Untitled

[benfeldmanlove21-blog]

There’s something I’d like to post to put a certain post from today into perspective for all of us over on this side. Grief is very hard, it affects everyone differently yes, but I can’t help feeling young children experience it even more impactful than us adults. So today’s post by a certain person made me quite angry. Firstly that account is for business, and specifically healing with animals. Not for sharing your daughter’s grief for likes and sympathy. I also can’t help but feel the timing quite predictable. When Sam attended an event seemingly without her or at least her not being “seen” and fans feeling happy, celebrating and enjoying it, she felt the need to post, I think, purely to remind people she’s here and exists. So last Sunday she was posting Sam’s sunglasses on a dog on said business account, and this Sunday she’s posting grief about her late husband and using his song (and her daughter) right after it’s been discussed here a lot this week the timeline, how she erased her husband and how quickly she moved on. Interesting right. Predictable.

Well something I wanted to put into perspective for you all.

She says in her post “After a particularly hard day last year, where grief seemed to come back in the form of a tsunami, I reminded my daughter that she can always ask for signs from people (and animals) that have passed on... the next day, while walking home from the beach, she stopped by a small patch of clovers and asked for a four leafed clover as a sign”

Sounds like a tough time for this poor child, thing is maybe she forgets she went public on Nov 9 for us to see her posts. She posted when her daughter found that clover which was Nov 16 (stories were saved with the date in the file name)

She then kicked everyone out on Nov 17.

After her daughter was struggling and they had such a lovely moment I’d like to remind everyone she proceeded to leave her daughter in Ireland and was in SUA on Nov 22 hanging at the pub with Sam and Sofia (you can go back check dates on bcac’s account)

Attended the Harley expo with Sam as she posted and stories were leaked on Nov 23 (I’m not posting hers)

Stayed past the weekend to hang around while Sam worked and then was spotted with Cait and Tony on Nov 25 (again not posting her) and was in attendance on Nov 26 for the Sir Ian and Dame Judy evening.

So 5 days after witnessing her young daughter having a tsunami of grief she left her behind in Ireland for AT LEAST 6 days.

I am appalled by her bullshit games, her manipulation to look like some higher power of knowledge of ANYTHING when she’s now admitted that her daughter was suffering with grief and she was just too busy to stick around and be with her in that time.

I won’t write more as it makes me sick and I may say something I shouldn’t. To all the women who go to her account and praise her strength and thank her, take a hard look at yourself.

[maddyoutlander]

I don't get how anyone can use deceased people to their advantage. It's disgusting.. Narcissistic!

[gotham-ruaidh]

What do you think?

Are they both died and in some other world?

They're alive and lived happily after in the ridge?

Jamie died and Claire lied there with him?

I think that they woke up on top of King's Mountain, alive. And after a bit of time and healing, went back to Fraser's Ridge. Where Claire finished writing their story, and they lived out their days, surrounded by their bairns and grandbairns. Hearts and souls even more entwined than before.

[harriethattie]

Yep!

[maddyoutlander]

❤️❤️

[benfeldmanlove21-blog]

[manoun96]

Oh Dear 😂😂😂😂

[maddyoutlander]

😄🤣🤣

[margareth-lv]

🛁Memory Check: The Water Tub Era🛁

Do you remember Sam proudly telling interviewers, after the birth of the Little Soul, that he was fully prepared for the birth, water tub and all?

Right. So here’s the thing… it actually looked more like this:

. . .

[and honestly, the time Caitríona needs to work out her age at the time of the birth - does that not strike you as a little odd?]

Source: Caitríona for Elle Spain, 19 May, 2026.

[19 May, 2026]

[mariaae]

@margareth-lv I sure remember how delighted Sam was telling us about being prepared as a midwife for that emergency. For a bachelor (cough, cough) it was odd that he knew about birthing pools and Caitriona was totally entertained and smiling widely and laughing the whole time. Mega thanks to @avasetocallmyown for the awesome gifs.

I have to post the video on a different thread coz tumblr is not allowing me to upload from my files if I am only responding to a main post.

