There’s been a lot of Robert Pattinson bashing lately by a couple IrishCentral staffers (read their articles here, here and here), motivating me to even the playing field a bit, come to RPatz’s defense and show our readers there are some Irish Americans who dig the guy!

I must admit, I don’t fully understand the insane obsession with the British actor. Is he cute? Sure. Is he the hottest thing to ever walk this planet? Not so much – I’ll go with George Clooney or Pierce Brosnan over Pattinson any day.

Plus, I’ve seen “Twilight,” and Robert is not exactly the best actor on the big screen. (Oh boy, I'm gonna hear it from the diehard fans for that...)

However, I don’t think he deserves the bad rap he’s getting from certain Irish haters.

Do Pattinson’s people plant stuff in the media to garner more attention to the star?

I don’t doubt it, but so what? You’d be hard-pressed to find an up and coming actor whose PR machine doesn’t set up “accidental” sightings. That’s Hollywood, folks, and by now we should know how to sift through the B.S. in the tabloids.

Furthermore, even if Patz is a player, what business is it of mine? I don’t think we can judge someone based on their love life alone. The man’s an ACTOR, and therefore when evaluating him, I turn to his acting, and the way he presents himself on the red carpet and in interviews.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if Pattinson’s public persona is genuine or not, but even if it’s not totally “him,” his attitude is rather refreshing.

The 23-year-old is sarcastic, humble and self-deprecating in a charming way.

This is the guy who told the press he didn’t understand why he was cast as the “perfect” Edward Cullen in “Twilight” because he says he’s no beauty, and instead looks like “an old, Irish alcoholic.”

The understated actor goes about his business in a mysterious, captivating way, and comes out with endearing lines like: "When I was entering the building, I saw a girl, and she was so baffled by me; she just looked so underwhelmed. I'm like, ‘Don't worry. I get that all the time.’”

And funny anecdotes like this: “Up until I was 12 my sisters used to dress me up as a girl and introduce me as 'Claudia'! Twelve was a turning point as I moved to a mixed school and then I became cool and discovered hair gel.”

The “Remember Me” star has a great sense of humor, and what could be more attractive than that?

RPatz may be overrated, but it’s not his fault. (I blame the crazed teeny boppers.) He’s just a regular guy doing his thing and rocking the Hollywood scene.

I say, good on ya, Rob.