Ask Wil Wheaton Anything (Part Deux) 672
A little over three years ago Slashdot interviewed Wil Wheaton, at the time best known for his role as Wesley Crusher on ST:TNG. Since then his blog WWDN has allowed him a creative outlet that has made the world sit up and take notice. Wil is now a regular participant in ACME Comedy Theatre, has published two books ( Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek ), has done voicework for video games such as GTA: San Andreas, cartoons such as Teen Titans, and speaks regularly at conventions such as Gnomedex and Linucon. Wil enjoyed the first Slash interview so much it appeared in Just a Geek, and we're glad to have him back for a second go-round. Feel free to fire away, one question per comment please. We'll post his responses once we get them back.
ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Funny)
Better yet, send him to Spring Break destinations with a ton of beads and call it Wesley Gone Wild.
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Funny)
Add to this the rebel Riker's twin and the Data evil brother and we have a great beginning for an all evil crew.
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:3, Funny)
This week's episode:
Evil Riker, evil Wesley and evil Data are forced to confront the darker side of themselves, when they learn that there is only one black eyepatch between the three of them, and the replicator is on the blink.
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Funny)
No matter how hard I try, I can't grow a goatee.
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:5, Funny)
The Horrendous Truth. (Score:5, Funny)
It's worse than that. I have it on good authority that Wil Wheaton *is* the Goatse Man.
Either that, or Tubgirl, I forget which.
Dread Pirate Wesley (Score:5, Funny)
Wesley could then return to Starfleet headquarters, looking for his true love (an upperclassmen he met during his brief time at the acadamy) only to discover that she has become betrothed to an evil planetary governor who, unbeknownst to her, has ambitions to take over neighboring star systems and start interstellar war.
After being left for dead after being tortured using an octopus like extra-terrestrial creature that attaches its tentacles to major nerve bundles by the governor's minions. The purpose of the torture was to gain the vital "warp energy" that Wesley has learned to harness so the governor's assassins, can more through space like ghosts. Wesley rebuilds his strength and storms the governor's stronghold only to find out that the governor is his long believed dead father.
In the climactic battle, Wesley defeats, but does not kill his father. Wesley's true love does kill Wesley's father in a pique at being used to draw Wesley in. In his dying breath, Wesley's father renounces his evil and Wesley gives him the full starfleet funeral that he deserves.
Wesley realizes that he has evolved beyond common man and despite his feelings for the girl resumes his wandering of the universe, looking for wrongs to right and balances to be restored.
Hey, it's better than anything Rick Berman has produced in the last 10 years.
myke
Re:ST:TNG, Your charecter exit (Score:4, Funny)
>
>No matter how bright Wesley is supposed to be or how great Picards father-complex is, the fleet would have vaporized them in days.
Wes: "I reprogrammed the holodeck so it was possible to rescue the ship."
Q: "What?"
Picard: "He cheated."
Wes: "I changed the conditions of the test. I got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose."
Q: "Then you never faced that situation. Faced being written out of the series."
Wes: "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."
Thoughts on the future of Enterprise (Score:5, Interesting)
That said, if you do still follow Trek I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the progress of "Enterprise" given your status as someone framiliar with the entertainment industry (esp. as it relates to this particular line of shows).
I have been so impressed by the last two seasons (except the Nazi arc at the start of this season) that I'd go so far as to group them with some of the best episodes of season 3 TNG. The characters are finally starting to fill out, the plots have gotten away from the standard "it's the Borg again!" horseshit and they've even had relatively decent dialog.
I get the impression, however, that it's not going to be enough to save the series based on the timeslot it's been relegated to. While my TiVO stays in Fridays even though I don't, I can't believe that even Trek fans regularly stay home Friday nights in sufficiant numbers to save the show, not to mention all the people who stopped watching in season 1 or 2 and won't end up flipping past sometime to give it a second chance now.
Is "Enterprise" as doomed as I think it is?
Re:Thoughts on the future of Enterprise (Score:5, Funny)
Too easy.
Re:Thoughts on the future of Enterprise (Score:4, Insightful)
First season Enterprise almost made me shut it off forever, too. Come on, how many "poke the alien, wonder why it killed you" episodes can we do? You know, the ones that follow these steps: find mysterious lifeform or situation and bother it until it gets incredibly pissed and tries to hurt us? You know, kind of like that Aussie guy with a similar show...