[maddyoutlander]

🤩🥰

[lallybroch-pr-watch]

Dear Sam,

I’m addressing you because at this point it’s hard to believe you don’t know exactly what’s happening here.

Do you understand how this looks?

Not the shipper side of it. Not the fandom noise. Just the plain optics: you’re attaching your name, your brand, and the final chapter of a 12-year legacy to a storyline that looks messy, calculated, and frankly embarrassing.

And yes, I’m putting you in this, because you don’t get to play “innocent bystander” when the same pipeline keeps “leaking” the same kind of material on perfect timing, when the rebuttal collages show up right when Tumblr starts asking questions, and when the whole thing is conveniently built around your business ecosystem. If it were truly private, it would stay private. We all know that what we’re watching is mostly damage control.

Here’s the part you need to hear: being associated with someone who has a public history that many people find disturbing or attention-seeking reflects on you too. Even if half of it is rumor, even if some of it is taken out of context, you chose the association and you’re choosing to keep feeding it. You’re letting the story expand while keeping yourself just far enough away to deny responsibility.

And then you show up next to her and the visual is the opposite of what the narrative claims.

If anything, you look like you’re actively avoiding her.

So what exactly are people supposed to conclude?

That you’re stuck in a narrative you don’t even like?

That it was useful until it wasn’t?

That it’s a useful arrangement you can’t be bothered to perform convincingly?

That you’re willing to let her take the hit as long as you keep your hands clean?

Meanwhile you are burning your own image in real time.

This narrative keeps hijacking your moments and making them about her instead. Macbeth should have been a clean career win. The Outlander finale should have been a legacy lap. The tartan parade should have been about Scotland, your brand, your work, your people. Even your birthday should have been just that, your birthday. Instead, every single milestone gets swallowed by the same side story, the same “are they or aren’t they” chatter, the same staged crumbs designed to keep her in the frame. It doesn’t elevate you, it distracts from you. It turns real professional achievements into gossip fuel.

And the saddest part is that this didn’t have to be your arc.

Because the Sam people rooted for wasn’t this.

He was the geeky, awkward, genuinely funny guy who seemed a little naive in the best way. The one who didn’t even look fully aware of how attractive he was, which somehow made him more attractive. The one who came across warm and humble. The one who felt like a decent person underneath the fame, who looked grateful for what the show gave him and grateful for the people who supported him.

This version feels like the opposite.

This version comes across cocky. A player. Someone who manipulates his fans, feeds them just enough to keep them spending, then blames them for reacting. And instead of growing into something bigger than the role, you’re still riding the Jamie Fraser wave while demanding people detach you from him. You’ve built your entire commercial world on Outlander mythology, then act offended when the audience treats you like the face of it.

You’re also underestimating the one thing you used to understand: your fandom’s pattern recognition.

You can’t spend a decade benefiting from their obsession and then act offended when they notice the strings. You can’t troll people on key dates, feed them mixed signals, then complain about the reaction. You can’t ask them to fund your businesses while insulting their intelligence with a year-long “relationship” that you refuse to own, while you act visibly uninterested in the person you’re supposedly with.

And here’s what’s coming whether you like it or not: the hourglass is flipping.

Outlander ends. The casual audience moves on. The hardcore base shrinks. That’s normal. What’s not normal is accelerating that shrink by turning on the people who carried you here. When fewer people are left, who exactly is paying the bills for the brands, the rollouts, the “adventures,” the constant selling?

So yes, she may look ridiculous in this narrative.

But you look responsible for it.

[maddyoutlander]

You look responsible for it..Period!

[harriethattie]

Smile! Like You’re Having Fun! 😬

# No apology for showing the child; she’s all over the internet.

[i-ship]

Since yesterday I’ve been trying to find the words to describe this farce, and I genuinely can’t.

It felt like I got a glimpse of a version of Sam I didn’t know, and honestly didn’t want to know. Drunk, acting like a party boy, hijacking an event that’s supposed to represent the best Scotland has to offer, but holding a half empty bottle, pouring drinks to random women’s mouths while two women behind him are dressed like hookers. He managed to turn what should have been a respectable parade into a rock show circus built around one fading star.

