I spent five days at Comicon this year, and discovered a new level of exhaustion and fatigue every day, surpassing the level I’d discovered the day before. By the time I was finally on the train back home, I had reached a point of burn out that I never though I’d experience: I pretty much don’t want to go to Comicon any more, because it’s stopped being fun for me.
Wednesday, we got on a much-delayed train (tragically, a northbound train hit a woman up near Ventura, so the southbound train was delayed by almost three hours) and headed down for Hop-Con at Stone’s Liberty Station. We celebrated the launch of w00tstout 2.0, and tapped some awesome limited collaboration brews, including my own white sage IPA, called the Tao of Sage. Much fun was had, and I drank as much beer as I’ve ever had in my life. I’m not sure how it got away from me so quickly (I suspect it was the 13.5% w00tstout on cask with s’mores) but my wife had to literally roll me into bed, because I sort of overdid it. Lesson learned, I woke up Thursday morning without a hangover (Anne says she kept giving me water) and vowed to institute Operation: Beer Just Drink One for the rest of the con (a quest I completed, I’m happy to note).
Thursday night, we did w00tstock 6.0. It was a great show, with some standout performances by Mega Ran, Marian Call, and Thomas Lennon. Craig Ferguson even came by to make jokes.
I always want to perform something new at w00tstock, but I’ve been so busy with The Wil Wheaton Project, I haven’t had time to write anything that isn’t specifically for the show. I had some stuff in my pocket that hadn’t been performed for w00tstock before, though, so I went with my story Blue Light Special, from The Happiest Days of Our Lives. It felt like a little bit of a cheat to me, but the audience loved it, and I had a hell of a good time performing it.
After the show was over, we tried to go to the Geek & Sundry lounge, but upon discovering that the rest of the world was there, in a room that I’m fairly sure was 500° Kelvin and 812% humidity, we ended up going back to our hotel, crashing into bed, and sleeping for almost 10 hours.
This was a theme for me at Comicon this year, and it’s probably the only reason I was able to survive it (emotionally and physically): I didn’t stay up too late, I didn’t overdo anything, and I made sure that I got to sleep as much as I needed, on every night that it was possible to do that.
Friday morning, I went down to the convention center and actually went inside for the first time. I was a surprise guest on the Big Bang Theory writer’s panel, and we showed a trailer for the imaginary film Serial Apeist 2: Monkey See, Monkey Kill. The audience loved it, and they really seemed to be happy that I was there, which made me feel good.
Friday night, I took a crew from The Wil Wheaton Project to Syfy’s Sharknado 2 party, where we made some funny stuff together. Some of it made it into this week’s show, if you’re into that.
Sidebar: How much fun was Sharknado 2?! I love that everyone in the film’s universe just accepts that there can be a massive shark-infested weather event, and then stuff happens. I also noticed that, according to some Twitter thing, I was the second most prolific Sharknado 2 Twittering person, behind the official account. I’m, uh, I’m not going to try to pretend that I’m not proud of that.
Saturday, we went back to the convention center, where Anne did a signing at Cupcake Quarterly, a really cool nerdy pin-up magazine that our friend publishes. After dropping her off, I tried my best to get through the con floor to visit some of my friends, and this is where I discovered that, maybe, I just can’t enjoy Comicon like I used to.
I realize that I’m on television every week, and even though that audience is smaller than we all hoped it would be (turns out promotion off the network is kind of important), that audience is maybe, um, oversampled at Comicon. There’s also the whole Big Bang Theory thing, and Tabletop is pretty popular with my people … so on the one hand, it was really exciting and awesome to meet so many people who love the shows I make as much as I do, and I tried to take pictures and stuff with as many people as I could, but I quickly learned that there’s no such thing as “just one quick selfie”. I hate telling people no when they ask, but if I said yes to one person, that person quickly became ten people, and then a small crowd formed. I got a little panicky once, when I was literally surrounded, but everyone I interacted with was kind and understanding, and with the help of my friend Shawn, I was able to make it across the floor to visit with some people I don’t get to see as often as I’d like.
