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.
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Hi Mr. Wheaton!
First of all, don’t take it too bad. As someone who is a writer (of source code, of fictitious stories, essays and technical documentation), I can tell that usually thoughtful criticism that one receives from people one is close to and made a bond with, hurts much less bad than criticism (especially somewhat irrational, but not entirely) of people who are less close or even complete strangers. The important thing to realize is that it doesn’t matter in the long run, as you don’t care too much about these people to begin with. While I haven’t read the book yet, I’m sure that you’ll receive a good amount of recognition for it, if it is indeed of good quality.
The largest public deprecation I’ve experienced can be found here:
http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=110136&ixReplies=71
I made the original post, and you can read some pretty mean flames by other people there. I was shocked for quite a long time as a result, but I suppose I’ll now try to keep such personal ramblings off forums like that.
I really enjoy your site and your blog, BTW.
Stay cool,
Shlomi Fish
Aw crap, only “Entertainment Weekly” was supposed to be in Italics, but now the whole freakin’ paragraph is in Italics. Does anyone know how to write just one word in Italics? (You guys probably think I have an I.Q. of 3 now LOL.)
Okay, this is my last post for the week. Wil, once again, you’re the best, and we’re all behind you. Ciao!
-Vanessa Nichole
I read “Entertainment Weekly” for the info about what’s in production, what’s new, etc., but completely avoid the reviews which, mercifully, tend to be shoved towards the back. Their reviews are always sensationalistic and oversimplistic, and it’s no new thing for their reviewers to get facts wrong. It’s annoying that they would trash your book like that, but I think most of EW’s readers take their reviews with a big ol’ grain of salt. So at least there’s that.
Four things are apparent from this douche-bag’s comment.
1. He (it is definitely a he) loves his precious commas so much…my preeeeciousssss.
2. He is a “Wesley(tm) is a dork and I don’t like him, therefore, it is obvious that Wil is a tool like his character” Neanderthal.
3. This person has never read more than 10 pages of a book before.
4. They were so desperate for “Whiner of the Week”, and since no one would recognize the author’s name they had to result to digging up an easy target (most hated character by virgin fanboys of all time).
Keep your head up Wil, no-name shit-cock here has never created anything more impressive than a 2 line, 100-comma sentence before. Besides, you have all of your monkeys, and we could all rock this dudes Kasbah if you asked us to!
People who read EW do not have the thoughtful intelligence to read JAG.
Well, at least they’re talking about you.
I spit on entertainment weekly. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever read that pulp. And perhaps now I never will.
Dude, I seriously hope that they’ve made your ‘Go to hell and fscking die’ list in terms of giving interviews/permission to do anything related do you.
Hi Mr. Wheaton!
First of all, don’t take it too bad. As someone who is a writer (of source code, of fictitious stories, essays and technical documentation), I can tell that usually thoughtful criticism that one receives from people one is close to and made a bond with, hurts much less bad than criticism (especially somewhat irrational, but not entirely) of people who are less close or even complete strangers. The important thing to realize is that it doesn’t matter in the long run, as you don’t care too much about these people to begin with. While I haven’t read the book yet, I’m sure that you’ll receive a good amount of recognition for it, if it is indeed of good quality.
The largest public deprecation I’ve experienced can be found here:
http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=110136&ixReplies=71
I made the original post, and you can read some pretty mean flames by other people there. I was shocked for quite a long time as a result, but I suppose I’ll now try to keep such personal ramblings off forums like that.
I really enjoy your site and your blog, BTW.
Stay cool,
Shlomi Fish
I suspect weekly is going to be getting a piece of alot of people’s minds very soon.
It’s all been said Wil, you know that B.S. like that only makes them look bad.
Screw them!
Luckily, the majority of EW readers don’t read it for book reviews. I think the net effect of this stupid little blurb is going to be nil.
I’ve been a subscriber to Entertainment Weekly for years (about as along as they’ve been in print), and aside from them being Buffy and Amazing Race fans, I have to say that I disagree with them on most of their opinions.
I think I feel a letter to the editor coming on….who’s with me?
Don’t sweat it Wil.
EW is a sensationalist magazine. What the critique is attacking isn’t your book, writing style or the way you opine but your intended audience. EW needs to relate to it’s audience, to emulate their taste. JAG obviously got hot enough to be noticed and could not be ignored but EW doesn’t feel it’s something their readers would enjoy or understand. So they put it down without reading more than a shred of it.
I’m no expert but I’d bet it’s something that happens very often.
It’s terrible journalism but I think few would disagree that most magazines, especially about the entertainment industry, have nothing to do with journalism or information.
Nat out.
Here’s a scan of the actual thing.
Fuckers.
I mean… geez. A guy can’t even write an honest book anymore without someone trying to act like some of the stupid fuckheads you have written about.
