When I was 18, I really wanted to go to college. I wanted to go because I have always loved to learn, even if I’ve never fit in particularly well in the academic environment, and I truly believe that the more knowledge you have, the more options you have in your life.
I mean, how many guys do you know who are college educated, who get a different job in sales every 6 months?
It’s all about knowledge and options, man.
The only problem is, I never, uh…well, I never took the SAT. I took the PSAT, and did pretty well. If I recall correctly, my results said that “96% of people who take this test will score lower than you” on the verbal section (yes, there was a time when I could spell correctly and even use correct grammar. Of.) but on the math section, it said something like, “You will only score higher than Anna Nicole Smith. Do yourself a favor and find some rich old dude to marry, then wait for him to die and take all his money, because you’re never going to get anywhere, mister.”
Yeah, back in those days education wasn’t as focused on making people feel good, like it is now. Back then they actually wanted me to learn something.
Bastards.
So anyway, when I was 18, I moved out to Westwood, with the intention of just enrolling in the UCLA extension, and going to college that way. Trouble was, I kept getting work as an actor, and I was never able to see my plan all the way through. Around that time I decided to take my semi-retirement from acting, and, instead of staying here in Los Angeles and just going to school, I ended up in Topeka, Kansas, working for NewTek. Being on campus again, though, brought back many happy memories. You know, my life is so different now, so much more complicated and filled with responsibility…I wish I’d known back then how easy things truly were, but I guess part of the halcyon of youth is not knowing…
Anyway, I completely digress. The point is, I went to UCLA to hear and meet Michael Moore, which I did. I got there nice and early, to ensure that I had a seat, and sat in line reading “Trust Us, We’re Experts.” I felt so subversive, standing there in my OBEYT-shirt, wearing a backpack filled with controversial books, waiting to hear this guy who so many uberconservatives hate.
So they finally let us into the auditorium, we watch a few minutes of “The Awful Truth”, and Michael Moore arrives, and begins his talk.
I realize that I don’t often get to go watch people speak, and it’s a rarity that I am on this side of the microphone, so I pay very close attention to the way he speaks, how he interacts with the audience, when he gets off point, how he gets back on point. It’s funny: I’m there to see this guy who I respect and admire, and I’m not even listening to him. I’m making mental notes, so the next time I speak, I do more of one thing, and less of another. It’s the same thing that happens when I watch a movie, or see a play.
He starts slowly, but he finds his groove, and gives what I think is a great talk for about an hour or so. He doesn’t say anything that I haven’t already heard or read from him, but he does make one point that is very inspiring to me: he suggests that our country is not as right-wing as the right-wing would have us believe. He tells us how his book, which almost did not get published, is number one at amazon, number 3 on the New York Times best seller list, and number 9 ( i think. I’m not too sure about that number, but it’s in the top ten) on the Wall Street Journal best seller list. He tells us how the vast majority of people in this country support unions, oppose the death penalty, are pro-choice, and pro-environment. He suggests that “president” Bush’s approval ratings are less an endorsement of the “president”, but more a condemnation of terrorism. He suggests that when your house is attacked, you rally around the leader, but he tells us that Bush is going down, because we’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg with Enron.
He also inspires us all to take action. He tells us that great changes in history have been brought about by tiny, individual actions. He reminds us that the end of segregation was brought about because a tired seamstress didn’t want to get up and move, because her feet were tired. He tells us about many, many instances where one person, who was otherwise unremarkable, made a ripple which became a tsunami.
I am so inspired, and so heartened, not only because he’s reaffirming what I know in my heart to be true, but because I am surrounded by 18 and 19 year-old kids, and they are all inspired to take action, too. For the first time in a long time, I am filled with hope, and I think that our country is not doomed.
When he’s done, he hangs around to sign his books, and I wait in another line. This line is moving very slowly, because Michael Moore stops to talk to each person who comes up to him, and again I think how funny it is for me to be on the other side of the table.
