One of my old spacesuits is being auctioned off on eBay. I’m not sure why, but it makes me feel a little sad.
I’m sitting here, about to write a little entry about it, when my phone rings. It’s a friend of mine, asking me if I’m going to the Star Trek X screening.
“Yeah, on Wednesday,” I tell him.
“No, it’s tonight,” he tells me.
“Tonight? At Paramount?”
“No, it’s in Westwood, tonight,” he tells me, “I just talked with Marina about it.”
Oh no.
That feeling I have gotten so many times before, when I was the only cast member not asked up on stage at the 25th anniversary party, when I was the only cast member not recognized at the screening of “All Good Things…” begins to well up. I feel a little sick.
He wouldn’t do this to me, right? Not now, not after the conversations we had when I was working on the movie, not since the phone call informing me of the cut. This must be a mistake. Past is the past, right? We’re cool now. There is no way he’d exclude me from this.
But he did.
He did it to me again.
I want to cry.
I tell my friend that I have to go, and hang up the phone.
I sit there alone and cold in the kitchen. I can hear Ryan watching Sabrina The Teenage Witch in the living room.
I can’t believe this is happening to me. When Rick told me that my scenes were cut, he assured me that I’d still be invited to the premiere, and that he’d see me there. I was excited to see all my friends again, and share in those moments with them. Be a part of what will really be the final mission.
It turns out that the screening I was invited to will be at Paramount on Wednesday, and pretty much anyone who works at Paramount can attend. It’s not the premiere, and none of the cast are going. There’s really nothing special about it.
I seriously, desperately hope that this was just an oversight. I desperately hope that this is totally out of Rick’s hands, and that he’ll tell me that he’s sorry if it ever comes up. I desperately hope this isn’t personal. I want so badly to believe that it isn’t. It sucks to be overlooked, but it sucks less than if I’d been intentionally not invited.
It sure fits a pattern though, huh?
I just — I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know how to feel anymore.
But I’ll go with hurt for now.
Really, really fucking hurt.
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Sucky! Rick must REALLY be off your Holiday card list. 🙂
::::hugs:::: Hope you’re feeling better about it today! Lots of luv!
So much for all the “LOVE” and “ACCEPTANCE” Star Trek is supose to be about!Im not paying to see the new movie neither are my friends were all going to sneak in and see it for free!! Those bastards will not get one more cent of my hard earned money and when the DVD comes out Im going to make copies of it and give them away for free!”Chin Up!Shoulders Back”! Uncle Willie!Get on the horn with Berman and get a straight answer dont grope around in the dark with uncertainty.
Am I the only person who even considered this may have been a mistake?
Man.. If it was an accident, this thread sure and the heck isn’t going to help his chances of Star Trek stuff in the future.
With all the hate for Berman, what reason would he ever have to want Wil involved with anything Trek again..?
Not to add insult to injury, but I just saw something at lunch that is kind of an extension of this post. In “Star Trek Communicator”, some promo mag for Nemesis, there was the picture of all the TNG cast (including Wil) in the white shirts, and Troi (M. Sirtis) in the pink gown in the front pages of the mag. I believe this pic was linked on WWDN previously, Wil is all the way on the left. Anyway, in the center of this very same mag is this pull out centerfold thing, with the same picture except for one thing: Wil is Photoshopped away! He is mysteriously cut out of the picture, I guess Chief O’Brien was ordered by Berman to beam him the hell out of there. It just underscored the whole issue to me, and the shitty way Wil is being treated.
Man, this is some f***ed up shit. I just don’t understand it. Maybe it was an honest mistake about the premiere, but if not, fuck ’em. Keep doing your thing Wil, and only good things will come.
Wil –
{hug}
You are too cool a guy. And too talented a guy.
I hope Zemeckis and Hanks see this, even if Berman does not.
Regardless, you have a few thousand friends here who do.