I’m taking my shipper hat off for a second and looking at what was actually shown. And what was shown is disturbing, at best.

You brought a woman and her child to New York, for whatever reason. And regardless of how I feel about that woman, the bare minimum is to treat them with basic dignity.

The premiere was awkward in a way that was almost funny. This wasn’t. This was humiliating. And it’s one thing to embarrass someone when it’s just adults. In front of the child? That’s a different level.

That image of the child clinging to him while he can’t even bring himself to put a hand on her, while he keeps performing for the crowd, won’t leave my head. You put a child in a situation that isn’t appropriate for her, in front of the entire world, in a way that could genuinely expose her to risk, and you can’t even show the smallest bit of care?

Every criticism aimed at the mother applies to him too. The girl shouldn’t have been there. She definitely shouldn’t have been on that bus, behind an alcohol banner, watching him behave like a drunken fool. A child who lost a father figure just over a year ago shouldn’t be watching her mother get degraded like that in public.

Today I can’t summon a shred of respect for him. Beyond that, I’m struggling to even imagine Caitriona ever seeing something in this version of him.

He isn’t Jamie Fraser. Not even close. There’s no dignity here. No respect for family values, or honestly even for other human beings. I don’t recognize the man his friends describe as incredible, wonderful, a good friend. What I see is someone who’s lost himself, and it feels like watching a car crash in real time.

[maddyoutlander]

He. Is. Not. Jamie. Fraser

[craighnadonuts]

What we're seeing at this parade is nothing new. It's the same modus operandi SH has used for years with the women in his life. Today wasn't that different from the premiere. What we see is a man very concerned with showing off and selling his whisky, and a woman having to chase after him – literally – with a child in her arms (who didn't seem to want to participate in any of that, which is understandable). And the woman always desperately needs to do something to get his attention. Otherwise, no one else would notice that she was there as his guest.

No, this isn't a way to acknowledge a relationship. Let's stop absolving SH of the responsibility of acting like a normal man and publicly acknowledging the women he's involved with in the way any normal man should. After so much exposure, there's no longer the excuse of "privacy." And how many A-list artists do we know who treat their partners normally and not like someone contaminated by the plague they need to run and hide from?

The only difference is that now a child is being super exposed. And even if they say the mother authorized it, he's being complicit and isn't doing anything to stop it. A man who constantly talked about keeping his private life out of the spotlight doesn't think anything of exposing someone else's young daughter to photographers and a crowd.

And if that wasn't bad enough, mother and daughter were in the parade section dedicated to alcoholic beverages manufactured by him.

If it's already questionable to take a child to the opening of a distillery or to simulate a drunken Christmas elf in a children's Christmas tradition, it was even worse to position a child behind the banner of a beverage company.

And....if we stop to look at the big picture, we can see something striking, a huge difference that, even though it's so obvious, may be going unnoticed by many people: on one side we have a child, whose mother isn't even a famous person, being constantly exposed. On the other side there's a little boy whose mother is famous, but nobody has any idea how he looks like now, because he's kept away from the spotlight, the media, and curious eyes (as every child should be kept).

In a world of social media and nosy people, it must be a hard work for the famous mother to achieve this, but she has done an excellent job.

Our choices will always impact the lives of our children. That's why it's so important to think carefully before bringing a child into this world.

[outlanderskin]

🎯🎯🎯

[maddyoutlander]

💯🎯🎯

[lallybroch-pr-watch]

And all that while he's pouring whisky down the thoughts of young women on the side. He's gross and along with her they are two disguising individuals who deserve each other.

I’m using this anon to ask a bigger question: what exactly did they think they were doing from a brand and marketing perspective? Is Sassenach supposed to be cheap frat party whiskey? Or is it not a ridiculously expensive “premium” whiskey that’s meant to project elegance and luxury?

What image were they even trying to create with this grotesque little spectacle?

And as for your actual question, sadly, I have to agree. I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: if I genuinely believed she was his girlfriend, I might even feel a bit sorry for her. Chasing him from place to place, country to country, while he’s busy pouring drinks down younger women’s throats.