After about 30 minutes, there are only 3 people in front of me, and I am getting really nervous. I know that I have about 45 seconds to say what I want to say, and make my impression, and I really want to stand out to him, you know? I don’t want to be just another person saying “me too!” So I get up to where he is, and I ask him to please sign my book to Wil, with one “L”, which he does. I tell him that we have a mutual friend in Tom Tomorrow, and that Tom says for him to check his email. Michael Moore smiles at me, asks me how I know Tom Tomorrow, and I tell him because of our websites. I tell him that I really admire and respect him, and I thank him for his support of unions and working class people. I tell him that I am on the board of directors of my union, and that I’m trying to make the union stronger and more focused on the needs of its members. He asks me what union, I tell him that it’s SAG, and he stops for a second. He says, “Wait- what’s your name?” I tell him that my name is Wil Wheaton, and he says, “I know your name. And now I recognize your face. Why do I recognize you?” I tell him that I was in Star Trek and Stand By Me, and I realize that I always feel sort of sheepish and embarrassed when I share this fact with anyone. He goes, “Oh! That’s why! Cool! So you’re active in your union?” I tell him that I am, even though, thanks to the recent election, we are totally doomed.
Then he does something that’s really cool: he extends his hand, and he says, “Thank you for…” but I’m so giddy that he’s telling me thank you, and shaking my hand, that I totally don’t even hear what he says. I wonder how often that happens when I meet people at shows?
So that was it. I thanked him, he told me to tell Tom Tomorrow that he will check his email, and I was on my way, book clutched to my chest like a total geek.
On my way out, I go up Bruin Walk, where there are about 100 kids, all of them handing out flyers in support of their various causes, some progressive, some conservative, but all of them passionate and determined.
I realize that, despite what the lazy, corporate media would have us believe, the youth of America, at least as UCLA, does care, and they are active. The Establishment would be wise to start paying attention to them, because I get the impression that they’re not going to be seen and not heard for very much longer.
91 thoughts on “Meeting Michael Moore”
Comments are closed.
Related Posts
i turned myself to face me – from star trek: the cruise vii
I use my phone to record all of my talks and readings, and then I put them with all my glasses and my shoes, so I have them.
star trek the cruise vii was wonderful
We disembarked from Star Trek: The Cruise Thursday morning at 715 in Orlando, waited in the airport for seven hours, and got home to Los Angeles just before midnight, which […]
wild child
I looked at it, curiously. Why do I still have this?
this is correlation, not causation
Just a couple of days ago, I told Anne that though I am always a little sad to wrap a season of Ready Room, because I genuinely love my job that much, I was glad to have the time and energy to do stuff together. It's always so weird how we can live together, sleep in the same bed, see each other every single day, and still miss each other because we're just so damn busy, and going in opposite directions most of the time. I was so happy that she had the idea to go out together, which is something we just haven't done in a long time.
Yes, I recall when I was considered part of the “lazy youth crowd” by older conservatives. At that point, they weren’t happy because (surprise, surprise) lots of us weren’t too happy about the way Vietnam was going (early 70s). I swore I’d never think that way about younger folks who were passionate about their causes.
Nowadays I am impressed with the smarts and clarity of anyone who can articulate their pros and cons on any issue, even if I don’t necessarily agree with their stands.
Keep up the faith — Moore’s right — we’re not all lumpable into age/sex/orientation/union/non-union/etc. categories. We’re people and we CAN make a difference.
Sounds like you had a productive and interesting time. It’s obvious by the length of your note. It’s nice to know the youth are not being snowed and will continue to ask the hard questions. “Give em back their funny hats and stay 18 for ever! (Bruce Dern Middle aged Crazy)”
Coolness!
I know what you mean Wil. When I was somewhat younger than you are now I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Ivan Illich and Saul Alinsky. I felt that same empowerment and you only get it from communicating with the truly intellegent who have no need for hidden agendas.