{another hug}
Way I see it buddy, you got two choices:
1. Crash that motherfucker and be the most sauve bastard in the room, have fun with your friends, tell Rick Berman he can kiss all of our asses. Shit man you lived the last of the glory days of Star Trek. You have a right to be there.
2. Screw it, chill with the fam, watch some TV, go look at your yard, have a beer, kiss your wife, hug your kids, hug the dog, repeat as needed.
Either way man, you rule, we love you. And Rick Berman…Thpppffftttt!
…although this is pointing out the obvious, it’s something worth pointing out…
there are now almost 300 people posting here. 300! and bound to be a whole lot more!
reading through, there’s a whole lot of ‘first time posters.’ people who have become so offended on your behalf that they want to take the time to voice their support for you. and countless more people sending mojo your way.
that’s a pretty cool thing.
I read ALL the comments and there was one posted by a Rick Berman. I clicked on the link and it came up [email protected]. The post said he would send a driver. Is that a joke or what it real? Just wondering is all. I said in another post that they are jerks at Paramount. I will tell my dh about your treatment and I do not think he’ll want to spend money on this film. Usually, when we go, it’s six tickets which is a fair amount. Much mojo to you, dear! Karen
Hey Wil,
First time poster! I have been reading your blog for quite some time now, and you are really a pretty cool dude. I liked your character in TNG, even though the writers seemed hell bent sometimes to make your character kind of, well, let’s not get into that. But I always thought you did a great job with the material presented which is the mark of a good actor. I am not sure if you’ll even get to this post but try and take heart in that you are living a good life with a nice family and while the premiere is one night, those kids will love you forever and your wife too. While STX might make money, money just cannot buy the great stuff you have right now.
Why not watch Stand By Me with the kids? Watch how it affects them (they are at the age to understand) and know that the work you have done beyond Berman and his horseshit is better then Berman could have ever imagined.
Cheer up kid and remember what goes around comes around.
No man is truly poor, so long as he has friends.
– From some Holiday Movie.
Here’s to Wil Wheaton, the richest man on the Internet. 🙂
Wil, with this much support behind you, you can clearly see. We all think Rick bEErman is a fucked up ball of pubes.
Sigh…what happened to Star Trek.
Man, I miss Gene – he was cool.
I’m sorry. What a wuzz. I wish you could go anyway. Argh!
Will, I hardly know what to say. You come forth with such honesty and enthusiasm and decency on all occasions that it’s appalling that they could be so rude.
Mr. Rogers:
Can you say two faced bitch?
Sure you can!
I like the way you say that!
Ouch….
I hate Rick Berman.
I hatehim with the burning passion of a thousand suns.
How dare he screw you in the non-nice way.
To the bomb making mobile! Away!
Well, looks like the only movie I will have seen in a theater in 2002 remains “Harry Potter”.
That sucks and blows and totally bites. You do have every right to feel hurt, but I hope you do shake it off quick as so many before me have advised.
Ok wil, think this way, zemekis and hanks vs. berman. hmmmm. i would have to say zemekis and hanks know quality when they see it and SCREW berman. lots of hugs and love, brook
Oh Wil, this sucks. Remember, your posse loves you.
((Hugs))
Grrr. It really just doesn’t make sense. I mean the damn enterprise would be like blown up six million times if it weren’t for good ole Wes (or would it be blown up Because of Wes? lol).
Eh, life blows sometimes.
Jason
I want Rick Berman dragged from Paramount Studios with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where’s the Tylenol?
Wil Wheaton has a posse. And that posse is PISSED!
Feel better, Wil! We love you!
Never mind Wil. We love you. Tell him to sod off from us. Fuckwit.
For the record – as far as I’m concerned Wesley is just as integral to the TNG family as Geordi or Data or Deanna. Even today, whenever I turn on the TV and see a rerun, there you are. And for the TNG franchise not to recognize that today – well, look at the folks who have posted here alone! It’s their loss.
Besides, you’re still the youngest and best looking out of all of them. They’re just jealous.
