by the speedy pace of life in the twittersphere, it was one of the shortest break-ups in history. After being called "boring" by a fellow twitterer, Stephen Fry shocked his near-million followers by announcing: "I retire from Twitter henceforward. Bye everyone." Twelve hours later, however, he was back, apologetic, and feeling "more sheepish than a sheep and more twattish than a twat".
It began when a blogger and film reviewer, who tweets under the name "brumplum", said to one of his followers: "I understand @stephenfry's tweets but, much as I admire and adore the chap, they are a bit... boring.... (sorry Stephen)."
Shortly after, Fry replied: "Whereas yours are so fascinating I can barely contain my fluids." Twenty minutes later, he issued his declaration of tweet retirement.
Fry, who famously suffers from bipolar disorder, later confessed he was feeling "very low and depressed at the moment". But as he took off on a jet to Los Angeles, the backlash began. Fry's followers attacked brumplum, real name Richard, from Birmingham. One told him he had "ruined twitter" and many accused him of homophobia, owing to a misunderstanding related to a comment made by someone else under the title "envioushomo". Alan Davies, Fry's friend and co-star on the television quiz QI, joined the row, calling brumplum a "moron" and a "wanker".
Those who came to the defence of brumplum were branded individually by Davies as being a "prick", "halfwit", "tosser", "moron", "dickhead" and "prat".
When Fry landed in Los Angeles, oblivious to the extent of the row he had begun, he was immediately apologetic. "I am so sorry to hear ppl have been abusing you," he told brumplum in a tweeted apology. "You had every right to say what you did. Pls accept my apols. This is so awful."
Brumplum accepted Fry's apology yesterday, saying: "Thanks. Can we all be friends again?" But he has also called upon Alan Davies to apologise. Writing in his blog he called Davies an "irresponsible idiot" and accused him of "working up the internet mob" against him. "I am more than willing to call him an irresponsible idiot to his face, should anyone accord me the opportunity," he added. Mr Davies is yet to apologise.
Fry's near-million followers were nonetheless relieved to learn he is not abandoning twitter. Among them was the Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, herself almost as popular as the comic turned national treasure, with 910,000 followers. "Very glad that Stephen Fry is staying on Twitter," she tweeted. "His unique, entertaining and informative voice is much loved here."
Fry has talked openly about his bipolar disorder. In 2006, he made a two-part BBC documentary called Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive. Brumplum, still somewhat shocked at having sent such a seismic shock through the twittersphere, was last night "going out now to continue with my real life".
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Comments
If you are going to stick your neck out in web land expect haters.
Poor Brumplum, he only called him boring!
Imagine the uproar if he used the word 'uninteresting'
But this 'cult of personality' has plagued hummanity before.
As for influencing young people -where do you think children get this mentality from in the first place? Their parents of course.
Keep tweeting, Stephen, your tweets are a delight to read.
Is it possible Mr. Davies was looking in the mirror when describing others as a "prick", "halfwit", "tosser", "moron", "dickhead", "wanker" and "prat"?
by the way, if you only have one follower, does that mean you have a stalker?
and if you are a religious guru, do you have disciples instead of mere followers?
Alandavies1: "Anyone has a pop at your mates you stick up for them.Twittr needs to be more like Essex.If you wouldn't say it to their face then do shut up"
Firequacker: "@alandavies1 followed by smashing their windows slashing their tyres and sending dogs muck through the leter box.. Grays Stylee ??"
Alandavies1: "@Firequacker if needs be"
Incitement to physical violence. No wonder the guy calls this "irresponsible" and is asking for an apology.
Have a look at this: www.TheReleaseEffect.com
Good luck with getting rid of the black dog (depression) I know what it's like, and although it's not as bad as a weekend at Butlins, it is a dark place to find oneself.
I'm afraid I cannot understand why anyone would take delight in reports of Fry's haircut or morning ablutions but that fades into obscurity in comparison to the collective hissy fit over the Stephen Gately article.
Alan Davies should have stayed out of it, as should Fry's precious followers.
And the really sad thing is that he's still betting fawning approval from those Twitter followers who somehow think having a celeb in their list is the same as being their close personal friend.
Not a good day for Twitter.