I'm glad to see that they've gone to longer, mini-arcs for episodes recently. The stories are well told and well thought-out, and there's enough time to do it without feeling hurried. Well done, well done.
acting? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:acting? (Score:3, Informative)
look up to the skies and see [wilwheaton.net]
Well, I never had time to write up the ApacheCon report . . . because I got a call late last night to audition for Alias at noon today.
Holy shit. Alias!
Personal preference question (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Personal preference question (Score:5, Funny)
Oh I'll take this one right now:
Yes.
Re:Personal preference question (Score:3)
Re:Personal preference question (Score:5, Informative)
For a brief time, I toyed with the idea of putting all my computer-related thoughts here, my political thoughts at dailykos, and my los angles-related thoughts at blogging.la, but then I decided that it was stupid to do all that, when I could just put them all on my blog.
I still post to blogging.la from time to time, but other than that, I pretty much stay in my own yard at WWdN.
Oh, and I do *all* my goofing off at totalfark, and occasionally UltraFark.
Re:Personal preference question (Score:5, Funny)
Secret Societies (Score:3, Funny)
Troubleshooter CLEV-R-0 please terminate traitor NE-O-5tus.
The computer is your friend
Trust the computer
Re:Personal preference question (Score:3, Funny)
You could do like Pudge, he uses here for his poitical journal.
by the way, my wife had the biggest crush on you years ago, could you send her an email and say hi? I'll give ya a gmail account
Re:Personal preference question (Score:5, Funny)
Sheesh.
You'd think we were doing the William Shatner interview again. And no - you can't ask yourself questions.
Re:Personal preference question (Score:5, Interesting)
Sorry, but I can't resist
Will, if you could ask yourself one question in this interview, what would it be?
About hostility towards Wesley Crusher (Score:3, Interesting)
Many fans were teenagers or even adults, and they were looking up to, and imagining themselves as, the captain or the other officers on the bridge. "This is what I want to be when I grow up" and that kind of thing. To them, Wesley was this annoying younger kid, and they resented his presence in their fantas
Only important TNG question (Score:5, Funny)
Re: See, -this- is what makes you cool, Wil. (Score:3, Funny)
I'd pay better money if it were a REAL mace rather than the self-defense spray.
Now that you are a fully grown man (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Now that you are a fully grown man (Score:5, Informative)
Changing Attitudes (Score:5, Interesting)
What has your newfound share of fans and admirers taught you? Was it always your intention to, via the internet, change people's minds about who you are and what you've been trying to accomplish?
Marina Sirtis (Score:3, Interesting)
Women et. al (Score:5, Funny)
I know this is one of those things that was asked to Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade, but as Ashley Judd's first on-screen kiss, do you have any advice on finding women? ;)
On that matter, what do you think priorities should be in looking for that sig. other?
Re:Women et. al (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Women et. al (Score:3, Funny)
Also, has Ashley Judd come back for seconds?
Looking back... (Score:5, Interesting)
And, on a related note, are you anywhere close to where you expected you'd be by now?
Actor to Actor (Score:5, Interesting)
You talk alot on your blog about your experiences, not only in your personal life, but also your professional life.
Now with two books under your belt, has anyone ever pitched the idea of writing a 'Acting in Hollywood for Dummies'?
Basically what to expect in the process of agenting, casting calls, marketing yourself, how to deal with rejection, overcoming fears, etc.
I think with your writing style, this would be a fun book to read, and accessible to non-actors who would be interested in what the 'real' Hollywood life was about.
What about the flip side? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:What about the flip side? (Score:4, Funny)
I think he's covered most of that in the restraining orders.
Child Actors (Score:5, Interesting)
the question on everyones mind. (Score:5, Funny)
Please say yes. (Score:5, Funny)
Blog Comments (Score:5, Interesting)
What pays the bills? (Score:5, Interesting)
It's a serious question. What keeps the roof over your head?
A lot of my favorite actors (you're included in there) will work for a little bit and then disappear for a great length of time.
A good example is Bruce Campbell. You see him in a small film like Bubba Ho-Tep or a quickie walk-on like in Spider Man, and then he disappears from the face of the earth. And I always wonder, what pays the grocery bill meanwhile?
How do you manage it? And please feel free to ignore this if it's too personal.
Residuals (Score:4, Insightful)
Actors get a certain amount of money from DVD sales, rebroadcast rights, etc, dictated on a sliding scale by the Screen Actors Guild. Eventually if an actor gets enough work, the residuals alone can (almost) pay the bills - assuming of course that you get enough roles to start getting a decent amount of income.
