I was really disappointed by the story MSNBC tried to tell yesterday. I was hoping we’d discuss the empowering nature of blogs, and how anyone, even celebrities, can use blogging software to communicate with people. I hoped to point out that blogging is very egalitarian, and it doesn’t matter how famous a person is offline, if their blog just isn’t relevant or interesting, nobody will pay attention once the novelty wears off, and they’ll be stuck with little more than a promotional tool that is largely ignored. When we started out, I tried to explain that I was a “blogger with a high-profile job”, rather than a “celebrity blogger,” but they just weren’t interested in hearing that. Instead, they did everything they possibly could to turn the conversation to She Whose Name Will Not Be Spoken, Britney Spears, and other vapid media whores darlings who would probably vanish in a puff of smoke the instant the media stopped fawning over them.
I thought that MSNBC would really “get” blogs, since several of their on-air hosts have them, including Keith Olbermann, whose bloggermann is absolutely fantastic. Seriously, that guy should be on TV.
I tried my best, and I’m sad that I lost an opportunity to help introduce to a large TV audience a powerful (new-ish) way to communicate. Unfrotunately, I left feeling like it was further evidence of the Mainstream Media’s inability (refusal?) to understand what blogs truly are, and why blogs matter.
While I was on the air, I mentioned a few blogs that I think are fantastic, and a few people have asked me to link to them. So here are the ones I can remember:
- Nickerblog is written by my friend Shane Nickerson. Shane and I are part of the “I keep my blog because I want to write the way you do” club. He’s an amazing writer.
- + busblog is written by Tony Pierce. Tony just won a bloggy, which he fully deserves. When I won my bloggies, I don’t think I had earned them, yet. Tony completely earned his.
- Neil Gaiman’s Journal. Neil Gaiman gave the world an incredible gift when he created Sandman. Then, presumably because he likes us all so much, he gave us American Gods. He also gave me the greatest honor in the world when he wrote the foreword to my book Just A Geek. Like most bloggers, he writes about whatever is on his mind, but because he’s one of the finest authors in a generation, it’s always interesting.
- James Wolcott is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He clearly doesn’t need a blog, since he’s a contributing editor to a respected magazine, but he does it anyway. More evidence of why blogs matter, if you ask me.
I think I mentioned a few others, but by that point in the interview, I just wanted to get off the air and back home so I could finish my latest Games of our Lives, which is about one of my favorite games of all-time. If someone remembers and wants to link it, put it in the comments or send an e-mail, and I’ll update accordingly.
As Balance to the MSNBC piece: Salon‘s featured story today is called Attack of the Celebrity Blogs. I was hopeful that Salon would get the story right, but when I saw my name in the first paragraph, I cringed and expected the worst.
I have never been so happy to be wrong in all my life.
There are as many different types of celebrity blogs as there are celebrities: We have blogs from celebrities who have fallen out of the spotlight and who want back in, at least in some marginal way (Rosie O’Donnell); blogs from celebrities who are too big to need blogs but who still maintain them, at least in some cursory faction, to maintain the illusion of intimacy with their fans ( Gwen Stefani ); blogs from celebrities who actually seem to enjoy recording their thoughts about mundane day-to-day activities and manage to do it in a conversational, entertaining way ( Moby ); blogs from celebrities who feel strangely compelled to lecture us on the meaning of the universe ( Fred Durst ); blogs from celebrities who feel strongly about politics ( Barbra Streisand ); and, most fascinating — and most readable — of all, a blog from an actor whom few of us have thought much about in recent years but who has become a kind of touchstone for many people in the readersphere who are simply attempting to do what they want to do with their lives and finding it more difficult than they ever imagined ( Wil Wheaton, who appeared in “Stand by Me” as a child actor and in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as a teenager, and then seemingly dropped off the Earth’s surface).