And in the background you’ve got a kid who clearly looks out of place, probably jet-lagged, flown to New York for two days just to be a prop and exposed to this childish behavior.

[maddyoutlander]

☹️

[lallybroch-pr-watch]

Let’s sum up what we have so far.

A newly widowed woman who suddenly shows up “by coincidence” alongside Tony, who also reappears after an entire year of absence.

A woman who shows up to a distillery opening with her daughter and places both front and center in front of the press.

Modeling photos of that same woman (that are not easy to find even when you know her name) that “just happened” to land in one specific blog’s inbox, conveniently revealing who she is.

Two photos of that same woman at Macbeth from two different angles, distributed to several leading Tumblr bloggers at the same time.

Another photo from a different day where she just so happens to be wearing Sam’s jacket while holding her own coat.

A blog that started asking questions and then suddenly stopped receiving material.

A woman who cleaned up, deleted, and curated her private Instagram, then opened it to the public in the middle of the night in Europe, but at the perfect time for U.S. fans. In that exact window, she uploaded a string of stories from different times, all designed to link her to Stratford, to Sam, his brand, and to the pendant he wears.

A perfectly timed locking of the account after enough people followed, watched, took screenshots, and noticed that even Sam’s closest co-star was commenting.

A “double date” where Sam looks miserable and only looks at Caitriona (what will be a recurring theme), plus a breakfast photo of the McGills. All of it came from a “source” to one specific blog only, while nobody else in a city flooded with fans managed to photograph either couple.

Another Stratford family photo sent to that same blog, again with Sam looking miserable.

A New York photo sent to that same blog implying the brunette head is Steph, even though unless she flew in for a single day it makes no sense, because according to that same blog she was back at her daughter’s school two days later in the morning.

And then there’s the tattoos. Oh, the matching tattoos. A tattoo that, by the way, didn’t seem to be on her arm at the New York premiere, but when Sam was in New York promoting his book it looked extremely fresh, extremely dark, and not at all like something that had just been done. Even though just days earlier it didn’t exist.

Tattoos that faded in an unrealistic way three months later.

Christmas “hints” in Glasgow, photos taken outside. Sam looks stiff. Zero signs of affection.

Bizarre photos hinting at celebrations at his actual home, with the woman and the child missing from them.

Photo booth pictures recreating shots she once did with her late husband, with a decent chance they were produced using AI.

And of course, all of the above somehow goes to one very specific inbox.

Then complete radio silence.

A video from a New York theater where you can literally hear a voice saying, “Doing the video now… alright.” And yes, it also went to the same blog.

Another theater photo where Sam is, once again, only looking at Caitriona.

The premiere… do I even need to write it all? They arrived in separate cars. He ran from her, barely looked at her, barely acknowledged her. Meanwhile, he touched, laughed, hugged, held hands, and looked at another woman with enormous affection, while the widow looked visibly unhappy.

Then she disappears while Sam stays in New York celebrating and making sure to show he’s doing it without her.

Fandom-wide backlash and major secondhand embarrassment for her.

Caitriona starring on Sam’s lock screen (thank you, @2truthsandalie5 )

The launch of a “business” Instagram linked to her personal account, for a profession that needs Instagram the least, and yet the account is full of photos of the therapist, her daughter, and horse-quote clichés.

Tumblr criticism of her credentials that disappeared from the account the very next day. (Credit to @sgiandubh )

Then using that same account for exactly what it was created for: breadcrumbing, with full cooperation from our star.

A holiday café photo in Glasgow that was found and sent around with suspicious speed. (Again, credit to the wonderful @sgiandubh )

Based on all of the above, I think we can say with certainty that there hasn’t been a single organic step in this entire story. Someone is working very hard to sell us this relationship. If it were real, I would mostly feel sorry for the two people in it, as they seem very miserable around each other. But my sympathy is coming from a different place: for an actor doing far too much, and doing it badly, to make us believe in this circus, for a woman selling her dignity, her reputation, and her professional future for money, and above all, for the child. My heart goes out to her.

Did I miss anything? Feel free to add.