So, before I continue: I know this is a #firstworldproblem and a #celebrityproblem and whatever else you want to say about it. I get that, and I know that from a business position it’s an amazing problem to have. From a human being perspective, though, it’s a bummer, because I couldn’t wander the floor and look at art and talk to comic creators, because whenever I stopped I got sort of mobbed, even with my friend doing his best to keep an eye on me. I suppose I could be one of those people with a couple of security goons, but that seems even worse. If I do go back next year, I think I’ll have to cosplay in a full mask or something, which is weird, but at least I’ll get a chance to maybe pick up some cool art and books.
After Anne was done signing, I did a quick interview for Rotten Tomatoes, and then we spent a little bit of time at a really nice cocktail party that Bill Prady has every year. Finally, I got to see a lot of my friends all in one place, and that was really nice.
Before we knew it, it was time for the Geek & Sundry panel, which I had to leave early because I had to get up to a theatre a couple miles away from the convention center to perform in the Welcome To Night Vale / Thrilling Adventure Hour crossover show.
“You look exhausted,” Ben Blacker (Thrilling Adventure co-writer) said to me when he saw me backstage.
“I am,” I said, “and I’m soaked through because of the humidity, but I’m really glad to be here for this show.”
I looked around the backstage area, and took in the curtain, the lights, the prop boxes, and all of the things that I only see backstage in a theater. I heard some of the other actors running their lines out on the stage, and flipped through my script to catch up to them.
“I’m so happy to be here, though, because I feel like I’m back in my element as a performer, back where I belong, back where I’m doing actual work, instead of being ‘that guy from TV’.” I wiped sweat off my face and took a deep breath. “It’s like I’ve been doing hundreds of performances for an audience of one for the last few days, and I’m looking forward to doing one performance for an audience of whatever fits in this theater.”
“I get that,” he said.
“I feel like it’ll be rejuvenating,” I said.
“That’s awesome,” he said, “and you’re up on the next page.”
I walked up to the mic and joined the rehearsal. It took me a few tries to find the character, but with the help of Ben Blacker and his co-writer Ben Acker, I brought the omniscient galactic being S’Tonge to life in a way that was incredibly fun and deeply satisfying. And not for nothing, I got to be in Welcome to Night Vale and The Thrilling Adventure Hour on the same stage in the same show, and I never thought I’d get to do that.
When the show was over, I thanked everyone for having me, found my wife, and went back to our hotel.
“I have found a new level of tired that I didn’t know existed,” I said, in the elevator.
“You said that yesterday,” she said.
“I know.” I said.
We went to sleep, and got up early Sunday morning so I could make it to Nerd HQ for a panel with Felicia. After that panel ended, Anne and I were rushed to the train station in a freaking golf cart motorcade — for reals — and a few hours later, were back in our house. The dogs were extremely excited to see us, and even the cats couldn’t pretend that they didn’t give a fuck about us for very long.
I unpacked my suitcase and repacked it with clean clothes, because the next day, Anne took me away for my birthday, which I’ll write about later.
Well, ‘celebrities’ are people, too. I think you should have the chance to check out the art and the Con without being mobbed, but yeah… I’ve a suggestion though, next year if you do go the cosplay route, go as The Crow. Not Brandon Lee Crow, but like…any other Crow after that. No one will bug you! You might get shamed via twitter for being one of the bad Crows but that’s a small price to pay.
All this I say when I am in full realization that if I saw Felicia Day in person I’d probably mob her and tell her how much I’d love to date her avatar. 8(
Yup – we need to figure out a disguise for you. Not something that people will want pics with. Perhaps a really scruffy hobo type dude. Can Anne do special effects make-up?
I’ll bet Adam Savage could help him out with a costume!
You should pull a Daniel Radcliff and go to the Con in costume or something one day so you could enjoy the con without being overhwhelmed by fans. A thought for some other con in the future.
Haha, hearing this post, I am so glad I only asked for a High Five, instead of trying to show you my new game. I want to thank you guys for creating the Geek & Sundry Lounge, even without AC, it was a pretty awesome place to hang!