John McGregor
Wil Wheaton!!!! Life experience is so much more
important!! Don’t begrudge waht you did not do..
instead relish in what you have done.
BE HERE NOW..its all that IS.
And when you grow up you will be able to spell
“what”!
What…Michael Moore didn’t recognize you… the great Wil Wheaton?!?! Hmmph! 😉
This was one of the great things about being in college. Students are exposed to so many things as they try to choose their path in life. But you also have to realize the reality of the situation. Many of these kids are really feeling their way into the world for the first time. Some of them are filled with the idealism of youth, and not all of them will have the fortitude to continue to make the changes that they now see need to be done. And that’s not a knock on the ones that don’t because sometimes just surviving is a noble fight. But here’s to the ones who continue to be inspired and have the strength and endurance to make change happen.
college campus’ all across the world are a mecca for free thinkin’ and filled w/kids who want to change the status quo.
and lots of great bands…
“I realize that, despite what the lazy, corporate media would have us believe, the youth of America, at least as UCLA, does care, and they are active. The Establishment would be wise to start paying attention to them, because I get the impression that they’re not going to be seen and not heard for very much longer.”
I know someone is gonna burn me for this, but it is to laugh. The Establishment is constant.
And don’t be hard on yourself for “staring” out when you met Michael. Everybody does it, especially when they meet someone who has such an influence on there life.
Of course, I do it when ever I meet my neighbor, but that’s not the point……
It’s wonderful when you get to meet an idol in person, even more so when you find out s/he likes and respects what you’ve done. I’m glad that you had the chance; it will make you a happier and more content person in the end.
Not really a burn of you ESpark, but more of a burn at Wil for not being more clear with his sentence. He means *the youth* is “not going to be [only] seen and not heard for very much longer”… which is still a clumsy sentence. In other words, the Establishment may be constant, but the youth are coming on strong.
Michael Moore is truly great at inspiring people to do something.
After his appearance here in Madison, WI in October of 1998, Madison saw record turnouts for the Congressional and Senatorial elections that November. I went down to campus and helped in directing people to their correct polling places and encouraging them to vote. It felt wonderful when I was standing over by the dorms with a few of our Democratic candidates and we received word that a few of the campus polling places had RUN OUT OF BALLOTS and there were lines out the door of students who still wanted to vote!!! As far as I know, nothing like that had ever happened before, especially when it wasn’t even a presidential election.
NOw, how can I attribute the voter turnout to Michael Moore? Well, after his visit, I signed up for his mailing list. Everytime I got an email from him, I would forward it on to a few people. I would also have the same email forwarded to me each time from 3 or 4 people independent of the people I had sent it to, and outside of the same circles. I’ve heard of the same thing happening to many many other people. Soemthing about what Michael Moore had to say really struck a chord and inspired people. Hopefully it will do the same in this years elections.
Steph
Ohh, if only I had scored as high on the SAT math as I did in verbal… I’d probably be too busy studying at an Ivy League school to be surfing the internet all night…
I hear ya Wil!
Colleges are the hotbed of free thought because at college… the students are there paying to learn, to use the minds they have, unlike work or elementry/high school. It is because of this that the college student can feel free to express their will and not back down in fear…
***Wil, have you ever thought about writing a book, yourself? Not another fucking ‘Star Trek Golden Memories’-type crap…there’s been WAY too much of that already…but a book about you, your beliefs, your interests. Your stories on here range from an interesting distraction to out and out hysterical. I’d buy a book.***
Later, man.
Cameron
You sure those students weren’t just there to get extra credit? If I got an A for sitting through some politically-savvy liberal windbag speak his mind about our Nation’s leader, I’d probably stoop to that level and attend myself.
Nice experience with Michael Moore. Really cool.
They elected Melissa Gilbert? I sseeee. Damn.
I agree with what MOORE said about bush he only looks good because of 9-11 I think all politicians are the same. p.s. WIL i saw the news last night and they said something about a redo in the sag election.