[maddyoutlander]

That’s a great, concise summary..it really deserves to reach a wider audience, like showing up on Google when people search for things like “ Lead actor's recent girlfriend” or similar topics.

The funny part is that the whole circle—mom, brother, nephew, sister/BFF, and close friends ...is involved behind the scenes, making everything look real.

[sgiandubh]

Okay regarding everything we are seeing now

It seems to be a game of PR and Trolling and hiding something!!

Because I still don’t believe that this man is falling for the MW !!

What you think on this!?

Dear PR and Trolling Anon,

I saw you made the rounds in here, chez @bat-cat-reader and probably also elsewhere. I must confess I am really unsure if you are trolling yourself. Simply because I don't understand how a careful observer of this entire #shitshow is still not positive about this... thing being a cheap, manufactured side non-event.

Most of the people in this community, regardless of their faction/persuasion, are adamant she is a fraud and the story she is peddling is null and void.

This, Anon, should be the main red flag and if you don't see it, kindly go somewhere else, where the pastures are greener and the bong always at hand.

[maddyoutlander]

💯🎯

[honestlywhatishappening]

Welcome back to Honestly What Is Happening?

The only show brave enough to ask: are we witnessing a grand finale… or a very confident cardboard strategy.

This week began with intrigue. A teaser. A promise. A limited release described as “The Final Chapter.” The kind of phrasing that implies closure, legacy, perhaps even narrative resolution. The instructions were simple: comment “SIGN UP,” receive a DM, surrender your email address. Await destiny.

Fandom did what fandom does best: speculate with confidence. A single malt worthy of Culloden? A Jamie Fraser Special wrapped in tartan? A gold tequila aged in Highland air? A whisky that tastes faintly of longing and historical trauma? Something rare. Something symbolic. Something that justified the dramatic typography.

The date appeared: 02-26-26. A detail that quietly reminded everyone that nothing says Highland authenticity like month-first numerology. Authenticity is flexible when necessary.

Then Thursday arrived.

Australia refreshed first. Europe followed. The UK leaned forward politely. The East Coast demanded answers. The Midwest grew restless. By the time the West Coast entered the chat, the Instagram comment section had evolved into a polite but persistent inquiry desk.

“Is it live?” “Where is it?” “Did I miss it?”

Nothing appeared on the brand grid. No dramatic reveal. No cinematic unveiling. Just suspense, stretching elegantly across time zones. The official response, when it came, was almost soothing in its repetition: “Check your emails.”

Late in the day, the truth surfaced not through ceremony, but through basic website navigation. A few curious minds clicked around and discovered that destiny does not require a DM. It requires scrolling. And possibly curiosity.

What awaited them was… a box. Not a new liquid. Not a rare cask. Not a seismic pivot. A box.

The same whisky. A new presentation. A $70-more-than-yesterday box. Standing stones illustrated. JAMMF graphics. A letter from Sam to Jamie included, which is either poetic meta-textual devotion or the boldest example yet of writing fan mail to your own fictional alter ego.

To be clear: this is not scandalous. This is not shocking. This is capitalism wearing a tartan waistcoat.

There is something almost majestic about the choreography of it all. The teaser. The countdown. The email funnel disguised as prophecy. The collective assumption that a seismic reveal was imminent. And then the gentle arrival of what can only be described as The Extended Universe of Cardboard.

There is something impressively elastic about subtitling it “The Final Chapter” while continuing to monetise the very character one has occasionally hinted it may be time to outgrow. Chapters, it seems, are renewable resources.

Of course, collectors will collect. Enthusiasts will purchase. Shelves will gain a deluxe cardboard reliquary. The email database will flourish. The spirit of Jamie will continue to appreciate in value. The margins will remain healthy.

It is just difficult not to admire the theatre of it. The way anticipation did most of the heavy lifting. The way mystery inflated value before a single image appeared. The way time zones were briefly united in shared confusion.

In the end, nothing changed. The liquid remains consistent. The narrative framing has upgraded. The price has adjusted to reflect emotional embossing.

Anyway.

Inventory: identical. Narrative framing: elevated. Engagement funnel: successful. Email database: thriving.