I’m amazed that even though you cut back on your convention appearance schedule, (understandably) that you did so many things this year! You are truly amazing and your level of endurance for conventions is applauded, I mean I did a “meh” sized convention this year and felt like I needed to sleep for a week afterward, I can’t imagine the aftermath of SDCC
but… you are going to be at Gen Con right?!? It is a little sad, and first world problem or not, i feel for you man. that a con like that is torture for someone who makes his living talking about this very thing, and cant enjoy it, is disheartening. one way to look at is the trade off is all the cool stuff you get to do the rest of the time that no one else does. just keep being awesome Wil.
Comic Con is intense, good for you for surviving it! I can’t handle it anymore either… that “oh my god I’m being crushed in a sea of nerds” feeling just doesn’t do it for me. I know everyone says this too much, but I miss the olden days of the 90’s when it was lively and fun but you could like, walk the floor n’ stuff.
Wow, that certainly sounds like an exhausting experience just reading it. Perhaps next year you could do a collaborative cosplay with Adam Savage who always seems to walk around Comicon incognito to great effect.
I heard you had been taking Con’s off this year. Was it kinda surreal to jump into Comicon after some time away from that atmosphere?
Did you see Adam Savage’s vid on his walk this year? It almost killed him! Awesome costume, but wear something comfortable and don’t die of heat stroke, please.
Here is an idea: Wil could cosplay AS Adam Savage. Wait – no, that kind of defeats the purpose…
I went to your Nerd HQ panel. Thank you, Felica, and Aisha for being there. I really don’t have the words to describe how much I admire you for all that you do, so I guess ‘Thank you’ will have to be it.
Cons, in general, are frenetic. Add to that being you, and it goes beyond frenetic. Maybe next Comicon you can cosplay an OwlBear and you’ll be able to wander the booths in blissful anonymity.
I was actually going to suggest dressing up and covering your face like you said. I believe Daniel Radcliffe went on the show floor as Spider-Man; although you might want to pick something more obscure so that less people want to take pictures 😛
Wil, I kinda know the feeling (but from the other side– trying to see/do everything with an 8-year-old in tow at Comic-Con is “interesting” to say the least). It’s exhausting. And I can’t imagine what it’s like to get across the exhibition floor when everyone wants to see you, because it’s sucky even if you’re just an every-day joe. But know that everything you did was truly appreciated–one of the highlights of my (and my husband’s) week was seeing you and Felicia at NerdHQ Sunday morning. And I was too chicken to ask you the one thing I wanted to know….what prompted you to make that w00tStout?? That stuff’ll kick your teeth in (in a good way). We had some Wednesday afternoon at early dinner before attempting Preview Night, and wow was it good! Anyway, thanks for being there again at Comic-Con, and I’m sorry it got to you. Being a celeb at something like that has got to be insane.
I don’t think it’s just Comicon, it’s getting older, too. One can keep fit all one likes but one’s body simply doesn’t have the capacity to cope anymore, especially when it’s hot AND humid and alcohol doesn’t help, either. I’ve been in my 40s for four years now and keeping going for a whole weekend is getting harder and harder when I used to be able to go out clubbing Friday and Saturday nights with no sleep on Saturday night, taking the first train on Sunday morning home again. I can’t even think of doing that now without feeling tired.
The upside of this is that you now get to do all these really cool things and that has to be worth the pain. Big Bang Theory (and its film spinoffs!), your own project, Tabletop, w00tstock, NightVale, all good.
Do you know if the NightVale/Thrilling Adventure Hour thing will be available in some way online at some point? Maybe as a well-priced download like the other NightVale shows?
Keep up the good work and take it easy for a while. 🙂
Loved the Nerd HQ panel you did with Felicia. Big thanks to you two, Aisha Tyler, Zac Levi and whoever else was involved in making it happen.
I promise if I ever see you (not likely, but just in case), I won’t run over to say hi. 🙂 Heck, I’m too shy to just walk up to anybody and talk to them (celebrity or not).
