Tweeeeeeeet!

I think I've turned into a mild celebrity irritant this week, and it's all the fault of Twitter. I originally set myself up with an account for the cycling website, and latterly another account for the new wildlife website, and very useful those accounts have proved to be. But the former has become less connected with citycycling of late - okay so most of those people I'm connected to through it are still cycling people, and it's the subject of the majority of me tweets, but those I'm following are becoming more diverse. I'm not about to post tweets about making a cup of tea. Well. Okay. I did once, and I spiralled into hyperbole trying to recover from posting such a dull line that finished with me fighting for Guatemalan rebels against a co-alition force of evil penguins and My Little Ponies lead by Will Smith.

And so we come to the annoyance of celebrities. Around Festival and Fringe time it's interesting to follow those who are performing to get their take on the city and the events. Richard Herring (@Herring1967) was the first last year, and this year I tagged on a number more, such as Chris Addison (@mrchrisaddison) and Al Murray (@ajhmurray). All entertainers I enjoy seeing perform, this is targetted cyber-stalking. The inherent problem with Twitter is that the immediacy makes you actually think you're involved in a proper conversation with people (though with some people in real life a 140 character limit could come in useful).

So, as mentioned a couple of days ago, I managed to annoy Chris Addison through a misunderstanding on a ticket price query. Then last night Al Murray posted that he'd had a great meal at Martin Wishart. My response? To tell him that if he liked that he really should try the Kitchin. To his credit he actually responded saying he'd tried it, but didn't like it as much as Wishart. Which is fair enough. But really, why had I even given the opinion? I don't know the guy; he doesn't know me, he's merely recounting his time in Edinburgh. If a friend was to mention having a great meal somewhere I wouldn't immediately respond with an alternative that they should try instead. Hell, I don't normally like recommending places because food is such a personal thing.

Of course 140 characters doesn't let me go into that much depth, but at the same time it would still be an utterly pointless attempt to 'connect' with someone 'off the telly' even if there had been a full three page review with details of what underwwear the chef was wearing.

Maybe it's a desire to be part of their gang.

@celebcomic I'm having a great time in Edinburgh, I wore a blue shirt today.

@me You should try a green shirt, it's great.

@celebcomic That's the best thing I've heard anyone say in ages lol You must come to my show for free and live with me.

And so, I humbly apologise to Tweeting comedians citywide and merely implore you to continue to be funny and carry on giving me something to read when I really should be working. There, needed to get that off my chest, it's been bugging me since last night.

Of course most people reading this will be wondering what the point of Twitter is at all. For me that is the point. Why must everything have a purpose or a goal? No-one questions the validity of people phoning their loved ones to let them know they're on a train (and no more detail). Twitter is simply an extension of that immediacy that in addition gives you a little insight into the lives of other people (and in a less sanitised or, conversely, stage-managed extravagant manner than reading one of the horrific gossip mags).

Or, as I would have put the above on Twitter itself: "Tweeting celebs I don't know. Should make a cup of tea instead. Anyone seen my passport? I'm off to Guatemala. #willsmithspenguins"

Anyway, off to Tapa for some food tonight (and no, I'm not telling you what it's like) then off to see Richard Herring's show.