The Final Chapter has arrived.

Pre-orders for the epilogue to be announced.

[lallybroch-pr-watch]

I don’t like being a downer, so if the Vogue photos did it for you, consider this your sign to stop reading.

It took me a while to understand why those photos did absolutely nothing for me. Especially after I’ve been begging for proper promo, new shoots, new interviews, anything that would spark that pre-season excitement again. On paper, this should have been exactly the kind of content that fills that need. But I looked at the photos, I read the interview, and I honestly felt… nothing.

The photos are beautiful. They both look great, as always. There’s still electricity in the air. But all I can see is the rings, the spiral that looks half-faded, and two actors who showed up, did the job, and went home.

And I think that’s the problem. I don’t really believe anything they say anymore. I don’t trust the poses, the messaging, the carefully curated vibe. The last few months were such a draining circus, and it made everyone involved look so bad, that it’s like my respect just evaporated. The magic feels gone.

And the interview didn’t help. It’s the same recycled answers again, nothing new, nothing real. Also, can someone please explain to Sam that calling Cait his “older sister” is not the way to sell a very sexual on-screen relationship to anyone.

I’m still hoping the video content hits differently. I want to see them interact, look each other in the eyes, react in real time. But right now, and this genuinely makes me sad to admit, I can’t even force myself into being excited. Sorry.

[maddyoutlander]

It honestly sounds so awkward. They’re starring in a romantic show, promoting the final season, doing all these touchy, romantic-style video shoots… and then suddenly the lead actor calls the lead actress his “older sister.” It just feels so off 🙄😬

I don’t get the point of forcing a narrative when no one is even asking for it. Cait did something similar during the Belfast promotions, going on about that random sheet-cover story and all that and it kind of backfired. Oscar nomination gone away. Sometimes overexplaining or saying unnecessary things can actually cost them more than staying quiet.

[sdreamersc82]

👀😍

JC ∞ SC

📸 Entertainment Weekly

[luhafraser]

He’s come to terms with it just fine. Never really been private anyway—everything feels calculated to stir the fandom and cash in.

🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

[maddyoutlander]

🤑🤑

[bat-cat-reader]

It's about time...

outlander_starz

Join Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin and more at the Outlander Premiere Event: The Final Gathering! Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis, and RSVPs open this Friday at 11am PT. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! #OutlanderForever 20 min

[bat-cat-reader]

Well, I’m on vacation, which means I have a lot of free time to read blogs and all that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hypocrite, and you don’t even have to post my comment.

But frankly, what do you expect from him? He is a businessman, but we are talking about a businessman who sells based on his image. We aren't talking about the CEO of a hospital, a tech company, or anything like that. We are talking about an actor doing an advertisement, playing around with how a drink is made. Just look at the comments, everyone loved it.

A suit is not an invitation to responsibility. That is what marketing is; you need to know your audience. He is selling alcohol, for God's sake!

You say that those who love must make the other cry—even if it’s just a proverb, that is sadistic, and it’s not love. I see you all criticizing every single move of his lately (and I’ll say, I don't defend or coddle men, and Sam is not and never was my favorite), but what is this? It’s the clothes, accessories, posts, stories, the way he speaks. You find a way to speak ill of absolutely everything he does.

Your posts, and so many others, boil down to this: 'What will I criticize today?' Or just assumptions. It’s no wonder that in recent years both Sam and Caitriona have had absolutely no online contact with any fans. All of Sam’s posts are impersonal, all done by a team. Absolutely nothing there is done by him, with very rare exceptions.

I say this because I used to follow your blog and others when I was younger. I came back recently during my vacation, and if I didn't know better, I’d think this was a hater's blog.

And I’m not defending him, but take a screenshot of your own comments and put a black bar over your name. Mix them with comments from haters and try to figure out which one is yours.