Cool……….
HELLO WIL: I KNOW I’M NOT BLUECAT OR ANYTHING, BUT DO YOU READ THE OTHER PEOPLE’S COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS? JUST CURIOUS.
Cameron
That was inspiring. Thanks.
Mr. Wheaton (SIR!) reads a lot of the posts–if you read through some of the older threads and the soapbox, you’ll see that He has replied to a lot of different posts.
I suspect that He, like the rest of us, tends to skip over anything in full caps however….
Look, I ain’t looking to get into it with anyone so stow your sarcasm. I was asking him, Sir(?!?), and not anyone else. It was nothing personal. Just a question that I wanted to pose.
Cameron
I think, Cameron, that if you read over the comments, you’d be able to answer your question yourself without having to put Wil in the position of answering demands. And using all caps (bad form by the way) comes across as a demand. Demands of Wil are not a good idea and put him in an awkard position, as well as painting yourself as a freaky fanboy that other people might object to.
Not wanting to start a flamewar, just offering a suggestion here. Let’s all just get along and discuss potatoes again. I like potatoes too. 🙂
Mandy,
I see. Caps were wrong, on my part; I simply wanted to message to be conveyed, that’s all. I apologize.
“Freaky fan boy,” however, was a tad harsh, I think. 🙂
Cam
Not to be a wet towel in this rain of hugs and kisses and touchy-feely happiness, but I seriously think you’re overestimating the “activity” of college campuses nowadays.
Mr. Wheaton (SIR!) talks about there being about a hundred people representing their causes and leafletting outside Michael Moore’s talk. UCLA has a student population of about 40,000 students. That would mean about 1/4 of 1 percent of the student population at UCLA was actively promoting their causes that day.
Wow. One quarter of one percent.
I smell revolution in the air!
When I was in Madison, WI (same Madison Rob’s talking about above), I made a point of keeping up with the activities of a lot of the various student groups–protests, sit-ins, etc., etc., etc. (Hey–my roommate for a semester was involved in the socialist student group, though I can’t recall the group’s name at the moment.) As a general rule, no protest had more than about 500 people involved, on a campus of (again) about 40,000 people.
One and one-quarter percent involvement. Wow.
In the sixties and seventies, you’d have heard about thousands or upwards of ten thousand people becoming involved in a protest. Classrooms were often half-empty because so many students were out protesting for some worthy cause (often, against the Vietnam “conflict,” for example).
These are just a couple examples of campuses that have historically been considered “activist.”
Really, we can’t look at those sort of numbers and not question why activism has fallen off so significantly in the past three decades. There are certainly just as many things to protest–Alaskan oil drilling, clearcutting in the rainforests, corporate corruption, political corruption, legal injustice, etc., etc., etc.
So what’s the cause?
I would suggest that there has been a fundamental change in the students attending universities. The cost of higher education has gone up significantly since the 60’s and 70’s. When a couple friends of my parents went to Madison (to use a convenient example) in the 60’s, tuition was about 800 dollars a year. It’s now approaching 5000 dollars a year. Note that these figures don’t include the massive increases in rent costs in the area, or the increased costs of books, fees, food, etc., etc., etc.
Back in “the day,” it was much easier to go to school while working to pay for it, or get a few small loans to make ends meet. Now, that’s no longer the case. As a result, enrollment in the humanities (traditionally where the people interested in changing the world tend to be found) has dropped off. At the same time, enrollment in business, engineering, and computer science (often cross-listed as “engineering”) has exploded.
You don’t really see many businessmen protesting against corporate greed nowadays, or engineers up in arms over the Three Gorges Dam in China. Or CS majors complaining about Microsoft (Unix gurus excepted, of course).
College has gone from being a place of enlightenment and learning to a place of professional advancement. With very few exceptions (ex: Mr. Wheaton (SIR!)), a college diploma is necessary to become important/powerful/financially “comfortable” unless someone is willing to go into the skilled trades.