By this time, the premiere is past, but…
Wil walks into the theater in the middle of the premiere shouting, “Where’s Ricky! C’mere you SOB!” After spotting Berman, Wheaton trots down the isle, hops into Berman’s lap and tousles his hair.
“Thanks for the great invite, Big Guy! I’m not sure why you’d want them, but those two thirteen year old school-girls are out in your car, just like you asked! Boy! Everyone sure is dressed up purty. Don’t really know why, when they’re gonna need hip boots to watch this load of crap! Ha Ha! Look Ricky, my hair’s blue!”
Wheaton lowers the top of his head into Berman’s face, nearly blinding him.
“Wadda think of that? Welp, gotta go! Just wanted to thank you for cutting my scenes from this turkey. Whew! Dodged that bullet, eh? Oh, one last thing before I go, gotta secret for you.”
Wheaton gestures Berman closer, “Closer, closer, Ready?”
Wheaton takes a breath, “FUCK YOU!”
Wheaton jumps up and shakes hands with audience members as he leaves, “Thank you, thank you. I’m here all week. Try the veal. Ladies and Gentlemen, I Am Wil Wheaton!” And with that, he is gone.
Stunned silence fills the theater. The movie, which has continued, even seems quiet. Slowly, an usher moves down the isle to a stunned and dis-shevled Rick Berman. “Mister Berman? The police are in the lobby and would like to talk to you about some, ah, individuals in your car…”
Just my thoughts. Devil’s skid marks indeed.
Ben
Dude, I am so boycotting this effing movie now. Bastards!
Reread the Gates McFadden transcript again on startrek.com, and Wil Wheaton is the subject of at least 3 interview questions!
WTF is wrong with Berman?
Will,
Hay man, just say the word and all of your monkeys will stay home from this project…
You have more power then even you realize…
You have them by the Fucking Nutz and they don’t even know it….
Think about it…
🙂
Well, when the DVD is released you could throw a party and invite every member of the Star Trek family /except/ you-know-who over for a screening. But that wouldn’t accomplish much except for letting him know that he still can influence your life.
So my advice would be to close that chapter, as painful as doing so can be, and look forward to any future non-official occasions when you bump into your friends from the cast. Because those will be a hell of a lot more fun than any Star Trek reunions where you have to pretend you’re still a part of the franchise’s present.
Wil:
Screw Berman. He’s jacked you before, and then sucked up to you, and then jacked you again. He’s a Janus, a two-faced ‘player’… and so I personally wouldn’t waste any more emotion on him. You still keep in touch with the other cast members (don’t fall out of touch with Stewart, he is awesome in so many ways) which means you should still have a great network of contacts for future films, etc.
As you’ve discovered, Star Trek isn’t the only game in town, and doesn’t even have a lock on ‘future history’. So don’t beat yourself up about the assholes in the business; instead cultivate good working relationships with the people who will play straight with you.
“Consider the rocks in the middle of the river. They all try to get in its way, slow it down, and divert its course. The river doesn’t care about the rocks, it just keeps flowing around them, and eventually wears them all down to nothing.”
Cheers, man. We all think you’re great, blue hair and all.
– Deacon
Rick Berman hates Star Trek. He and Branah ‘brownnose’ Braga both hate it with a passion but it’s made them millionares so they won’t leave.
They want nothing more then to screw with the ST Universe and slap it with their own jisz and laugh at the fans.
They are liars and will continue to slap the fans and the faithful in the face till they are thrown out the door.
Be glad you aren’t his pal, Wil, your kharma couldn’t take the strain.
Eeek. I almost hate to say this. But I will.
There is a second premiere in NYC Wednesday night.
There is a chance this was an oversight. It may be worth trying to contact Berman and finding out. If you call him and he doesn’t return your call – then you know. However, he may call back and set the record straight.