Dices que quien ama debe hacer llorar al otro; aunque sea solo un proverbio, eso es sádico y no es amor. Quien solo te pasa la mano por el lomo y te dice que todo lo que haces está bien, poco te quiere y simplemente evita una posible confrontación. Quien te adula sin medida está fomentando una persona sin autocrítica que al menor contratiempo no va a saber como reaccionar ¿ Como, si yo siempre hago todo bien como es que parece que que algo falla ? La profesora de mi hijo siempre me decía, hay que señalarle los defectos y las equivocaciones aunque le duela porque así demuestras que si te importa y ayudas a que tenga los pies en el suelo, date cuenta que la vida no se basa solo en alabanzas, siempre habrá quien lo cuestione y si siempre vive en la burbuja del consentimiento, la vida se encargará de demostrarle por las malas que eso no es así. Por lo demás, si no me gusta la deriva de Sam estoy en mi derecho de decirlo y tu en el tuyo de pasar de largo de mi blog. Sigue disfrutando de tus vacaciones y de ese Sam sin fallos ni faltas .

You say that those who love must make the other cry; even if it's just a proverb, that's sadistic and not love. Someone who just pats you on the back and tells you that everything you do is fine doesn't love you very much and is simply avoiding a possible confrontation. Someone who flatters you excessively is encouraging a person without self-criticism who, at the slightest setback, won't know how to react. How can something be wrong if I always do everything right? My son's teacher always told me, you have to point out his flaws and mistakes even if it hurts, because that way you show that you care and help him keep his feet on the ground. Realize that life is not based solely on praise; there will always be those who question him, and if he always lives in a bubble of consent, life will take care of showing him the hard way that this is not the case. Otherwise, if I don't like the direction Sam is taking, I have the right to say so, and you have the right to ignore my blog. Continue enjoying your vacation and that flawless Sam.

[sgiandubh]

I do not want to insult you, Anon, but I think you take things first degree. @bat-cat-reader's Spanish proverb is a translation of an old Latin one: qui bene amat, bene castigat -> He who loves well will not hesitate to chastise. That simply means constructive criticism, never gratuitous hate. Even if sometimes the words are stronger, arguments and solutions are always being offered.

I get why you are upset and we are circling back to your strange desire to protect a 45 year old man, who lately makes a flurry of childish - but expensive - mistakes. Rose-coloured glasses are fine, until they aren't, because in reality mechanical praise is never good. Critique conversation is not being a bitch, if you explain your motivations and offer a perspective. It's being lucid, and the moment is, to say the least, interesting.

[harriethattie]

Anon, I may be the only person here to say I absolutely agree with you. People are mistaken in thinking that this 45 year old man who has made success of his life needs the advice of inexperienced strangers and while it is mostly whistling in the wind, there are plenty who feel the need to give it. They are not his parents, his friends, his advisers or his employees. He has achieved above and beyond his expectations in his acting career, lives a comfortable life, has a new ecologically friendly distillery that didn’t just pop up like a mushroom, he could sell his spirits business for a staggering amount of money; he is also respected by those who matter.

The consolation you may take is in what you said; these days most of Sam’s business posts are impersonal, most are organised by a team, his advertising is slick and professional; some of our most famous actors played the buffoon.

I don’t accept anons but my DM is open if you ever want to talk.

[maddyoutlander]

I’m sorry, but I somewhat disagree with you here. I think shippers are actually more reasonable in this fandom. If you look at the other side, they tend to point out and criticize everything Sam does. As Bat mentioned, as fans, we’re allowed to question him when he does something wrong, and at the same time appreciate him when he does something right. Frankly speaking, his actions over the last few months have raised a lot of questions. Why all this narrative? He could simply live a normal life—no drama, no innuendo. You could see how people pissed off, via his IG likes and follows count from last 1 or 2 years.

Correct me if I am wrong, I think, he’s the one playing with the fandom’s emotions. He met a woman, took her to an event, then to the distillery opening—there was SUA, the Halloween celebration, the photo booth, and even Christmas at his home. Yet there isn’t a single post saying “my life” or “my love,” or anything that makes it feel genuine.

Now you’ll say one thing 😜: that he doesn’t owe us anything. But I disagree. Sam Heughan is Sam Heughan because of this fandom. Without us, he wouldn’t be where he is today—at best, he might be making drinks behind a bar or working as a theatre artist. 🫠

Enjoy your vacation to the fullest!🥂