I can't speak for Wil, but I'd imagine having a reoccurring role on one of the most popular TV series ever probably generates a decent amount of income from residuals. Certainly for someone like Bruce Campbell, who's done tons of work over the years, he's probably decently well off.
Re:What pays the bills? (Score:3, Informative)
So... (Score:4, Interesting)
Fatherhood (Score:3, Interesting)
Moderation totals (Score:5, Interesting)
And a follow-up question (Score:5, Interesting)
celebrity poker (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm a longtime reader of WWDN and I know you're big into poker. ;)
Is there any chance of you making an appearance on Celebrity Poker on Bravo?
It'd kick ass to see you on there in action
What do you think of Stargate? (Score:5, Interesting)
A true geek? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A true geek? (Score:3, Funny)
maybe he bought it. higher number = less geek = more dates.
Look at me, my number is higher and I'm married.
Re:A true geek? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A true geek? (Score:5, Funny)
Who remembers Chips & Dips? And the glorious Meept? And goatse (the first time)? Aaah.... those were the days....
Re:A true geek? (Score:5, Insightful)
Creating Your Own Geek Culture (Score:5, Interesting)
Hope that makes sense. Cheers for responding to the
I dig your Mom. (Score:5, Funny)
Politics and Hollywood - from WW's perspective? (Score:5, Interesting)
We in the non-Hollywood scene see a fair number of outspoken individuals on one side of the political spectrum, a few on the other, and it *always* gets press anytime anyone on either side speaks out about any political issue.
Having seen it from the inside, how pervasive is politics in the workplace in the projects you've been involved in? Is it something that comes up every once in a while, like the rest of us, during office discussions... or is it something more "tangible", where you basically know where everyone around you stands - and you'd better hope you either stand the same way or don't say much?
Have you ever felt pressure from someone with regard to politics? Have you ever felt that your political viewpoint would affect your chances of working on a project?
Thanks!
The air up there... (Score:4, Interesting)
(I think i speak for a lot of us here that take great pleasure in watching your continued successes, keep up the outstanding work.)
Alright then. (Score:4, Funny)
Geek code (Score:5, Funny)
I Got One (Score:4, Interesting)
Oh by the way, my room mate was dissing on you the other day. I told her that you were really cool because you read slashdot, but she remains unconvinced for some reason. Are you doing something else that I can point her at that will improve your street cred in her eyes?
Clever Nick Name (Score:5, Interesting)
Simple question... don't be PC (Score:5, Interesting)
or
Uhura
Re:Simple question... don't be PC (Score:5, Funny)
Your future? (Score:5, Interesting)
Does having had a career and achived fame(at least among us geeks) at a young age give you a different outlook on life than the rest of us young folk, who are just getting out of school and looking to start a career? And any advice to us geeks seeking a family and job would be appreciated : )
Oh, and on a lighter note - you may be a famous actor and author, Wil Wheaton - but I still have a lower Slashdot ID than you! Take that! : )
How to be a "real" actor/writer/speaker/artist? (Score:5, Interesting)
Hi Wil. I know you're not about dwelling in the past when it comes to your acting career, but I did want to say that I think "Young Harry Houdini [imdb.com]" is an oft-overlooked film that you should be very proud of. Okay, so maybe I was only like 10 when I saw it, but as an amateur magician it really had an effect on me, and I thank you for your role in it.
A related question then: What advice can you give (beyond saying "be born with raw talent") to folks like yourself who see themselves as creative types with an interest in acting, writing, speaking - the public arts, if you will - but who also don't want to tread the over-worn path of mainstream media and every other Hollywood actor-wannabe? You seem to have done an exceptional job being a part of the underculture - sci-fi TV, self-publishing, blogging, small theater, etc., so it would seem you have some insight into how to participate in these arts without becoming corrupted by the process of getting involved.
Thanks!
Silas
Appear as character other that Wesley Crush (Score:3, Interesting)
Dealing with Internet hatred (Score:5, Interesting)
What would you tell the anonymous, average geek who has Internet fame suddenly dropped on him? How would you help him get through the flood of negativity and get to the point where he can ignore the naysayers and just have fun?
Re:Dealing with Internet hatred (Score:5, Informative)
Interesting question, but it probably won't make the cut. Makes for interesting discussion though, so as someone who gets flamed hard about three times per week in multiple venues, I can offer these points:
1. The angry corrector. Sometimes the flamers tell you something you need to know, like when you say something that is wrong. For this reason, you should read as many comments as you can unless they're obvious trolls.
