basement burning

ByWil

Even though I’ve been doing interviews for almost twenty years, it’s still a challenge for me to keep it brief and simple, because that’s completely at odds with how I talk in real life. See, I look at interviews as an opportunity for The Audience to listen in on a conversation I have with a journalist, rather than using the journalist as a stenographer for my press release or bio. Of course, if I’m promoting something like Just A Geek, I want to make sure I talk about it at least a little bit, and a good interviewer will facilitate that, but the really good interviews are the ones where the journalist has done his or her homework, is actually interested in what we’re talking about, and isn’t afraid to throw the list of questions away if something more interesting comes up in the course of the interview.
Oh, and when I do this on the radio, we have to do it in less than ten minutes.
There are notable exceptions, like when I do The David Lawrence Show, and David (disclosure: David is a good friend) books me for the whole three hours, but those opportunities are few and far between.
So I was very excited when WebTalk Radio asked me for an interview, and told me that it would be a longer, more relaxed, “Charlie Rose” style discussion.
I loved every minute of the interview, even though I had to pee really bad for the last five minutes or so (yeah, you needed to know that, right?) We talked for almost an hour, uninterrupted, and WWdN readers who are looking to earn their “I spent 58 minutes listening to an interview on WebTalk Radio” merit badge know what to do.
Links:
Windows Media stream of just my 58 minute segment.
The Full Show (1 hr, 12 min; 14MB @ 32k) in .mp3 format.

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35 Comments

  1. I would have been happy to pause the conversation for such an emergency. *smirk* Like we did for your call waiting. Seriously, thank you for your kind words. I’m tellin’ you, it was a highlight of my year.

  4. I mean-this is so annoying! I was on the site when the new entry appeared-and the best I can do is 4th? Oh well.
    I can remember a few years ago, when an American author was being interviewed on a very popular CBC radio programme. It took about four questions until the writer sort of exclaimed “Oh wow! You’ve actually READ my book?” and, to his astonishment, sat up to a commercial-free 15 minute discussion of the actual ideas he has written about, his style etc. One got the impression that he walked away still in amazement that he could actually discuss ideas, rather than marketing.
    Wil, sometimes that will happen to you too. Be alert to the possibility, and be grateful when it comes!

  5. I can’t wait to get my merit badge! unfortunately, I won’t be able to listen to it until tomorrow for undisclosed reasons. the suspense is killing me!

  6. Hey Wil!
    I’ve read your blog for a while now, and have read Dancing Barefoot (great!). Today I was wandering around imdb, and happened on you. I sooo didn’t know you were Martin in Secret of Nimh!!! That is a GREAT movie.
    Enough of that.
    As I said, I read wwdn all the time, and when I save up some spending money (college and all), I’ve got Dancing Barefoot on the list of must-reads.
    Off to listen to the interview!

  7. I listened to your interview with WebTalk Radio. I loved what you had to say about the internet. That it is a place where people can climb as high as they want in their own group.
    I really liked that. Unlike other information mediums today (tv, radio, magazines) the internet is still pretty open and free as to who can use it to spread information. Though that may lead to a few problems, it is in the end proof of the validity of free speech.

  9. Wil,
    We enjoyed spending so much time talking with you on WebTalk. We appreciate your interviewee skills from those 20 years, as it made recording the candid conversation easy, smooth and most of all fascinating.
    It has always been my goal to present interviews and conversations on our show that went beyond the 10 minute or less sound bite.
    We can do 58 minute interviews on our show, but we are somewhat confined by our broadcast radio distribution that locks us into timed segments and breaks, but the web enables us to present more via download or stream -value added for digital. So this means that our broadcast analog version of your show is in fact chopped into 10 minute segments for those that hear our show on the radio around the country.
    Thus this is the hidden advantage of Internet broadcasting over regular broadcast that we are tapping into with our five year old show.
    The only bump in the road to this digital advantage is the long known fact that people generally have short attention spans online for any long-form content, which means that the majority of online visitors will only listen to five minutes or less of any piece of digital content. I am hoping that with broadband growth and the increasing speed of downloading content to mp3, smart phones and other portable media capable devices that it will start extending the attention span of those consuming digital media content.
    Sorry for the long rant, but had to get it off my chest. So GO Download NOW and consume!
    Rob Greenlee, WebTalk Radio

  11. Wil,
    Please send me a merit badge; I listened to the entire 58 minute interview. It is ironic that you and George Bush are both referred to as “W”. In fact, I have a big “W” painted on the tailgate of my truck. Now I have to tell people it stands for Wil Weaton.
    Loved the interview!
    Freeman 🙂

  13. Hey, awesome interview. I listened to the whole thing. Could you list the blogs you mentioned because the sound isn’t good enough for me to capture them all accurately. Thanks!
    S

  14. Wil,
    I’m halfway through your interview. It’s nice to put a voice to your writing. I’m not foreign to your voice. I saw Stand By Me a million times as a teenager, and watched you on Star Trek. I know your tone of voice, but it’s really cool to just hear you being Wil Wheaton instead of playing a character.
    I really enjoyed your story about the girl who said how watching Wesley on STNG really changed her life. I’m sure that if she is a regular reader on your blog that she was just beaming as you told that story.
    Please keep writing. Sometimes I read your blog even more than my local paper. 🙂
    L.