You should definitely go with the full cosplay to enjoy Comicon as anyone. Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones did so with great success. http://instagram.com/p/q79pSGHqtk/?modal=true
I think the brilliance in Daniel Radcliff’s cosplay was the fact that there are always so many Spiderman’s at any con that, unless you do a really impressive job, you’re mostly going to be ignored.
Honestly, I’d say go with a completely store bought, oversold costume that no serious cosplayer would wear.
I was just thinking the same thing. Spiderman or Deadpool.
Hi Wil! I saw you briefly at the G&S lounge (I believe you were coming to pick up Anne at the end of her Espionage Cosmetics signing-time) and though I wanted to respect your personal space and time and thus did not say hello, I was very excited to see you in person 🙂 I’d been listening to the Ready Player One audiobook on my drive to San Diego, so it was kind of surreal to hear your actual real voice right behind me, but fun too. Great job on the audiobook, by the way. Thanks for coming to the Con and sharing your time with your fans as a presenter/performer, and I hope you can find a way to enjoy the Con as a consumer/average attendee in the future.
My 12-year-old says he’ll volunteer as an intern to make sure people don’t mob you and let you look at comics and art, because nobody should be kept from looking at comics.
Perhaps a convo with Seth Green about “hiding in plain sight costuming” is in order. I’m sorry it wasn’t as much fun for you as usual, but I hope you find a way to be there both for yourself and for the fans who truly love you f. 🙂
Next year, if you really want to go, do what Sheldon did in “The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification”, and go as a robot.
I would like to buy you a beer and just talk about beer with you one day.
You seem to be into beer.
I had this crazy idea of doing a beer sampling tour, but I doubt I could do it without a stunt liver.
So if you decide to do that, FILM IT!
I was one of the people very happy to see you surprise us at the Big Bang Theory panel 🙂
The rest of it, while I cannot fully understand the insanity level since I’m not famous, I can surely empathize with you and the desire to just do your own thing without being mobbed. The cosplay might be worth a shot to at least go incognito and try and get some of the old geeky joy back from it.
Good luck!
I’ve been to both w00tstout launch parties, and I think there’s a common problem: 3 hours is not enough time for 10 tasters, especially for the kind of high-octane beers brought out for that party. I ran into a few couples that only had one ticket and one “designated driver” admission, so they could split their tastes and not get as trashed as you and Bobak got, last Wednesday.
Maybe the launch party can get extended to a 4-hour session, next time?
Happy Belated birthday, Wil. Don’t stop being you!
When you got to try some of the Stone collaboration beers, did you get a chance to try Pyrros (red farmhouse ale) that they brewed with Solemn Oath? SOB is my local brewery and they have it on tap in their taproom right now as well – it’s outstanding!
Didn’t have tickets to the Con. We went down just for WTNV/TAH. Our nine-year-old was very disappointed that she didn’t get to go. She loves WTNV and I think you are her first real crush – don’t tell her I told you that 🙂 The casts were AMAZING and we had a fantastic evening. Thank you for lending your talents to the evening when you really just needed your pillow.
I highly recommend checking out Adam Savage’s Tested YouTube channel; he goes to Comicon in full (face-covering) costume every year and VERY much overdoes the costume, because that’s the kind of nerd he is, and because he likes to be able to walk around without being recognized. Here is his over-the-top video from this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x07z1rr_bjg
I hear what you’re saying about not wanting to snuff fans, wanting to experience the con and being spread thin. While I don’t have that experience of being mobbed so I can’t say what it’s like, from your description you were taking on too many roles or “hats” without the fans stopping you, you were a brewer, husband, working on wootstock, trying to support your friends, host of the Wil Wheaton Project, doing this panel, going to this party, going uptown and so on. I don’t fault you at all for that I think it’s great you a creative element to so many different things but I’m tired just hearing about what you did. Add to that what my friends who have gone to Comic-Con have told me even being a fan there is exhausting mixed in with everything else it’s no wonder you’re exhausted. While I realize it’s probably not your intention it sounds like you’re saying you won’t go to Comic-Con because you can’t be take part in everything you want. I think a mask may help alleviate some of your burden I think the root of the problem lies in your “eyes being bigger than your stomach.” Either way it’s up to you, I’d love to one year attend and if so admittedly I would be one of those fans that wanted to meet you and take a picture.