Like I said, I hate to say this because I know what kind of pandora’s box could be opened here. I just know I would be so frustrated not knowing. And this isn’t saying I think you *should* try to track it down; just that in the same situation I probably would because that’s the way I am.
I will shut up now. No matter what Wil – we love you.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. that’s gotta hurt.
dude. fuck them. its just cuz you’re way cooler than they will ever be.
That is so awful, Wil.
I hope you are feeling better. I wish you would have gone anyway. Rick Berman is NOT Star Trek. He is a care taker of it right now. He can’t take you away from it, he doesn’t have the power. He can do stupid hurtful things to you now. But he can never take away what it was like for you when you filmed the scenes for the movie or for the TV show. Or the fact that your friends and cast mates love you. YAY!
In a few Years Rick Berman will be gone, replaced by some other penny pinching ass who doesn’t know how to treat people, but your fans, the Star Trek fans will always be there. For Star Trek, for all the shows movies actors, guest’s and for you, Wil. Because no matter what happens, people will want to dream their way to the stars. And it’s with you and the gang that we can get there.
*OtterHuggles*
Stargazer
i’m sorry to hear that your scenes got cut and you didn’t get invited to the premiere. that sucks. if you had worked on the film, they should have invited you. they invited people who didn’t even work on the film. that blows. even gates made a comment on how it sucked that your scenes were cut from the movie. she said she had fun seeing you again though.
Ok, we are all sad and hurt along with you Will. Unlike many ST:TNG fans I started watching because of you! Yes I actually bought the teeny-bopper magazines with pictures of you, and was excited that you were starring in a show.
So I have one question to ask the rest of you who feel bad for Will…where do we write to Rick? Fans are the ones who pay to see his work, we should get a say. I have been a fan since episode one and I think my vote should count. I want Will in the next movie, I am upset that he was cut from the current movie and leaving him off of the “invite” list is childish and wrong!
Wil:
I’m sorry to read about this whole mess. I hope you feel better with a little time. Try your best to not let it get to you. Find out what really happened and let us know, when you are ready.
I know this might be too much right now, but you could organize a monkey outing so that all monkeys in your area go with you to see it, and just be a fan like us, just once.
Hope you feel better. =)
anamarylee
That man must not have a heart! How mean and rude! Wil, I’m so sorry that you were treated in such a manner.
Hope you don’t mind a sisterly hug from Minnesota because I’m sending one your way.
I just submitted questions at Startrek.com for all of the upcoming chats (Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Michael Dorn). I asked each one “Could you comment on Wil Wheaton being snubbed from the Nemesis premiere? Were you or the other cast members aware of it?”
The moderators will assuredly ignore my questions, and not pass them along to the stars. However, if they receive 50,000 similar questions from 50,000 monkeys, one of them might get asked.
is anyone else bothered Wil calls it a spacesuit
Grrr. Damn corporation, no feelings. So not in touch.
You better make the Extended DVD edition. Else I’m not watching this film, on principle.
The fact is that you are technically not in the cast since your scenes were cut out… So, he has a leg to stand on. What I say is that you get him back in a couple-three years when accepting your oscar for best supporting actor at the Kodak and say: “I’d like to thank Rick Berman for making me able to cry so convincingly (and look stone cold into the camera without even a smirk)…”
I was thinking about seeing Nemisis in the theatre. Then I’d heard you were cut from it. I was thinking about renting it when it came out on DvD. Then I heard you were snubbed from the premier.
Looks like the previous ST movie will be the last one for me.
Much mojo, from the guy what posted comment #331+
I just mailed an icy-tongued letter to this address, if anyone cares to do the same:
Rick Berman
c/o Paramount Pictures
5555 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90038-3197
{{{{{{{Wil}}}}}} I’m so sorry. There doesn’t appear to be much honour left anywhere in the world these days 🙁
Wil,
I’m so sorry, but you know as our president, i’m so idiot, you just have to forgive me or to forget me !! The only thing why i’m living on this planet is like our president the power, you know the fucking power with the fucking $ !! But again forgive me i’m so an idiot !! Forgive me for all the last years ignoring you but you know i’m so an idiot like our president !!!
