Man, I am exhausted . . .
. . . and it’s wonderful! I’ve done more in the last four days than the previous month, and I have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.
I’ve been covering the California recall election for BBC’s Radio Five. Radio Five has some real political reporters on the campaign trail, so I get to cover the quirky stuff. In the past few days I’ve talked with a psychic, a hand specialist(that’s not a plam reader, bucko, it’s a hand specialist), and several stein-hoisting revelers down at this huge Octoberfest celebration at the Alpine Village in Torrance, California. Yesterday, I walked up and down the boardwalk in Venice Beach, where I talked with several bohemian artists and activists, and went to Muscle Beach, where I spoke with several body builders, who all said, when asked how they felt about Arnold Schwarzenegger, “He’s a jerk.”
They also said they were voting for Gary Coleman, but I think that has less to do with his platform, and more to do with their ability to bench him.
I take this election very seriously, so it’s been great to focus on stuff that simply can’t be taken seriously. I’ve seen a fantastic and unintended consequence as I’ve spoken to voters: this election has energized Californians. People who have never cared about politics have suddenly taken an interest, and registered to vote. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign, which has been run entirely on action hero slogans and broad-based, non-specific platitudes, has brought into sharp focus the reality of style over substance in the modern political arena. Gray Davis, who never seemed to give a crap about anyone who wasn’t bringing him a check, is suddenly forced to take responsibility for the lousy job he’s done as governor, and the reputation he’s buil for himself as a negative campaigner has seriously undermined his efforts to cast serious doubt on his opponents.
At Five Live’s website, you can see the scariest picture of me that’s ever been taken (I’m pretty sure they caught my laser beam eyes while they were fully charged, just before I blasted a frickin’ shark). While you’re there, you can review some candidate’s positions, and then cast your online vote for one of the recall candidates. I’ll be talking about the results of that poll on the air.
Now, I don’t want to influence anyone’s online vote, but if you all were to vote for Mary Carey (SFW), it would greatly increase the odds of me getting to meet her.
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dear Fred,
as you say it I am glad to live out here (mind ya folks that’s Europe).
Please recall a bunch Bush!!!
Larry,Larry, Larry!!!!
Speaking of Hell freezing over…I caught “Batman & Robin” on TV over the weekend and Ahnold was Mr. Freeze. If he still has that freezanator suit, uh-oh. That’s okay because we’ve got Wil and his laser beam eyes to save the day! (Nice pic Matt!)
Good luck to all of you in California!
Darn it! I want to write in Georgy Russell! She’s got more brains than most of the candidates (and that includes Davis), she’s got geek street cred, and she’s cute, too! Oh, if only I were about ten years younger…
WoW
What happens if CA wants to recall Arnold in two months??
I dunno about Arnold only having over-arching, non-specific policies…. check out his website and look over his detailed agenda, if you wanna be the most thorough reporter you can.
Hey Wil!
I heard two of the bits that you did on 5 live in the UK, and I have to say I thought you were awesome – very funny, tongue firmly stuck in cheek etc etc
Particularly liked the “she says she is a well known psychic, but I have never heard of her….”
Nice one!
How on earth did you get the Beeb gig?
BTW, for those not familiar with Radio 5, it is a National BBC Sports and Current affairs station her in the UK, with a very large audience… more power to your elbow Wil!
Catch you later…
i think your charisma alone gives you a better chance of meeting her.
really.
Dear Mr. Crusher,
I find it comical that you think all of this will make a difference. It’s sad in this day and age to see a small group scratching and clawing to make a change in the corrupt and failing governmental systems in America. The America this country was founded on is all but dead. It is time to hunker down, prepare physically, mentally and spiritually for the end to come. Let these 7 clowns run against each other. Cali is doomed anyway. Pack up and move to one of the few places left in this nation where justice still matters.
All that said, you should sue the BBC for publishing that horrid photo, you walking candy apple.
Props Wesssssssley. Remember, celluloid heroes NEVER really die.
Best Regards from a seriously convoluted fan,
Fats Vernon
(Weblog……..the final frontier…….no, wait, a comedy act……..no wait, writing a book…..no wait,….oh forget it…..just run for governer already would ya!)
When I got back to my room at college last night, and turned on the radio, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the voice of one whose writing I read so regularly. Keep up the good work!
OMG!! It’s UNCA WILLIE!
Hey Wil.
Thanks for pointing out that the “movin on” spam was an unnecessary addition to the comments here. I’d already been bombarded by it several times which caused me to finally install a spam blocker. As far as Ms. Cary, I heard that she had dropped out of the race. Maybe she needs some consoling??
>Darn it! I want to write in Georgy Russell!
You won’t have to, she’s on the California ballot…
Hi Will,
I listened to you (I’m in the UK) and it was interesting to here your voice (I hadn’t listened to your audio blog and the last time I heard your voice was from TNG – it’s changed a bit!
Not just because I’m replying to your post, but I thought you handled the presentation well and was the whole thing was interesting.
Keep “entertaining” us with your weblog – even your everyday life with the kids and Anne makes for enjoyable reading – probably the most “real” reading on the Internet. I read regularly and have also taken you up on your text ads.