I recently discovered that reading fashion/gossip/celebrity magazines was only making me feel out of style, out of touch, out of money, and out of the loop – thus I cancelled all but geeky, science mags like National Geographic and Smithsonian. (OK, I still get Vanity Fair but only because they are so gleefully anti-Bush in a time when most media outlets repudiate the public’s notion of a liberal press by compensating too far to the right.) So, nyah nyah nyah nyah, I’m out of that horrid cycle! You should all come join me because it’s really nice to be reading things which don’t make me feel like I’m worthless without a man and 10 pounds too heavy. This reminds me how lucky I am to have rid myself of this social obsession. How “ew” passes itself off as morally superior to Star and Nat’l Enquirer is beyond me.
I will write and complain to EW as well, because it is simply bad journalism to write an uninformed review. But you should also keep in mind that Entertainment Weekly has turned into a rag like Star and National Enquirer anyway. Who in their right mind would go to Entertainment Weekly for a review of the next book to read? Until the New York Times gives you a bad review, ignore the uninformed and ignorant.
i’m glad i let my subscription run out this past summer…. it would have been a sad day to actually get that in my mailbox.
my letter to EW [email protected], is away.
keep on truckin, wil,
and more poker stories, damnit!
-dr.nik-
sponng.com
I just wrote EW. This is the sad state of journalism and her decline. A “journalist” reported the other day about a herd of sharks. A HERD! It’s a shiver or a school of sharks not a farking HERD. I know that is nothing compared to this slip-shod attitude towards Wil’s book, but it starts small and grows to what we saw here with the “journalist” only skimming and not reading the entire book. If Wil is whining, WHINE ON WIL. (which he is clearly not but……damn EW.)
The EW comments are not even worth your time. Anyone that would put stock in a review of a book out of that rag is not someone who would understand the development of a story anyway. What a bunch of clowns.
That sucks, man. I wouldn’t use an EW to wipe myself anyway. haha.
Check out my website if you’re lookin for some free music from a fellow geek.
Wil,
That’s terrible! You don’t deserve to have things like that said about you. I can’t stand the way “journalists” are acting these days. I hope you get the apology you’re owed.
Just invite them to invoke the Cheney Doctrine, Wil. I thought it was a great book. C’mon out Chicago way and I’ll happily wait in line to have you sign it for me.
Entertainment Weekly is a rag that I stopped taking seriously in the early ’90s. Their “reviews” and articles belie an adherance to some sort of agenda. My guess is that they are shilling for their corporate masters and that anything not produced by said corporations either gets a few stars less than it otherwise might or it doesn’t get covered at all.
Bastards.
So some Britney-listening, J-Lo worshiping, flavor-of-the-minute-chasing, fourth rate hack didn’t like the book eh? Just remember Wil, he’s only mad ’cause there weren’t any pictures to color…
*Angry-crappy-EWww-hack: “Oh no, not #$%^ words, now I have to try READING again!”*
Holy $h!7 that makes me mad ;o).
I bought your book a few weeks ago. I read it. I really enjoyed it. It helped put some of my own puzzle peices together.
I’m sure that a good review, or at least a favourable comment about it would see JAG in its next printing … but honestly. Anyone who could say such a thing about someones honest self-expression is a fecking tr0ll.
I’m sure you’ll get a ton of support from your fans not to take this personally. I can only offer my praise and this quote …
“I will eviscerate you in fiction, every pimple, every character flaw. I was naked for a day. You will be naked for eternity.”
-Geoffery Chaucer, A Knight’s Tale
All the best to you!
m
Because they hosed me on a subscription problem, I no longer subscribe or even read the magazine. But if I did subscribe, I would cancel it on your behalf.
Buncha doofuses.
Oh, forgot to say this, Wil. If this is in the issue with the Fall TV Preview and if it’s any consolation to you, that issue is so poorly laid out, that I am having a hard time getting through it. Not to mention that I never even saw this blurb. I am going to have to go down and open it again to check if it’s there.
For whatever it’s worth, most folks probably won’t even find it!
And I just sent off my letter to the editor in between these two posts!
That POS EW is getting a piece of my mind. That’s just horrible.
Please don’t let your manager talk you into believing any crap from that “magazine” ever again.
I gave my Mom a copy of JAG, by the way. She’s really been looking forward to reading it, having enjoyed DB muchly.
Don’t let the turkeys get you down… they’re not worth it.
But thanks for letting us know that EW is a bunch of lying inconsiderate sensationalist braying judgemental turds. I’ll remember that in future.
Hmf. Jerks. I just finished reading it, maybe I should write them a correction. 😛
That’s awful. I’m sorry. I think you should write them an editorial letter and tell them to f… off. (Sorry, you should probably put it in better language than that. I’m just in a not-so-good mood right now, so reading something like this validates my feelings.)
For the record, I’m in the midst of reading Just A Geek and I think it’s great. Normally I’d speed read through a book like this, but I want to remember everything I’ve read once I’m done so I’m purposefully taking my time. Thank you for being so honest.