The story goes on to make many of the points I had hoped to make on TV yesterday, and ends with some unbelievably kind words about me and WWdN:
The overarching point of that entry [about CSI] may be that celebrities aren’t like you and me, except when they are. WIL WHEATON dot NET is appealing because it’s written by a regular person with intelligence and a sense of humor. When he’s lucky enough to do the work he obviously loves, he also has a pretty interesting job. But while his readers leave lots of comments congratulating him on his “CSI” performance, there are plenty more who are eager to offer advice about the sick cats. In the end, that’s what writing — and reading — blogs comes down to. The Inner Self isn’t the stuff of everyday life: The cats with the kidney problems are.
Wow! How cool is that? Like I said, I have never thought of myself as a celebrity blogger. I’ve always thought of myself as a blogger who once had a high-profile job. While MSNBC completely missed that point, and chose to focus instead on viewing blogging through the traditional “celebrity” filters, Salon completely grokked it, and I’m really psyched that they chose to use my blog as a favorable example. That’s really, really cool.
. . . this has been sitting here since I got up this morning, and I’ve been reluctant to publish it because it feels like a big old “Yeah! go me! I rule!” pile of shit . . . I want to say how happy and flattered I am that Salon chose *me* as an example of Some Guy with a blog that doesn’t suck . . . but I just can’t figure out a way to quote it without feeling like I’m jerking off. I hope it doesn’t come off that way.
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I saw the last couple of minutes of the MSNBC thingy. Now I know why you weren’t looking happy to be there. I’m so sorry that they don’t get it. Although, I’m not really surprised.
It’s not jerking off, sweetie. It’s you sharing with us. If you don’t tell me, how will I know? ;^)
Still thinking about y’all and sending love.
You’ve been getting lots of good press recently! 😀
. . . your blog is wonderful and warm and heartfelt and very very human . . . it’s why I tune in 🙂 . . . and I am glad that salon.com got it, and got your blog . . . and glad that you told us about it 🙂 Katherine
I wish you wouldn’t worry so much about how your blog reads as far as patting yourself on the back. One of the reasons I read it is because your emotions come through and it isn’t wooden. When you’re pleased, it shines through, as it should. I loved reading the joy in your post about the Salon article.
Wil,
Masturbation is a normal, healthy party of your sexuality. There’s no need to be ashamed of it. Althought it’s generally considered proper to do it behind closed computers, I think we can all appreciate the occasional public wank.
Besides, you do rule. 🙂
Keep wanking,
Eph
You have more guts than me, I didn’t watch MSNBC, because blogging never gets the right explanation, and they just slice up people’s interviews to fit their view.
Oh, and you know what? Half the time I forget that you were even on TV or in movies, because I see you as the most awesome geek on the net.
Whatever people what to remember you for, you’re Wil Wheaton, end of story. You’re not a character or a puppet. You’re that cool ass dude with the popular blog. And I’ll never miss an entry!
PS: I love how your mind is in the air-conditioned rooms at the top of the stairs… that’s so where everyone’s mind should be.
We live in such a bizarre culture, where both masturbation and feeling pleased when someone compliments our efforts are somehow shameful, yet so many other behaviors that are truly repulsive and unhealthy in the extreme (legislating what goes on in my bedroom leaps to mind) are “normal.”
Celebrities, actors, authors, artists: at a certain level of success they nearly all have publicists or agents or the like who would normally be emailed and asked to toot the horn while the Praised One who sent the triggering email sits back and modestly toes the dirt for public display.
I, for one, prefer the direct approach. Perhaps internet discourse–blogging in particular (and MSNBC will never explore THIS idea, you can be sure)–can change the definitions of what constitutes appropriate arete at times like this so that, one day in the future, no apology for this sort of reportage will be required to remain “a good guy.” You are celebrating well-deserved praise. That’s fine. (and so’s masturbation, but imo only in front of very close friends.)
hey whats the link to Moby’s site? does it have a billion comments every day like zach Braff’s?
i think its funny how many people devoted a comment to the last line of your entry today. 🙂
looks like i missed you at Borders the other day. drat
hurrah for salon! hurrah for Wil!
You know you’ve made it when you get your name is Salon and it’s for a GOOD thing!!! Salon ROCKS! And not just because they have Joe Conason, which is a very good reason. They’ve earned extra points with me because they were so kind about you Wil. It’s not the celebrity that draws us here. It’s your writing. Blogs are about the writing and the social commentary. We want to know what goes on in your life and you happily tell us. It’s amazing!