I hope that was a typo! “I hear what you’re saying about not wanting to snuff fans, wanting to experience the con and being spread thin.”
Snuff
1. (verb) To kill, assasinate, destroy, murder.
2. (adj.) A real (not staged) filmed murder; usually of raping and killing a woman. In some cases it is viewed for sexual arousal.
1. A lot of people got mugged and snuffed here.
There was this one underground snuff film of a guy getting tortured with a razor blade.
Snub
v. describes the action of ignoring, failing to notice, or pretending not to see someone.
a person is usually snubbed when they are disliked or the other person couldnt be bothered talking to them.
to SNUB, to be SNUBBED, SNUBBING
see also blow off, fuck off
Pete: Stephanie snubbed me today when she walked past. What a dog! It’s just cause she’s stuck up.
Joe: Maybe it’s not that at all. Maybe it’s because your head looks like a rockmelon.
Pete: Maybe.
~Urban Dictionary
Wil, you rock, and don’t let anyone else ever tell you different. I think a lot of the reason I have never been to ComicCon is that I never want to be #ThatFan.
In case it hadn’t been said enough over the convention weekend. …… thank you! You sir, are pretty fracking awesome.
As a fan it is hard to remember that you are more than a face and a beard and the “thing” on screen that we love. Feelings, sleep, anxiety, hunger, interests outside of your work. …. these are all things us muggels are familiar with, surely our celebrities are above such petty concerns! 😉
So, again, thank you for exhausting yourself, pushing yourself to take one more picture, sign one more piece of fandom, give one more smile. And putting up with over zealous people such as myself who act a fool because they want to say everything all at once. You have helped make being a geek cool and it’s fantastic.
You should totally pull a “Wil Incognito” like what Adam Savage does. Seems to give him most of the day without fans surrounding him and it’s a game so nobody gets bent out of shape about it (not that people would have a right to get bent out of shape about it anyway, but you know as well as anybody that crowd mentality is not always rational).
Next year you should go in mediocre Star Trek drag with a Wesley Crusher mask.
Sorry it took so much out of you, man. Just being there in general is exhausting to the bone, I can’t even imagine how rough it is to go there as a guest and not get a moment to actually enjoy it from another perspective. I hate to sound like a pansy, but when I hit MegaCon this year, it was my first Con and It will absolutely be my last. You were there, I’m sure you remember how insane it was. Helpful hint: Try cosplaying as master chief or a storm trooper. there are so many, you’ll be home free.
Take some deep breaths and enjoy a few days of peace. 🙂
As a cosplayer, I get stopped a lot to be photographed, so I usually go plainclothes on Sunday or, in the case of PAX East this year, Saturday, just to take in the actual convention at MY pace. I guess the opposite would apply for you lol. Full mask is definitely the only way to go. Matt Smith did Homer Simpson one year, I believe…. He complemented Matt Smith cosplayers, which I thought was rather hilarious.
I was only there for Saturday, but one of the first things we did was notice RJ Mitte of Breaking Bad at the signing booth. After a pic (paid for of course) we gabbed with Vic aligning a for a few minutes and what do you know, Wil And Anne Wheaton happen by to say hello to Tara Strong at the same booth. Five feet away, with my wife saying “just say hi, ask for a picture” I could see the exhaustion on your face and knew it wasn’t the time. I could also see the regret as you had to tell other fans “sorry I have to move along”. My sympathies on the disappointing points of con, but I hope you do return. It really is the Mecca of the nerd community and it wouldn’t be the same without you.
You drink stout with s’mores? That can’t possibly be a good pairing. Then again, we’re talking about freeking stout and freeking s’mores. So awesome on their own. Together though? I don’t know.
