Is Twitter just a form of textual paparazzi? – Evan Maloney:
…When I joined Twitter a month or two ago I started following Stephen Fry partly because of the enticing NYC lift opportunity and partly because, as a Frenchman once remarked, brevity is the soul of wit, Stephen is witty, and so it will be interesting to see how brief his wit aspires to be on Twitter (you get just 140 characters per twitting).
Well, am I the only one to be disappointed with Stephen Fry’s diary of quotidian teedle-quaffle bits that are about as interesting as watching paint in a tin (it doesn’t even dry).
Here’s some recent gems:
stephenfry: Mmm. shall go for walk and clear poor fuddled head. Luncheon would be welcome too.5:46 AM Apr 13th from web
stephenfry: 6 hours in front of the screen working through email backlog. Sheesh. enough already.5:43 AM Apr 13th from web
Is it just me? On a need to know basis this information seems to be right up there with the mating habits of sea turtles for your average human being.
Selective journalism or what? Really, you mustn’t have been on Twitter much at all, Mr Maloney, to make THAT sort of snap-judgment!
Stephen Fry just completed what amounts to over a year’s worth of traveling to some of the most remote areas of the world, in the footsteps of Mark Carwardine and the late Douglas Adams’ book ‘Last Chance To See’. He has posted pictures of his journey throughout, told everyone on Twitter the distant locations he reached and glimpses of fascinating experiences with endangered and practically extinct creatures at every step.
This was achieved with a dedication unhindered by dodgy internet access and the vagaries of a satellite phone. He could have just thrown out a few blogs when he hit civilization – instead, he made it all real-time and even benefited from some tips and encouraging ‘Tweets’ along the way. He even mentioned appearing in a movie or two, amongst slogging it out with Komodo dragons and the like.
If you missed those months of Stephen Fry giving us some insights beyond a stuck-elevator and are only now just tuning in as he takes a much-needed break in his home-town (probably before he launches off on another planet-crossing adventure, I shouldn’t be surprised) – then I suggest that you either scroll back through his Tweets or catch the documentary he’s been working on at the same time.
Maybe Stephen Fry will produce a book, like Douglas Adams did – a book that has been on many high-school curricula as an engaging document on environmental ethics and the impact of civilization. Perhaps that is considered worthy enough of maintaining your attention-span beyond 140 characters?
BTW – people, tune into iTunes for his podcast and more, there’s sure to be interviews about his experiences out there, very soon! 
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, Twitter is like a fine cheese: it grows tastier with age. Really, I would say that you can’t really enjoy Twitter unless you’ve got at least 500 tweets under your belt, but by then, unfortunately, you’re probably addicted. Like I am. Stupid Twitter.
(You can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/naontiotami, by the way. ;p)
But Twitter is not about every tweet being interesting by itself, although some most definitely are, it’s about feeling like you’re closer to the person you are following, hopefully in the least stalker-ish way possible. Well, that’s what I find, anyway.
I had a good friend who uses Twitter to coordinate Anon rallies, and there’s been cases where people have used it to communicate about events like accidents they’re involved in or even just flash-coordinate parties or get-togethers. Stephen Fry even used it to bring awareness to a particular censorship law in NZ (which has since been used as a Philosophy conundrum in a student’s assignment – I’ll have to show you the paper next year!). It’s like any sodding social medium, you make of it what you will. To say that it’s just a load of crap based on a few select ‘today Stephen Fry just WASN’T entertaining enough within 140 characters to suit MY mood’ is daft. For a start, he made me want to watch the documentary, so, something must be succeeding in *some* fashion…
You will rarely find bad journalists saying anything nice about blogging or Twitting, as obviously they feel (rightly) that these technologies threaten their livelihood.
Good journalists will adapt, of course, but bad ones – well, you don’t see too many blacksmiths around now, either.
I miss some of Fry’s Tweets, simply because of time differences, and when I am active on twitter. That being said the original journalist is being a bit of an ass.
Anything that Evan Maloney derides worth taking a look at.
He and the Spatters are about the most boring, vacuous, tepid bloggers to ever assemble in one place.
As soon as anyone tries to spice it up, Baloney tosses out the entire stew and starts another one, of which the main ingredient is water and cardboard.
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