This weekend, the 2008 Geek Tour rolls into San Jose for Super-Con!
Original Announcement:
May 17-18
Super-Con
San Jose, CAWhen I worked on NUMB3RS, I met the guys in charge of Super-Con in
San Jose. In fact, they were a big part of making Alt Con 9 (the fake
con in the show) look and feel as real as it did. I haven’t been to San
Jose for a convention since the only way to get there was via mule
train, so I’m looking forward to traveling up the coast in more modren
style, perhaps by zeppelin or auto-gyro.
I don’t have a lot of details for this one, and I don’t even know if I’ll get a chance to perform from my books, make balloon animals or just stand around making lists of things.
However, I’ll have a booth of awesome, where I’ll be hanging out on Saturday and Sunday, trading books and pictures for shiny gold rocks. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to visit with some cool people while and angry guy complains about it. That’s always pretty fun.
I’m hoping the copies of Just A Geek and Dancing Barefoot that I ordered at great expense to myself arrive today, because if they don’t, I won’t have any of them for this show, which would be sad. [see Update at bottom]However, I should have shiny new copies of the second printing of Happiest Days, and 2008’s chapbook-o-rama, Sunken Treasure.
Uh, this is also pretty goddamn cool: The original cast of MST3K will be getting together — reuniting, if you will — for the first time since the exciting rock climbing portion of the film began. I’m kind of excited to listen to whatever they have to say, and hope I can trade them shiny gold rocks for their automagraphs on my copy of Manos: the Hands of Fate.
UPDATE: FedEx and UPS came through for me. I have the second printing of Happiest Days, as well as copies of Just A Geek and Dancing Barefoot. This means that, if you like, you can trade me shiny gold rocks (or Kongbucks) for The Complete Works of Me, Wil Wheaton.
Of course, now I have so much stuff to take and no time to ship it, so it looks like me and the 101 are going to spend about 5 hours of quality time together tomorrow. And again on Sunday. Good thing I have Dimension X on my iPod.
Wil – you need to talk to Mike Nelson about doing some Riff Trax.
And will you be wearing David Byrne’s big suit like you did on Numb3rs?
(When I saw you as Miles Sklar a few weeks ago – missed first run due to a hard drive failure in the DVR – I flashed to Stop Making Sense. …. same as it ever was, same as it ever was ….)
Manos… *shudders* I like how the only people who got paid to be in that movie was the little girl and the dog. Everyone else was going to get paid from the “movie profits.” *shudders again*
Mmmm. Love the MST3K! 🙂
If you’ve got time while you’re here, definitely check out O’Flaherty’s pub (over in San Pedro Square, about 4 or 5 blocks from the convention center), and either Dia de Pesca or Jimenez Taqueria (both within about 15 minutes’ drive). Don’t let anyone take you to some lame chain restaurant downtown!
Amy and I just saw the MSTies at the Cinematic Titanic release party/MST3K 20th birthday party here in Minneapolis back in February. It was great seeing them all again, on a stage about two miles from the old KTMA studios where they started.
They’re doing a big show at the 2,200-seat State Theater downtown on October 25th, and Trace is going to be a guest at CONvergence this July! It’s like the late 80s all over again!
Julie is so right about lame chain restaurants; SJ is awash in generic mainstream culture. Yelp.com can help you find the local haunts.
Also, you’ll be in town during the running of the Bay To Breakers race (8 am Sunday in SF). If you can’t be there, at least turn on the TV. You’ll be awed at the vast river of humanity – and the salmon (swimming upstream of course).
Rock climbing.
What movie was that from? Great episode. Wonderfully pointless rock climbing.
$20 at the door to see Wil W.? Worth it.
$20 at the door to see Wil W., Mrs. Of Arc, and some guy named Joel? Opportunity of a lifetime.
The MST crew’s been back together for awhile now. I thought you lived on the internet! Haven’t you been to RiffTrax.com? 🙂
I second the motion that you need to ask Mike et. al. about guest-riffing on a movie.
Wil, what are you referring to, in regards to MST3K reuniting? Could you elaborate? Sorry, I just run a top MST fansite and I haven’t heard anything like that, beyond the Cinematic Titanic cast getting together for an occasional live show and Q&A panel.
Oops, scratch that. I just checked the site. Unless they’re planning a surprise, then it’s just Joel, Frank, Trace, and Josh who are appearing. Nothing to sneeze at, still.
There is a rumor that the ENTIRE former cast will be appearing at Comic-Con. Just a rumor, though… 😀
This weekend in San Jose will be my first ever con and the only reason I’m going is to meet some guy named Wil. When I went to my local comic book store(which I didn’t even know existed but I wanted to support my local comic store by getting a ticket from them instead of online) to buy a ticket the guy behind the counter assumed I was a “Hurley” fan. He seemed surprised this old lady was going for Wil (and I ended up buying some comics too!). Can’t wait for this weekend, I’m sure it will be quite interesting since I’m comic clueless.