FWIW, I was able to get some of last year’s Wootstout here in the Midwest. I shared with with some beer making friends. Accolaides all around. Went great with my smoked ribs. Great job, Wil!
So, it might have already been said (I didn’t read all the comments), but your easiest choice for cosplay would be Team Horsemask!. You already have it, so no extra $$ to be put out, and not that many people would stop you and ask for your photo!
Wil, I am glad we got to see you at Hop-Con 2.0, and introduce my dad to you (and to Anne!). Like last year, it was a treat to start off the SDCC weekend with a mellow gathering with beer. We ended the weekend with your conversation with Felicia at Nerd HQ – as tired as you two were, it was fun to watch your interactions.
We also found SDCC weekend to be more exhausting than other years. I can’t figure out if it is because of the massive crowds, getting older, or both. I’m glad that we all survived, and thanks again for being gracious!
Maybe grab a costume off Adam during the w00t, he’s got the costume disguise down pat it seems!
Anyone here interested in keeping The Wil Wheaton Project off of the chopping block? Right now it is on the bubble and could use a bit of a push over at SyFy. Here is a petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/482/491/100/renew-the-wil-wheaton-project-on-the-syfy-channel/?taf_id=12234444&cid=fb_na#
San Diego was utterly exhausting, and I didn’t even have professional obligations to meet. I liked the size/speed of BigWow ComicFest in San Jose this year. I love the extravaganza of San Diego, and the concentration of talent in one town for one weekend (Thrilling Adventure Hour/Nightvale at the same show…W00tstock…all the comedy shows and podcast recordings), but there is a lot of holding one’s breath for fear of drowning in Deadpools.
But, tell me more about this Shawn guy. He sounds super interesting and he’s probably also very smart and handsome.
hah!!! ok, so next time – cosplay your #photoshopwilwheaton self. I have that weird thing of being seen and wanting to be unseen. I found when i put on a wig, my pink hair gone…made me completely invisible. 🙂 Hope you have fun at the next one…just get creative on the walk throughs huh? LOL! Find your new superpower. 🙂 Anyways – like all the other fans – thanks for going…thanks for connecting. It matters. 🙂
DUDE!!! go as sharknado next time!!! 😉
I don’t know how you do it, but bravo to you. I mean, you’re really getting up there in age and everything …
🙂 In all seriousness, super proud of you for your successes and wish you the best (and lots of naps!)
Just in being pregnant, and then having an infant with me, strangers were talking to me ALL the time, I can only imagine how hard it is to be famous, everyday. And at ComicCon, oi!
I think you’re awesome, and I just let my 14 year old watch Stand By Me, so she thinks you’re awesome too. My 11 year old is a TNG fan, so she thinks you’re cool too. So yay, family of fans.. who would probably ask you to stop for a photo if we ever made it to ComicCon (sorry!)
On another note, 13.5%, OMG! You’re a rock star if you made it home! 🙂
As I was reading your post, it made me reflect on how often it is that the jobs we really love often come with “overheads” that we hate. You love to perform, but hate the “celebrity” problems; many teachers I know love to teach, but hate the increasingly large amounts of paperwork they have to do, etc, etc. It made me a little sad.
(As a consolation, my daughter, 7, thinks you’re great (having watched you on Tabletop) and now thinks that pretty much every tall, thin man with a short beard looks just like you. Maybe you should hire a double….)
I have to say, a friend of mine ran into you at GenCon last(?) year and he asked to take a picture with you. You politely declined and he completely understood and said that you were so awesome and nice about it that you’d forever be his favorite celebrity. So, I think you’re doing something right!
We all understand, Wil. And any folks who don’t are pretty much ass clowns anyway.
PS – I’m feeling a Wil Wheaton/Heroes of Cosplay crossover in which you attend a con in full costume and see if anyone recognizes you. Definitely pitch that to Syfy! 😀
white sage IPA? Now I wanna brew an IPA.
Maybe you should team up with Adam Savage, get in some crazy-awesome costume to wander the floor, so that no one knows who you are 🙂