All the best,
Mark Kinslow
P.S. I guess you’ve already checked out http://www.whatreallyhappened.com Ok a website, but more people should read.
As a viewer in the Uk; just heard you on Radio5 Will. Have to say you sounded informed, concise and intelligent.
Still amazed someone from the Star Trek universe is as down to earth as you are…
Good luck in future schenanigans (what a fantastic word)
I am just amazed that some people still think it was Davis’s fault that the lights went out…
Pete Wilson -> Deregulation -> Rolling Blackouts -> Racketeering.
At least Cruz has brought legal action trying to recover the 9 billion dollars extorted by Enron and co. Legal action which, by the way, will be null and void when Arnie gets into office.
Scary picture, Wil, but gotta love that cool double chin!
wil: if you had not told us that was you in the picture i would have thought it was a file photo of ANDY KAUFFMAN…in a shatneresque pose.
Hey Wil,
I am listening to you right now on BBC World Service (shortwave)…great job! New calling? 🙂
Love the site!
Wil:
That’s not a bad pic-Arnold is far uglier!
Serious-Channel 11 started projecting Mr.
Freeze the winner less then 45 minutes after the polls close. How could the majority of votes have been counted at that time???
Welcome to the Big Lie-truth was only 13% of the
votes had been counted at that time-you cannot project the winner of a state this big with as many people that voted (there were hour long waits at some polling places) within only 45 minutes of the polls closing!
It just goes to show you what Barnum said is unfortunately true-now the rest of us who still have half a brain must go to work to stop this stupidity from happening again!
The good side of this-PEOPLE VOTED!!!!!!!
Heaven help us all!
jtbwriter
hello wil,
your email encryption is far too complicated for me. i am lucky i know how to sign to the internet.
do you ever read my blog, skippy the bush kangaroo?
the way pollsters predict election winners before the official count is through the exit poll, which is only a statistical sampling of the voting body, but usually accurate. ergo, there is no “big lie” when the media reports that a candidate has won before the official vote is in, it is rather an educated guess.
I hope this is okay to post this here- the credits are well-established, and it is on topic, considering that ol’ Arnie is a Republican that has the endorsement of GWB. I found it quite interesting, and I wanted to make sure other people read it. If it is inappropriate, please remove it. I suggest reading the following article by Michael Moore: http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1006-11.htm
I find myself utterly not-shocked that Arnie was elected: and that scares the hell out of me.
Arwen
I’m just frightened, and disappointed, that you Californians elected a Governor based on old action movie one liners.
I was up late last night (watching the Cubs game). My local NPR station, WYPR at http://www.wypr.org broadcasts the BBC Overnight after midnight. I was thrilled to actually be able to hear you, Wil. Professional, sharp, quick-witted and just the right tinge of acerbic! S’too bad that I fell asleep before managing to catch another segment.
Surely there must be some part of the EM spectrum with which we can bombard the parasitic Republican symbionts, and get them to abandon their human hosts–
A dose of delta radiation, or maybe sound trucks blasting Joan Baez…
I propose a Manhattan Project to find the answer.
For anyone interested in learning what Arnold’s agenda is (rather than letting the news media or various blogs tell you what it is or isn’t), go here:
http://www.joinarnold.com/en/agenda/
Thanks for the kind words about my reports, everyone. I guess BBC was very happy with what I did. I’ll have a full report written up just as soon as my brain warms back up. 🙂
Wil i have a question about this:
Please do not use “aol-kiddie-speak”, like “I have 1 4 U!” and “U R my friend.”
I was just wondering, why dont you want people to type like that? I mean, it’s not doing any harm i type like that sometimes and im a 35 year old woman it just makes typing faster and easier.
Vallery: People shouldn’t use kiddie-speak because it makes them look like uneducated goobers. If you think your thoughts are important enough to record for posterity, take an extra minute to express them in an understandable, gramatically correct manner.
Using typing shortcuts is understandable (but still not really acceptable) in an interactive forum like instant messages where speed is more important than clarity. That is not the case with a forum such as this: you aren’t disrupting the flow of the discussion by taking a little extra time to compose your post. Of course, it’s possible to communicate online with both speed and clarity by mastering the amazing skill called “touch typing”.
As for doing harm, I would beg to differ. As an adult, you should be setting an example for the younger generation. Perpetuating the attitude that proper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization are not essential components of written communication contributes to the decline of academic standards and achievment that plagues our country.
Ok i’m not starting anything in here out of respect for Wil, but I didn’t ask for a huge explanation and I don’t need you (Joe) to tell me that I look uneducated for typing in a way that makes it a lot easier for myself. You just wrote a long message stating that it makes me look uneducated and that I should be setting an example, how does this possibly in any way have to do with setting an example? My daughter tells me typing everything out would make me look old fashioned so in this case its more of the kids comming up with this so- called “aol kiddy speak” and not about adults setting the examples.
Hi Wil,
I know you know who I am. But my flames have dwindled. Actually I’ve been impressed with your opinions regarding the Cali Guv race. Too bad you all have so few good candidates to choose from. I can only imagine what the ‘Nator has in mind for your State’s economy.