2. Special needs posters. The people who sling nasty personal attacks are mentally ill and in search of attention. Think "toddler tantrom," if you have any child experience. Best to give them a time out by ignoring them.
3. The perfessers. Some people just want others to think they are smart, so they find one little point somewhere in what you've written and they pontificate about how this tangential fact ruins the whole article, and much they know and you don't, etc. etc. -- basically this is article envy. They're pissed that you have the attention and they do not.
4. Ugly Americans. American culture encourages people to tear down those in the limelight, those who shine brighter, those with more money, etc., even if these properties are only perceptions. In other words, if you envy, attack. (Yes I am an American, no I do not hate America; this is merely an observation of one of the negative points of the society I live in).
After you start recognizing the archetypes of online trolls/flamers/lusers/etc, they seem much less intimidating. Write what you would want to read, post what you would want to comment on, and ignore the idiots of the world. Do more costumes and if you really enjoy it, the joy of creating a good costume, documenting it, winning awards, and getting positive comments far outweighs the mild frustration of reading the negative comments.
-JemDiplomacy question (Score:5, Funny)
Outer Limits appearance and Wesley (Score:4, Interesting)
(I liked the episode, by the way
what kind of hard core non treckie fans do you get (Score:5, Funny)
A personal question (Score:3, Funny)
Homegrown Desktop Video (Score:3, Interesting)
In the last episode of Ask Wil Wheaton, you said that you were hoping to produce some of your own video stuff with a tool like iMovie. I'm interested if there's any progress on that front, but that's not my question, really...
Recently, my hometown was host to a Tromafest [tromadance.com] of local filmmakers strutting their sometimes trashy but always dedicated homegrown video and film projects. Some were feature-length opuses, others were short flash animations or sketch comedy types. I was really impressed with the quality that went into some of the projects, especially since everyone was professional at heart if not in portfolio.
So the question is: Do you get approached to work on video projects of the independant, micro-budget stripe? What kind of considerations do you.. um... consider... if/when such a project comes your way? Any thoughts you may have about independent filmmaking's strengths and weaknesses on the production side of the equation would be appreciated as well.
Thanks!
OS Preference...? (Score:3, Interesting)
LCARS...?
Bigshot Actor to Bigshot Author (Score:5, Funny)
Are your friends, fans, and family helping you keep a level head?
So here you are... (Score:3, Insightful)
There are probably just as many people in acting, as well as in any job, that struggle with identity, like you did. They struggle with expectations, they struggle with defining who they are or struggle with exceeding/overcoming definitions that have been put on them. You've answered this in several ways in your book, but if you could summarize - just what the hell did you learn - and if you could be a mentor like Stewart/Frakes were to you - what would you share/teach the budding actors/actresses/geeks/geekettes?
What do you want your legacy to be? And how will you share it?
Is there a Lars Ulrich of TV and Movies? (Score:5, Interesting)
Hollywood (Score:5, Interesting)
Self-Doubt (Score:5, Interesting)
You seem to doubt yourself a lot, yet you have (at least IMO) strong talents in writing, acting, and comedy, and, most importantly, an extremely loving wife and an amazing relationship with your stepchildren.
As depicted in Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek, you seem to have already come far in your battle against your inner doubt, yet it seems (again, just through my perception of your writing) that very often minor defeats set you back a considerable ways.
I suppose to those of us who go through life without some of the incredible good fortune you've had (and I speak not of your acting past, but of your loving family and your recognized writing and comedic talents), it is hard to understand why your inner demons appear to still be so strong.
For those of us who aren't familiar with Star Trek (Score:3, Funny)
Not sure I should ask this... (Score:5, Funny)
Fame and accessibility to the public (Score:5, Interesting)
That said, (a) Do you ever regret doing so? and (b) Do you think it's fear of unstable people, overwork, or a holier-than-thou attitude toward the proles (or a combination of the three) that keeps other celebs from being as visible, open, and honest?
I say this because I'm amazed at the down-to-Earth nature of those like yourself, J. K. Rowling [jkrowling.com], and others who aren't afraid to speak out for what they think and feel. With technology, one may wonder why others might not do so.
Like your blog, btw. Good to see you back on /.!
Something Awful (Score:5, Interesting)
What kind of movie would you make? (Score:5, Interesting)
What is missing in most movies today, if anything? Is it possible to make a geeky movie that has a chance of commercial success? Are we stuck importing Japanese anime?
Are people intimidated? (Score:3, Interesting)
Are you less likely to sit down and have a beer with someone because they might turn out to be a trek-crazy, or is that more of a problem for the more famous?