And on second thought, I think I’ll write them a letter myself, as a FORMER Entertainment Weekly subscriber.
Nicole
That really does bite Wil! I stumbled across your Blog a few months ago and have been checking in every now and again to see what you are up to. I have not read your book but I am sure that there is a good reason for mentioning your past in order to build the story upon. Anyway, my wife and I are big fans and still catch TNG whenever possible. You should be proud of what you have accomplished! Those bone heads @ Entertainment Weekly need to get their heads outta the !@#$%’s (you know what I mean) Don’t let this get you down and keep on Bloggin’, I think you have your shit together!
f**k them! Those little bits are always stupid. I’ve stopped reading it.
Hmm… Well, there’s the precedent of Elton John, Wil: in the ’80’s the editor of the SUN hated him and printed a huge spate of nasty articles, ending with a lawsuit and public apology. But alas, the only libel law I know of is British. Does EW publish over here?
One of the many reasons why I cancelled my EW (how appropriate) subscription years ago. Their idea of a “review” is to whine and bitch about 10% of the book/movie/etc. being reviewed and ignoring the rest.
Morons.
Hey Wil. My mother has worked for numerous magazines and tells me horrible stories of how the staff purposely uses quotes out of context to make a person look bad. Don’t take it personally! It’s done just to make their writing seem more interesting. And besides, I happen to think your book is incredible.
I’m glad that I’ve never paid a cent to EW. Those that have actually read your book love it. The lessons you’ve learned and written about on your site and in your books tell you exactly what to do. Forget about their worthless commentary and have fun with your friends and family this weekend. Rest assured that anyone who has read any of your work knows the real truth.
Journalists in general suck. I’ve been misrepresented countless times by tech journalists, and I can only imagine that to be an entertainment journalist’s target is far worse.
Perhaps it’s that you have escaped from the eye of EW, and likewise, from their power. It is true you used to be an actor when you were a kid. Then you grew up. You no longer have a career that a spiteful EW reporter can make or break with some yellow blurbs.
You’re beyond their reach, and that angers them. You shouldn’t let it hurt. They write for EW because they can’t write for anything else, and nor can they act, and this leads to bitterness.
I think we should bombard them with letters to the editor…I know mine is on its way
Sorry. You definitely don’t deserve that. The book was good. I’ve already written them a little note. I’m kind of hurt too. Like I’ve got bad taste? Not with books my friend. Maybe purses, but not with books.
Morons.
As long as we’re sending notes to EW, can we conspire on something else too? Anyone on the east coast want to conspire to get a book signing/visit this way?
Big hug from the east coast.
Morons.
Just for that, I’m going to walk right down the street and buy Just a Geek right now.
We heart you, Wil!
So, let me get this straight, because it’s kind of funny if you think about it, Wil writes a book, in which he does do a bit whining to be sure, gets tagged “whiner of the week” and then creates a blog entry whining about it?
C’mon! Am I the only one that sees the humor in this? If I didn’t know better, I would think Wil made this entry to be funny.
in case anyone missed the address above…(i did) write complaints to [email protected]
Evendtally the people a Entertaiment Weekly don’t know a nice guy when the have one. Because you were a child actor and didn’t have a complete melt down the tend to ditch you. Unless you go out and have a complete melt down the will always be harsh to you which is their problem not all Child Stars Screw up their lives. But they will only give postive reviews when you have Screwed up your life. So Next time they want to help you or give you a review just blow them off!!
After reading this and the EWwww comments. I am gonna do the responsible thing and buy your books and read them for myself.
I enjoy your blogs and look forward to reading your book tomorrow morning.
Okay, I’m certainly not the first to comment, and this may have previously come up (not a big fan of reading all that), but what that assclown wrote seems to be pushing the wonderful world of libel. Seriously, talk to a lawyer. Break out the big guns.
My letter to EW:
“Try reading a whole book before you’ve developed an opinion about it. If you had done so with Wil Wheaton’s Just A Geek, you would have found it to be a honest, witty and heartfelt read. Instead, you based your review on, what, the first chapter?
Shame on you, EW.
Gale G.
Central California”
Wil, I know it hurts, but just remember that they’re a bunch of tabliod hacks. I’ve read your book cover-to-cover and I think it’s brilliant. 🙂
I don’t care what they say, I can’t wait to read it!
This is pretty low, but what can you expect? To call anyone writing for Entertainment Weekly a journalist is a stretch. Maybe the reporter did write a nice announcement but the editor “spiced it up” knowing that a cruel joke at your expense would go over well with the typical EW reader. Anyway, EW is what it is and there’s not much anyone can do about it. Take consolation in the thought that there is a special place reserved for the editor and reporter in the eighth circle. 🙂
Don’t read EW… and looks like this is just another reason to continue that trend 🙂
wil, Those guys are idiots as usual. Truth is hardly (if ever) represented. I read your book and loved it.