It was really cool to meet you at last year’s Gnomedex. I know that the guys who played poker with you had a great time.
No Wil, it did not appear as though you were jerking off…I will say this though…If more people spent their free time jerking off instead of comparing dick size the world would probably be a much happier place 😉
No, it did not come out like you were bragging or anything, be assured of that. It was a very enjoyable post to read. I’m happy for you. Oh, and I will be praying for both of your cats.
-Kaitlyn
Wil (dearest goofball),
Here’s the thing. Yes, you’re a “celebrity” in that you were captured on film and some folks remember you. I find it hilarious that your blog gets lumped in with Rosie and Barbra’s, as if they even know how to TYPE. (“Assistant girl! Peck at those buttons…and always show my left side!”)
Too bad Dante didn’t get around to classifying levels of fame.
Look, I saw “Stand By Me” once or twice, and watched you in “Star Trek: TNG” (maybe it was that tight outfit and the tidy hairdo, but YEP, I thought you were gay too). And maybe I’m a nut for hearing you had a site and being curious enough to check out your life. Maybe I AM intrigued by the thought that I could possibly communicate with a guy who was on my TV set.
But aside from these things, you can write. And you’re normal/abnormal/fucked up just like the rest of us. You broke down the barriers.
And if I didn’t like what I read, I wouldn’t come back. I’d chalk it up to pretentious bullshit.
To be quite frank, when I first heard about your site, I kept thinking “Wil Wheaton? But didn’t he kill himself?” and when I discovered you were in fact, alive and well, I came to realize I was thinking of Jonathan Brandeis from SeaQuest (SeaQuest, Star Trek, who can keep this shit straight?)
Bottom line: Glad you’re alive (eeek about Jonathan, but he should’ve blogged), keep up the good work, word to the kitties and the family, and semi-famous or not, I wish you were my next- door neighbor. Then we could hang. And you’d have a really cool doormat. I just KNOW it. (Right now, I’m living next to a new couple with a doormat decorated with black butterflies, lady bugs and “WELCOME”. I don’t think so. Not now, not ever).
Best,
Halo
Wil,
My uncle once told me that no matter how proud I was of my accomplishments, I shouldn’t go talking about it to my friends, because they will just think I’m trying to brag. The only ones who will ever be really happy for me are my family.
But the thing is, he’s right and yet he’s wrong. Because when you told me (us) how happy you are, I didn’t think you were bragging. I just thought you were happy. And it made me happy for you.
It’s true, the only ones who will ever be really happy for you are your family… but sometimes that includes a broader definition of family. We are your monkeys, Wil, and we couldn’t be happier for you. Even a guy with humility deserves to be publicly proud sometimes, ya know?
Keep up the great work, Wil.
Matt
PS – I take it you’re never going to finish the CSI post……… come on!!!!
Wil,
you and self absorbed? The fact that you fear it might look that way, is proof enough that you’re not. (Although there are some people who use that as a trick: you’re way to earnest for that!)
There is a difference between accepting praise and feeling glad about it and being smug about it.
I am glad that ‘Salon’ picked you for their feature.
And why shouldn’t you feel glad about it?
Because some ‘holier than thou’ instance once said that it’s suspicious to feel joy when you’re praised? Nonsense.
Keep going and feel proud about what you’ve achieved.
Ymhs
Y.-
Hiya!
OK…
You are like a Universal Studios tour guide, except..cool, funny, down-to-earth and with real inside info! 😉
Your insights are full of life, literally. Most blogs going seem so determined to follow the trend of angst and termoil at the expense of reality or…so menial and superficial that one wakes up pooled in drool at the keyboard. So much nicer not to have the eyes-rolling-oh-brother-get-a-grip-get-a-life feeling.
I’ll turn around and say, “see, that’s how it’s done!” unfortunately the little black cat at my side, Simon, looks up at me sweetly as if to say, “whatever you say, dear woman”, my son of two years smiles and asks for more juice and my dear husband stares blankly in my general direction and continues gaming. Why roll my eyes online when I’ve got so many opportunities at home 😉
Your blog’s a bit of a personal treasure for me and obviously for others as well.
