Last week, Entertainment Weekly called my manager, and said that they were going to write announce Just A Geek in this week’s issue. I told my manager that I was concerned, because Entertainment Weekly has always written really cruel and misleading stories about me and my website, but the reporter assured him that this would just be a nice blurb announcing the release of my book.
Since the mainstream media have completely ignored me and Just A Geek, I was pretty excited that an influential magazine like Entertainment Weekly was going to give me a little ink.
That “nice blurb?” I just saw it on page 83:
“Whiner of the Week”
In his blog-cum-memoir Just a Geek, the former Star Trek, TNG cast member, now 32, fills 260 pages endlessly lamenting, “I used to be an actor when I was a kid.”
It’s pretty clear that the person hack who wrote this awful, mean-spirited, and misleading blurb didn’t read the entire book, because I DON’T spend 260 pages “lamenting I used to be an actor when I was a kid.” I spend the first chapter talking about those feelings, because it’s an important foundation for the rest of the story. A responsible journalist would know that.
It’s one thing to criticize the way I write, or opine that I spend too much time on one thing, and not enough time on another. That’s totally valid opinion . . . but to completely misrepresent me and the content of my book this way is despicable.
Someone at that magazine must have a vendetta against me, because Entertainment Weekly has tried very hard to portray me in a consistently negative light. When they reviewed WWdN about two years ago, they selectively quoted me out of context, and made me look really bad, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they’re at it again, but it still hurts.
Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Wil is there any way that you can see what goes to print in these magazines before they go to print? That is really terrible how they put you and the book down, especially when they clearly did not read it! This is the new style of “journalism” where fact-checking is obsolete and opinion matters. Sad. Just sad. Sorry to hear mainstream has farked you over again.
That sucks
that sucks will, just know that there are more people out there with more valid opinions.
Wil you must write a scathing letter to the editor of Entertainment Weakly. You rock, that “hack” sucks! enough said
hang in there
I’m sorry that happened. That really sucks. I haven’t read JAG yet (it’s on my list) but from everything I’ve read about it so far, I haven’t found anyone except this guy that hasn’t liked it. Unfortunatley its in print. But fortunately there are lots and lots of people that could give a rat’s ass what that guy says, and will like the book anyway.
I’m ordering my copy of the book next week… take that Entertainment Weekly :o)
Fuck Entertainment WEAKly. I’m reading JAG as we speak (just got it yesterday), and it is most certainly NOT well represented in that “nugget of wisdom” (sic)…
Letter writing crusade, anyone?
Time for 50,000 WWDN fans to send their thoughts to the editor of Entertainment Weekly.
I’ll make sure anyone I know with a subscription does not renew.
I really dislike irresponsible journalists.
[email protected]
Let’s get writing people.
I totally respect someone’s opinion, even (especially) when we don’t agree.
But what is so profoundly upsetting about this is that it’s so misleading and mean. It’s not opinion. It’s invective.
If this person had just said, “You know what? I didn’t like this. Don’t waste your time.” I would have shrugged it off. You can’t please everyone, and that’s okay.
But to abuse his or her power as a journalist to take such a cruel low-blow at me is just contemptible, especially because it misrepresents me, and the content of my book.
Wil,
Their site sucks too. I went there to try and write to them and complain. I could not get to anything even help or contact pages without being a “registered user”. Gotta love TimeWarnerAOL or whatever the heck they are called now.
Don’t sweat it, Wil. “Teen Actor grows up to be talented, entertaining person” doesn’t sell, especially not to the readers of Entertainment Weekly.
Thanks Tom, I will write them a nice little letter at that address.
“to: [email protected]
I was very disappointed to read the blurb in your magazine regarding Wil Wheaton’s “Just a Geek.” The reviewer obviously did not read the entire book or chose to ignore all but the first chapter. Mr. Wheaton’s book delves not only into the loss of fame, but about growing experiences that everyone has, about unconventional families, about coming to peace with your life and the path it has taken. I would highly suggest that your magazine assign someone to actually read this wonderful story and give it a proper review.
Sincerely,
Tom O’Brien
Amherst, MA”
Looosers!!! I hate entertainment “news.” think about it this way. if the most important thing we as americans have to worry about is, “star A broke up with star b!” then we have some serous issues. Wil, dont listen to those idiots. just wait until some time in the future when you star in some movie next to brad pitt. then they will love you. i dont think your book was whiney at all. i thought it was honest, funny, and… uhh.. i dont know something else good.
I freely admit to having a subscription to EW.