Then again, you don’t see many carpenters, electricians, and plumbers protesting the amount of farmland being turned into subdivisions nowadays….
I think I’ve made my point, however clumsily.
If not, let me know and I’ll post something longer and more detailed.
Btw. One quick clarification re: Madison running out of ballots in 1998….
The city had gotten so used to such crappy student turnout in the elections that they grossly underestimated the number of ballots they’d need. If I remember correctly, 1998 was the year that a UW student was running for state house or senate, and actually made a point of courting the student vote (something that generally doesn’t happen in Madison), so there was an attitude among students of “let’s stick it to the man.”
I don’t know that Michael Moore had much of anything to do with the turnout that year, if my memory serves me correctly.
Wil Wheaton working at NewTek? Are you kidding me? Not only is Wil a computer guy, but he could have possibly been an Amiga guy? Tell us more! 😎
-d
Good luck with “President” Gilbert…hopefully, she will work for the benefit of all members. Am active with my UNION as well (CWA 9418) and know how challenging it can be. SAG is lucky to have someone so passionate and dedicated working for them. Mike is awesome, (so is Uncle Wil) Peace bro.
Good luck with “President” Gilbert…hopefully, she will work for the benefit of all members. Am active with my UNION as well (CWA 9418) and know how challenging it can be. SAG is lucky to have someone so passionate and dedicated working for them. Mike is awesome, (so is Uncle Wil) Peace bro.
wil:
i wonder how many members of your posse can say they belong to any kind of organized union? i ask this because unions, for the most part, tend to be organizational in structure and exclusionary in nature (i.e., membership only, dues-paying, professional/trade associated, blahblahblah).
i’m the third generation electrician in my family, but only the second generation belonging to the IBEW (international brotherhood of electrical workers). incidentally, when i was initiated into my home local back in missouri, my father and i became the first father-daughter members — a fact that even ed asner (former SAG president and kansas city-reared childhood rugrat) thought was cool and worthy of commendation.
but i disgress…
my point? i tore my rotator cuff tendon last fall, just before thanksgiving, and my doctor wanted to schedule major surgery over christmas break so as to allow me plenty of time to recover and rehabilitate my shoulder before winter term at the university began in january.
i refused. why? the nurses were on strike at the hospital where the surgery would have been performed and as a dues-paying member of the IBEW for seven years now, there was no way in hell i was going to cross their picket line. needless to say, my doctor thought i was nuts. wasn’t a matter of life or death, so really, all in all, my decision was easy and no amount of pain made me regret my decision.
the way i see it, being a union member means more than simply recognizing the working man and woman of our country with a living wage; being a union member is about pride — in one’s self, as well as other’s.
i was just saying to some chums last week that revolutions begin when we refuse to move to the back of the bus. how cool to see the idea repeated here via your remarks of michael moore’s talk from the other night. he’s right, we all have the potential to change, influence and affect the world around us.
missy
p.s. the nurses returned to work in january, with the benefit package they had been seeking as well as back pay for strike days, and my surgery was two weeks ago. i think i even got extra love and care when i shared my story with the folks who tended to me during my overnight stay. can’t beat that, huh? well, unless we’re to blame the morphine for my euphoric state, that is…
Missy:
RAWK. 🙂
Wil, I saw michael moore on Politically Incorrect with bill maher last night and the man reconfirmed that he is a communist.and hold your excitement a little,buddy.I mean if you get that excited about michael moore you would probably flip out to meet the menendez brothers! and how about your friend alec baldwin and his mental breakdown talking about the election in florida the other day? If you liberals are going to keep bringing that up you’ll never win the presidency again!! see ya suckers
It’s real ironic that left-wingers call themselves “liberals,” as if to associate themselves somehow with the concept of liberty and free speech, when all they do is try to squelch it in our college campuses, workplaces, and in our country in general. Not to mention trying to increase the role of our government until it plays no less a presence in our lives than government did in Stalinist Russia.