Rick stupid Berman….like our president !!!
Wil,
First of all, I think of a movie premier as an industry meeting and media event. It is not a premier to view the movie it’s a corporate kissy-face party. The fact that you were excluded just says you are not an A-list power in Hollyweird, not that these people don’t like and respect you. Hell, I bet Brittany Murphy and Eminem were invited and they are just there for “face” value. Everyone hates them in the sci-fi community. Marketing people make up the invite lists and are very clueless.
Second, Berman is a jackass. Most of the people in Hollywood aspire to wipe the ass of jackasses. If Berman excluded you it was because he saw better networking and business contacts that he could invite…period. Think of navigating though cut-throat business blitzkrieg meetings where the glad-handing Berman is there to strike deals and wiggle open wallets.
Third, There is more intrinsic value in one heavily discounted book in a bargain bin than in 20 movies. That’s right. Books and writing bring more to the world (MUCH MORE) than being in or going to any movie. You need to start to hang out with the literati crowd who sneer and look down on movies. It is way more fun than actually watching them.
Why do I read your blog? It’s simple. You are slowly moving away from an artificial society where the value system is screwy to the real world and it is facinating. How does one move from the hub of popular culture to relative obscurity? What happens when stars fade? If my star fades and I am out of the limelight am I still a success? Is being a writer less successful than being a television or movie star? Why?
The answer lies in your proven skills and gifts. Your ability to master writing, technology and/or machinery is valuable in the real society of humans on this planet. I make $105,000.000 a year as a tech geek managing tech geeks. The kids who win American Idol will make half that for 5 years and then never work in the business again. They’ll be lucky to start pool cleaning businesses (which is actually a pretty good gig.)
Your goal is to find meaningful, good work in this world and let the recognition, accolades, and false appreciation fawn all over those who want to live in that creepy insincere/fake world of Hollyweird. Everyone at that premier will get their day when they are no longer “in”.
Even Berman will eventually have to deal with a surly hospice worker who won’t change his elderly man diapers on time. Jeez, haven’t you ever watched True Hollywood Story?
The trick is to find opportunites and challenges before, during, and after your turn in the limelight. Remember that it is a TURN in the limelight and you have to find a way to be happy when the light moves on. Peace and joy in your life is the best revenge.
I am not a fan of yours because of NG but because of the intelligent, thoughtful and articulate man you are today.
Take Care!
Hi Wil,
i just want to learn you some french words : “Va te faire voir Mr Rick Berman” ( soft version compare to what i have in mind). But think about you have that Mr Rick F. Berman don’t have : more than 300 people with you and like me from Paris !! Be proud of what you are :a great writer, a great actor (Zemeckis man !!!!) and an international fellowship :The Felloship of the WIL !!!!
Bon courage !!
R1 from Paris
The right sentence is : “Vas te faire voir Mr Rick berman” sorry for the mistake(i will change my keyboard 😉
R1
what else can i say but… that stinks
Dude South Park was wrong, Berman’s the biggest douche in the universe(Good epiode, check it out). If this is his work, he’s lower then low… the stuff you scrap off your shoe. He’s ruining star trek for the world, and now if thats not bad enough he’s an asshole to Roddenberry. He’s ruining his franchise. SOMEONE FROM PARAMOUNT SEE THIS AND GET RID OF HIM IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MONEY! If thats all you understand then thats fine… He also needs to get a reality check. Make ENTERPRISE actual Star Trek, Berman stop pretending your a writer. Take money away from your salary and hire real writers… PLEASE PLEASE DO SOMETHING RIGHT BERMAN.I’ve never met you but I dispise you…
Wil, you’re more popular then Berman will ever be, he must have some ‘manhood’ size issues… I wish he had a blog… I got some ‘nice’ things to tell him, and I am not alone.
-tiz