Over the past year I’ve noticed a distinct down turn in the quality of the mag and was considering not renewing my subscription.
Reading this just put the nail in that coffin.
EW will not be receiving anymore of my money and if I get a phone call asking why I’m not renewing I’ll tell them why.
Don’t let it bother you Wil. Easier said than done but in the long run you know the truth as do many of your readers.
Wow… I guess it only continues to show that what they consider entertainment must have that “edgy” feel (sorry, I read JAG and that still sticks out to me). So the only way to make the book announcement edgy was to misrepresent it. I used to think that EW was the more journalistic of mags… now I see it as nothing more than the others with titles like “Elvis’ spleen found in Genesis Spacecraft”. Just another junk mag.
Since we are posting letters, here’s mine:
To the staff at EW,
You were very irresponsible and unfair in printing your “blurb” on Wil Wheaton’s new book. Wil is a decent guy who is brave enough to express his feelings and share his stories in a public forum. He is a good actor and is working toward becoming a great writer. There is a big difference between an honest negative review and a nasty personal dig at someone. Your “blurb” clearly represents the latter and shows that you did not even read the whole book. I used to love your magazine, but have grown less and less impressed over the years. I will not be renewing my subscription and will tell my friends not to
buy your magazine.
S. Turner
Ottawa, Canada
You and I both know you are not to read your own press. The worst thing that could happen is if you actually start to believe, or to put any energy into even thinking about what has been written about you. Did they spell your name right? Did they mention the title of the book? If yes, then yeah! Please, promise me you will never waste another moment even pondering that kind of B.S. The press is there for just one reason and one reason only… to serve themselves. They obviously though that bashing on you would be more interesting to their readers than an honest review. Wil, it’s the weekly. Who gives a fuck? Let’s keep things in perspective. I know you have actually had GOOD experiences with the media lately. Count your lucky stars they are even writing about you at all. Right? If I am way off base, you may give me a genital cuffing. But my opinion is… live your life, enjoy your friends and family, do what you have a passion for, and stop reading tripe like that. Would you have read that particular mag if you were not given mention. No. So don’t let it ruin your day. Or week. There will be someone else to bag on next week. Remember, this is one person’s opinion, and if that’s the way they feel, then maybe you’ll have a bunch of people jump to your defense. I always want to see a movie that has been dogged in the reviews. If a film gets too much good press, it disinterests me. I guess I will always root for the underdog. You are not, however. You are a survivor, a success, and a great guy. Keep up the good work. We’ll all be watching.
-KC
It looks to me like one of the “I hate Wesley Crusher” types who can’t tell the difference between the actor and the part. Like the blue haired old ladies who meet soap stars and call them by the character name.
He might as well have written “fills 260 pages endlessly lamenting, “I used to be on a spaceship when I was a kid.”
Pardon my French, but what an asshole!
Not that it’s anyway near the same scale and ‘prestige’ but the editor of my University’s magazine gave it a great review (with a little coaxing from me of course!)
EW is filled with morons who don’t have opinions of their own. This is seen constantly as they pan a movie, only to later revise their opinions later if something catches in the maw of pop culture they pander to.
This mag has been arriving in my mailbox every week for several years now. I don’t know how it’s renewing. I should look into that…
It’s obvious to me that the person who wrote that is smoking crack. I just made that ass-umption based on his small paragraph. I might have tried to flesh out my analysis a little more, but seeing as he didn’t really read your book, and made a little ass-umption of his own, he deserves nothing more.
Maybe you didn’t tip that writer well when he was a putz waiter at Chez Nowhere??? Or did you dump one of their interns after a date or something?
I wouldn’t sweat it. Most readers can tell when a magazine has a vendetta for a movie star They do the same thing to that Samantha the Teenage Witch girl. Or they post “cellulite” on Tori Spelling. (um, can you say photoshop)
*whispers … jealous*
I hate reviewers for these magazines. Hack is the perfect word for them. They NEVER like anything I like, and they suck up to the same stars in movie reviews. I think they like to get their names listed on movie posters or something. I always want to call them up and yell, “IT’S SOOOOO NOT ABOUT YOU!!”
Anyway, cheers to you WW.
Screw ’em, Wil. I was so happy the day your book arrived, I hopped into bed and stayed there all day to read it cover to cover. And LOVED it! Now the spousal critter is reading it, and he’s digging it, too. EW is nothing worth bothering with.
Hey Wil,
Don’t let the assholes get you down. It’s not like EW is a reputable mag to begin with. Go kiss your wife and feel better.