Remember, it was EXTREME liberals (aka communists) who came up with the concept of “political correctness” in the first place.
Don’t let the liberal hard line mislead you. Look between the lines.
And take a harder look at that fool Michael Moore. If it were up to him, he’d outlaw anyone for being male, owning private property, or speaking their mind.
Michael Moore brings alot of tension between WWDN readers. True…UCLA is very political, but that is true of every University.
fant. amazing, you are correct.Alot of college campuses these days don’t want free speech,it is political correctness run amuck.It is like when Dr. laura was prun right off the tv show she had.You had people from glaad(gay group) they didn’t just want to oppose her view they wanted her taken off tv by boycotting advertisers! thats not free speech activists at work,that is like that criminal jesse jsckson who goes around with his extortion tacticts.That man should be in prison for god’s sake!The “reverend” jackson,what a load of crap. later todd
Fine, but the real question to ask Michael Moore is: “How can you have pudding if you don’t eat your meat???”
Yeah.
Because I admire Michael Moore, who saved a man’s life on The Awful Truth, and helped a bunch of workers get a living wage, as well as having the courage to criticize the “president” at a time when it’s very unpopular to do so, I am a fan of the Menendez brothers, who murdered their parents for money?
Am I the only person here who is having a hard time following this logic?
Alec Baldwin isn’t my friend. He’s an idiot and a windbag. His behavior is as embarassing to progressives as I hope David Duke’s would be to conservatives.
And this: “And take a harder look at that fool Michael Moore. If it were up to him, he’d outlaw anyone for being male, owning private property, or speaking their mind.” is so laughable, it’s not even worth a response.
But I’m glad you two stopped by, and expressed your views and opinions. Everyone is welcome here, as long as they express themselves with maturity.
your right wil, the menendez comment wasn’t thought out too well,I apoligize.Also,good to hear your not friends with alec baldwin.but you are a liberal! but great website anyways!! todd
See Cameron! Wil does respond to people other than Bluecat!!
:):)
/me ducks and runs, laughing maniacally.
Liberal. Todays/tomorrows Non Sequitur color comic was great in that regard.
fred, say what?
Dear GOD.
I just had to share this with you all. My father is now in the other room BLASTING his Roger Miller vinyls and doing the white man’s overbite. I may not be online much longer…
I’m glad Uncle Willie had fun at the Michael Moore talk.
I admit to some ignorance as to Moore’s total politcal outlook, but from what I remember of “Roger and Me” in addition to other sources, I think I’d agree with some of his views.
To be flip, I’m going to say communism is funny. Everyone’s got the same outfit, I mean, come ON… where’s the, like, fashion sense?
Well, I’m going to get back to my liberal book-reading. Later, I shall get in my liberal car and drive to my liberal dad’s girlfriend’s condo and have some liberal burgers and potato salad.
Ooo, but I think we’re having conservative ice cream for dessert!
Internal Audience:
Thank you… I got it. (*Big Grin*) I was new to the site, and “opened my mouth,” cyberally speaking, before I thought. It’s not an intirely new issue for me. …Working on it…
🙂
Cameron
KJB:
The Conservative ice cream stinks, try the Liberal Sherbet.
Cam
Both of those ice creams taste the same. They’re just wrapped in different cartons.
You should try some nice Green or Libertarian ice cream.
har.
I’ve heard that most of the third-party ice creams contain nuts, tho, Wil.
LOL
Cam
Wil, it’s so weird that you wrote about Michael Moore. All week, I was in LA for CTAM (cable industry conference). As I was waiting in the lobby of the Century Plaza to head back to the airport, who should I spot but Michael out on the terrace behind the bar. He was my only true celebrity sighting and the sad thing is I had to explain who he was to my colleagues.
By the way, you work for G4, right? They gave a great cocktail hour on Thursday. Wish you were there.
Cameron: LMAO
Patti: I was supposed to be at that party, but I was unavoidably detained at work. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it!