  16. Wow great interview.
    I really related to what you were saying about how important it is to listen to other opinions that are opposite your own and challenge your views..
    This is why I enjoy debating so much I think.. I never get to choose what side of the issue I am going to argue and hence I am often put on the side opposite of the one I would normally lean towards.
    And although I am always frustrated initially at the thought of being forced to fight for something that I don’t believe in .. I have learned so much by being put in those positions.. it forces me to question my views and quite often I learn some things that result in my views changing. It’s a good thing and I enjoy doing it.
    I don’t ever want to get to a point where I don’t question things.

  19. Yay, my first WWdN merit badge!!! Is there some kind of shirt or hat or something that it goes on? ^_^ Great interview Wil, it was an hour well spent, as all my time reading or listening to you is. Keep up it up.

  20. Wil, excellent interview – I just listened to it on my daily commute into London (I love my iPod). Also props to Rob and Dana – I haven’t listened to their show before, but I will be checking it out from now on.
    Like many people who come here and share your daily writing, I know your voice from your acting, but I completely agree with another commenter above (Linda I think) that hearing you speak as Wil Wheaton puts the writing we have enjoyed into an even more personal frame. What I’m working up to is this – are you planning, or even hoping to plan any promotional trips to the UK, as I am not likely to be able to get over to the US in the near future, but would really like to catch one of your readings?
    Also – I hope this is not too big headed, but to the guy two comments behind me – they are lyrics from Beck, The Cure and They Might be Giants respectively (I think).
    Thanx again, Wil
    Ol

  22. Love the comment about having a bag full of dice in your pocket!! (who me, relate to that? you bet!) Brilliant interview, Wil…as always, your insight into the human spirit inspires.
    Safe journeys…D

  25. Great interview Wil. Good thing you didn’t take the cordless phone into the bathroom, radio has a tendency to pick up background noise.
    Bryan

  26. My god. I am crying here at work listening to you recount your conversation with Patrick Stewart after taping wrapped on Nemisis!
    Thanks, Wil, for sharing these stories with us. It means a lot.
    Melissa

  27. “See, I look at interviews as an opportunity for The Audience to listen in on a conversation I have with a journalist, rather than using the journalist as a stenographer for my press release or bio”
    This is what will make journalists love you.

  28. Wil,
    I’m old – I’ll be 50 this year. I’ve been a geek my entire life. I’ve been making a living (?) in hightech over 25 years. And it still amazing me what the Internet has become. All in all, I think its a good thing (I’d hate to live without it). You, Wil, are part of what makes it good. Delivering quality content and promoting/inspiring/encouragine this virtual community. I can’t wait to listen to the interview.
    Just….thanks!
    Pixie

  30. Gurt – Never mind Wil’s Merit Badge. You get Dana’s Radio Transitions Medal of Honor. You rule that you knew that was Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon”. I love this song. It was the only music used in all the transitions that wasn’t mentioned in Just a Geek. The other songs were all gleaned from Wil’s beloved music mix tapes: Depeche Mode-Never Let Me Down Again, MxPx-Take On Me, The Ataris-San Dimas High School Football Rules, Save Ferris-Come On Eileen and Only a Lad-Oingo Boingo. I’ve now become an MxPx convert, thanks to Real Rhapsody, particularly since I discovered they live a few miles from me in Washington. Picking music for the radio show fulfills the frustrated dj in me.

  32. I listened to the show yesterday and loved it! You mentioned the livejournal community I told you about (granted, you probably knew about it before I mentioned it, but feed the fangirl in me for a second, okay?). I really loved it! *throws dignity out the window and clings to your leg in true fangirl fashion*

  33. Loved your interview! I had to occasionally pause when my phone at work rang, but you were very open and honest and that’s one thing that I love about you. Keep up with the stories about the kids. It’s nice to hear about families enjoying their time together

  35. I just finished listened to your interview and it was awesome! I actually rewinded it a few times to hear certain parts over again for the heck of it! You rule! I love your site and check it daily for any new posts!

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