Hugs,
Val
Man, that’s crap. Find one of their e-mails so we can all express our disgust…
P.S.
Just ponder on this for a minute: the initials of entertainment weakly…EW. This may appear childishly obvious but the connotations of ‘eewwwww!’ puts a little smile on my face, someone obviously didn’t think that one through
Screw them. Keep up the good work. And, who cares what they think?
Dude, give it up. It’s clear you’re just not as cool as Britn- uh, Christin- um, Jessic-
HEY! Which no-talent sex bomb are we pimping this week as the second coming? Uh huh? Really?
Like I was saying, not as cool as Hillary Duff.
Sincerely,
Entertainment Weekly
It’s time to start insisting on seeing copy first. I’ve never gotten the impression from reading your blog that you were one of *those* child actors. You have an obvious fondness for it. Who wouldn’t. I mean how cool is it to be part of the Roddenberry empire? And it *is* Entertainment Weekly. Isn’t that a tabloid rag?
Hey, Wil, you and I know that you actually CUT OUT a lot of, um, bemoaning your fate that used to be there. It’s a stronger book for it. That EW guy probably put off reading the book until an hour before his deadline, and didn’t have time to do more than read the first chapter and skim the rest . . . and I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt there.
The shame is that the magazine is often entertaining, but I’ll never subscribe because of crap like this. (No matter how many times the nice people at Suncoast try to offer me four free issues.) Keith’s right — this reviewer probably hasn’t been laid in a decade and is taking it out on you.
I will buy your book. Don’t let that supermarket tabloid get you down.
It’s probably some of those crazy leftover Wesley haters. (Always reminds me of the alt.wesley.die.die.die card.) Like somebody else said – never read your own press. Screw ’em!
Wil, Entertainment Weekly is a pitiful excuse for a magazine. I let my subscription lapse ages ago, and I haven’t missed it a whit. Don’t waste your time and energy on these hacks.
Dude,
I’m sure not all the “I HATE YOU WESLEY CRUSHER!” crowd only live in their moms’ basements and attend ST cons. I’m sure some of ’em even write for magazines.
Don’t take it too hard. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about…or something.
It’s obvious he didn’t read the book all the way through, or if he did he chose to misrepresent it intentionally. RTFB!
You wait. At some point in your career, for some successful project you will be working on, EW will request an interview with you and kiss your ass to get it. You have until then to prepare your highly amusing response.
I haven’t got the book yet (the book store is out they had to order more) but I am looking forward to.
I use to love Entertainment Weekly
but it is getting a little out there.
Hopefully one day I will get to start my own magazine and do the artists and actors justice.
If you will let me I will make your next book a main story….
Keep writing!!!
Oh, that is fucked up.
Yeah, the media people can be cruel. I do read Entertainment Weekly occasionally, though admittedly, I never read anything about your Web site. I don’t always agree with the journalists, either (especially David Browne, who gave Christina Aguilera’s Spanish-language album a C).
When someone doesn’t like a certain person or Web site or book or whatever, it’s usually because they don’t understand the person/Web site/book. People don’t like what they can’t understand. That’s how my dad explained it to me once.
It sucks, but unfortunately, that’s the way it is in this crazy, mixed-up world of ours. I had to learn that the hard way back in high school.
Don’t worry… I know one journalist (actually, a future journalist) who likes your Web site and your movies and would probably like your book if she read it (which she will, that’s a promise): me!
And you also have millions of people who support you, so who cares what the media people think? You know what I’m saying? Don’t worry about it- we got your back.
-Vanessa Nichole
Wil,
EW is just a rag that reliies on photos for eye candy to make up for their total lack of content. I got it for free the first year it was out, as a trial thing, and didn’t find it useful enough to renew.
I mean, it isn’t even absorbant like newspaper, so it’s no use for lining my catbox.
Man. EW isn’t a magazine. It’s a tabloid POS. Just remember that that hack is working for EW and you’re working for yourself. The fact that the EW rag has any public influence whatesoever sickens me. Blurg. This is why I never want to be in the public eye… i’d be too hellbent on revenge for stuff like this. I’d have that guys info in a matter of minutes, and make it my mission to scar his name… without it being tracable to me of course.
Bah. Who needs EW anyhow.
Entertainment Weekly started sending me their magazine out of the blue and then charged my credit card even though I never signed up for it in the first place. Now I hate them even more!