Hello Wil.
I saw you talk at ECCC and you were awesome. I’ve been chattering to my friends about seeing you for a long time and I missed you last year so I was very excited. Maybe some other time I will get the courage to come up and say hello. I’ve had a crush on you since I was 11 and wataching you on TNG. Anyway, you are mostly cool.
Don’t forget your charger/car adapter!
There’s nothing worse than lots of time alone and no music because of dead batteries 🙁
I’d love to go to one of these kinds of events! But, I live in Louisiana. Any chance of you ever coming to Lafayette, or Baton Rouge, or even New Orleans? =^..^=
Will the Geek Tour come to the South at all? How about Atlanta? (BTW there’s an Eventful Demand for you in Atlanta) Or somewhere here in Florida? The beaches are awesome and if you come relatively soon, you can avoid the “windy season”
Wish I could be there to buy your chapbook and get my Manga signed. Oh well, maybe later this summer. Don’t forget to load up Bowling For Soup and “Come Back To Texas” on your Ipod for the trip. 🙂
YAY WIL! Thanks for making the trek to San Jose. I’ll be at the con all weekend running a booth for my sketch comedy show, but I’ll be sure to make to to haul some shiny gold rocks over for trading. 🙂
Clay
Very jealous of your nearness to the MST peeps. Should have a chance to fanboy at them, tell them about Manos: Rock Opera of Fate. New Millennium Theatre Company deserves the nod.
Completely off-topic, but I thought you would probably enjoy this most of everyone I know:
http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/wato/
Cheers.
“me and the 101 are going to spend about 5 hours of quality time together tomorrow”
Depending on what time you’re leaving, there’s a small town called Los Alamos (between Buellton and Santa Maria) with a GREAT pizza place called American Flatbread. It’s only open as a restaurant from 5 to 10pm, though:
http://www.fulloflifefoods.com/restaurant/index.html
From the website:
“Our weekend restaurant’s menu is based almost entirely on what is grown locally and in season; be it an Eggplant Flatbread, an Heirloom Tomato Salad, an Oven-Poached Peach, local wild-gathered Chantrelles, or Roasted Vegetables and Olives. ”
I’ve been there twice and loved it both times. It’s not a fast stop, but it’s definitely a worthwhile stop if you have the time.
Oops! Should have been more specific: It’s only open as a restaurant *on Friday and Saturday* from 5 to 10pm. (Closed Sunday through Thursday)
Oh – Wil,
I wasn’t going to attend Super-Con this weekend because the following weekend is Fanime… decisions, decisions…
UGH!
Now you are causing me to show up both weekends! Curse you Wil Wheaton!
No – not really – I am glad you will be there this weekend – hope to see you. I did purchase your book (signed) so maybe I will have you sign my chest or my 8 year olds forehead! or something!!!
Stay Cool! It is 95+ here in San Jose – expect more tomorrow and slightly cooler Sunday.
Bill
Wil:
Was great meeting you today. Always good chatting with someone who feels as passionately about open source as I do. Keep up the great work, and keep it Creative Commons!
Thanks,
–Dan
Hey Wil,
Thank you for the autograph and taking the time to talk with a long time fan. I was happy to have had the opportunity to converse with you and look forward to your future projects! You made the trip to Super-Con worth it!
Bill
Hiya Wil,
Met you today and I just wanted to say that you are a sweet fella. Thanks for taking a picture with me. 🙂 I also enjoyed listening to you speak. What a treat! Hope you had a good time as well and you got home before midnight.
Best,
Valerie
I’m finally getting caught up on your blog for the past week or two and reading about the convention reminded me that we mention you in our latest podcast (not published yet).
Of course it’s a reference to Star Trek but it’s still there. I believe we compared Wesley Crusher to Apollo on the new BSG.
I do hope I get a chance to run into you at a convention sometime soon.
BTW. Love the twitters!
Much Love,
Michele
Galactica Quorum Podcast
Hey Wil,
This is Aaron. I was in the Cinematic Titanic booth with the guys. Sorry I didn’t get to talk with you much, I had looked forward to meeting you, but it was kinda hectic for us over there.
Anyway, you took some pics with us and I’ve got them up on my myspace, in case you want to download a copy of them.
Here.
It was great to meet you on Sunday, Wil! Thank you for taking so much time to talk to us.
I’m really bummed I couldn’t make it out to this (at less than 100 miles away, it would’ve been worth it)… but as an homage to Wil’s excellent Soul Coughing post…
Super Con Con, Super Con Con!