Readings from LaForge (Score:5, Funny)
Clever Nick not so clever anymore? (Score:5, Interesting)
Netcom and MMOGs (Score:3, Interesting)
We used to have your autographed picture up on the wall at Netcom back when you had them as an ISP.
I'm curious if currently play on any MMOGs?
Bruce
PS - Bonus question: What did you take away from your experience with Furry fandom?
Ashley Judd? Bootytown?! (Score:3, Funny)
Child Actor Prodigy Success (Score:5, Interesting)
How did you avoid all that mess? Was it easy or hard to avoid? Was there a point in your life where you had to make a conscious choice? What would you say to other child actors to help them avoid the pitfalls of early fame?
--jeff++
The effect of movie piracy on the actors (Score:5, Interesting)
You know MPAA's been suing left and right claiming downloading movies are damaging to the industry as a whole. As an actor in probably the most popular science fiction series ever, how does piracy or file sharing affect you and your bottom line?
Does what the studios say about piracy is total bull? Or is it the truth?
The Trek Welfare Check (Score:5, Interesting)
How much fear is there that the party is ending and that the fans have had enough? Do they talk privately about how trek has run out of gas and it's only a matter of time before there is no demand for another version?
You play D&D, right? (Score:4, Interesting)
As geeky as it sounds - if I were going to a con (like penguincon) I think it would be tres cool/geeky to have a door prize/charity auction/whatever of you running a D&D session.
Aqualad (Score:4, Interesting)
And did you have a choice of characters to play? If so, Aqualad? I mean, come on, his power is to swim and talk to fish.
Wesley Crusher and Punky sitting in a tree... (Score:4, Interesting)
/attention-getting-but-not-too-funny-pun
Wil, A couple of months ago, at three in the morning, I caught the movie you starred in with Soleil Moon Frye, The Girls' Room. [thegirlsroom.net] I enjoyed it a lot--not least because of your perfectly delivered line about why we don't call fraternities "frats."
I've heard that exact same line from a lot of actual Greeks, and it was impressive to see such a non-stereotyped portrayal.
But for all that it's a fun, interesting, and smart movie, with a unique role for you, it seems odd that you chose to make a film with another former child actor..?
Or was it?
You've come to terms (mostly?) with your early roles and their "residual" effects...Did you and Soleil discuss this?
Kid around about how you're the ones that made it?
Or did you just give her the cold shoulder because she no longer has that certain something? [killoggs.com]
Starfleet IT (Score:5, Interesting)
One of the things that fascinated me about Star Trek: The Next Generation was the attention to detail in set design. I'm aware that Michael Okuda [startrek.com] was responsible for a lot of the design work, like the LCARS [wikipedia.org] interfaces for example (also referred to as "Okudagrams"). There was just an underlying subtle feel of logic and innovation behind it all that appealed to the computer nerd in me.
The touch screen interface standard was one; touch screens are an ideal graphical user interface because you don't need an indirect input device to manipulate the interface. I've actually read somewhere that NASA considers it to be a useful idea for manned space missions because it allows a user to access a whole range of controls with a simple touch screen, saving on space and weight when compared to the equivalent in physical controls. The PADDs [wikipedia.org] were also a novel concept, resembling current PDAs and tablet computers. The LCARS interfaces also had recurring elements, like a round one I've read was nicknamed the "spinner", that looked like a control for 2D or 3D manipulation, kind of like arrow keys on a keyboard.
I also noticed that everything - devices, bulkheads, panels, containers, etc - all had the same kind of labels on them. They seemed like a standardised system for doing things like handling inventory, like barcodes. And there was a consistency across the board, the way they were also used as signs on doors and also appeared as LCARS interface elements. I've noticed that they've used them in the Star Trek: Enterprise series as well. (I've also read that they sometimes had jokes [ex-astris-scientia.org] on them visible only to the cast during filming.)
Since you were working on the set, you must have had a lot of exposure to what went on behind the scenes with regards to the design process. And as a self-confessed geek [amazon.com], you must have had some interest in that part of the production. Was there an actual working concept behind LCARS as a real graphical user interface? What can you say about the fictional LCARS that would be applicable to real operating systems and graphical user interfaces? And what about those labels- were they based on a realistic system of organisation and management? What kind of concepts were the set designs based on, and how much detail did they get into regarding those concepts? I was just wondering how much of it all was just aesthetic and how much of it was based on real logic.
Re:Question... (Score:3, Insightful)