I agree with Keith in that press is press, and at least your name is out there in this fluffy magazine that may reach an audience that was previously unaware of your writing. 🙂 I’m willing to bet that most people unaware of the book will think -“Wil Wheaton? I remember him! He has a book? Neat!” and go look you up on the internet, and after reading your very engaging blog, go out and buy a copy despite what the “journalist” wrote.
If anyone is actually put off from buying the book by the little blurb, (and/or actually bases their reading choices off of EW), then they probably wouldn’t have liked it anyways. 🙂
That guy is still an asshat though. I get EW for some reason (it just started showing up one day) and after reading a copy I just assumed that it was a half-truth filled tabloid like the Enquirer, but with glossier paper. I would be horrified to learn that anyone actually believes what’s printed in it.
Hey Wil,
I know it hurts. The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me” is totally untrue. However, I hope you also know this: all of us are hurting with you and we want to help alleviate the pain. I just want you to remember some of the good that’s come out of JAG, WWDN, and DB. I distinctly remember you putting up a post about someone daughter who was undergoing surgery. Even though none of us knew the guy, we all sent mojo his way and his daughter was fine. I also think of the two marathons you’ve done. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’ve positively influenced more people than you realize. I hope this and the other comments help make your day. Now go and spend it with that awsome family of yours!
Know what … last time EW got ANYTHING right in a review was half past never. I read … a lot … it is my passion. Know what? I have read wonderful books their reviewers hated and HORRIBLE books they cooed over. Someone got their journalism degree from the back of a cereal box. I got mine at a great school with standards … wait … that would be why I don’t actually work in the media. Sorry, I forgot. Screwed again by morals!
Don’t take it personally. Mom always tells me opinions are like assholes – and usually spouted by them. Have a great weekend and remember – the people who read your book have a higher IQ than the people who read EW.
Wil,
Sympathies, bro.
The press sure can be cruel.
In a Mother Jones article about Cyberthon (a 24 hour art/geekfest around online/vr stuff), where the author/editor described me as “conformed to the stereotype of a hacker; paunchy, unkempt, with pocked-marked skin…” What that description was meant to imply about the event is still beyond me.
I’m sure you’ve had much worse.
Randy
[First time poster, long time reader. :-)]
that’s why i haven’t read ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY for years…it’s a shallow, hateful, house organ for the pap of hollywood…i know it hurts…but if you’re gonna get panned…it’s better to get panned in a piece of shit rag like ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY…i guess they consider going out of their way to hurt someone entertaining…i consider it to be a lame expression of the intellectual void that the magazine springs from.
Definately shoulda went with your gut instinct on that one Wil. They burned you before and they will continue to do so as long as you keep letting them. Fsck ’em I say. That’s one little rediculous piece of crap blurb out of how many reviews? Don’t sweat it. YOU know what your book is all about, and so do at least 50,000 monkeys scattered all over the world.
And one question I have for you, is why do you insist on calling yourself a “former” celebrity? Okay, so you don’t do as much acting now as you used to. But hey, you are an INTERNET CELEBRITY. So you don’t spend much of your life in front of the camera, sucking up to lameass producers just to be lucky if you get five seconds of dialogue in 10 seconds of frame…so what? You are still well known, probably more popular in many ways than anyone else that was on Trek, and I would be pretty damned honored to have you over for a cold Guiness and a major Geek-out session over computers and technology! =D To hell with that advert-bloated lameass Hollywood suck-up piece of crap waste of paper that calls itself Entertainment Weekly and all those schmucks out there employed by it.
I haven’t read your book, but most definitely will. Don’t let it get you down, you are better than that. And just remember, if EW comes a callin’ again, tell them to go fuck themselves.
I should add that I just recently finished Just a Geek, and I found it to be the best work of nonfiction I’ve read in a long while. That self-serving review in EW showed that the review didn’t read the book. There’s so much more to JaG than just that. Yes, it’s a theme, and a central conflict you had with yourself, but it was so much more, it was your story, the story of “one of us”.
I wouldn’t expect a mainstream Hollywood publication to “get” anything in geek culture anyway. Which is sad and funny, because we’re the ones with the buying power these days in the entertainment world.
Just look at the biggest movie money makers out there… all geek franchise material, between science fiction, fantasy, and comic books all dominating the big screen.
Panning your book just shows how uncool and out of touch EW really is. Like anyone really cares about J-Lo’s latest “real life” soap opera or any of that other crap.
You rock, Wil, and I think even a bad review will just get the word out to get people to check out your site and see you as a real human being who can really lay it all out on the table.
Take care,
Chris