Thanks!
GNH
Wil,
I’m glad in the end someone heard what you were saying. I think that Blogging is a great thing if blogged and read correctly. I belive that your blog has found that right balance.
As for posting this (and looking like your patting yourself on the back), I say go for it. Sometimes when people say good things about us we need to spread the news. But, that said I don’t think that is what you were doing. You were trying to teach people out blogging and I think your a good person to be doing that.
Terry
Howdy Wil,
Dave Robison here from the deep south on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
I’ve been reading your blog daily for the past six months or so and thought I would drop in and say “hi.”
I have a small blog, about 40 readers a day, with gusts up to 70. I just wanted you to know, I have included your blog in my “Links That I Like” section.
You probably won’t notice the “amazing” spike in traffic, that my blog will bring you, so I am letting you know in advance.
However, my entry today, announces adding your link and says some really cool things about you in case you need a Monday morning ego-boost.
I always like those.
Dave
Dude,
A wise woman told me that when handed a compliment, my first reaction should be to take a very deep breath. No, really: breathe the compliment in physically. Then exhale slowly. Then say “Thank You”. It works marvelously.
Kudos, Wil-dude, well deserved kudos. And for God’s sake, don’t ever stop blogging!
Ignatz
Hi Wil, just another new reader…I always like to know who’s reading (just a couple of people I think…) so I thought you might as well. A friend of mine was recently telling me that she read your blog religiously and I wondered what was so great about it. Well, now I know! Keep it up!
Nah, you don’t sound like a jerk at ALL! Don’t worry about it. You seem to be just like the rest of us; a normal everyday kind of guy that happens to have a high-profile job (right, okay, so not everyone has a HPJob, but we do have jobs). You’re right, MSN didn’t get it at all. But then, what does it matter, we all get it, right? Good thoughts going out to your kitties!
I’ve been here for years, and HAVE commented before, but I have NO idea who “She Whose Name Will Not Be Spoken” is.
What am I missing?
Hi Wil,
You are either so talented a writer that you’re able to fake sincerity to the extent that you seem to be about the nicest guy on the planet, or you’re so talented a writer that you’re able to let your personality shine through your words in such a way that thousands of strangers would claw each others’ eyes out to take you out for a beer. I’ll bet money it’s the latter, and just wanted to add my inconsequential remark to the pile reminding you that 1) You’re allowed to be proud of what you do, and 2) Don’t apologise for it. As an big fan of your blog, I assure you that at least *I* would like to hear about the recognition you get. And I dig that it means so much to you to get your point across successfully. Write on.
Cheers,
Kim
Yeah! go you! you rule!
Speaking of blogs – your note on the ABC poll just made the Recommended Diary list on dKos. Congrats!
I’m jealous. And nobody’s snarked about “cut & paste” or “shouldn’t this be in an open thread?”, or anything. ; )
you say whore like it’s a bad thing.
Wil,
You totally fucking ROCK!! There’s no shame in sharing something exciting and GOOD in your life! That’s why we are all here! You have such an amazing way of writing and expressing your feelings and ideas and we want to hear them all, good, bad, depressing, exciting, etc. That’s what keeps us coming back! And…ahem…if you could maybe get around to those autographed books mentioned a few days ago, the anticipation is KILLING ME! I’m completely impatient, so sue me! Keep up the good work. Its Wil Wheaton everywhere all of a sudden!
Sandra
R.C. Pro Am! What a rockin’ game! I agree, Wil… one of my favorites, too. Now, about this “big announcement” that Craig Steffen speaks of above… /me leans forward in chair…
Get your CSI pals on the ready, my dear boy, cause I’m breaking in tonight to steal that remote control.
What’s wrong with a little self praising? Especially when you deserve it!
It’s awesome you like Neil Gaiman! Neverwhere is easily my favorite book.
Another refugee from the Salon piece, color me impressed with your blog. Also, add me to the list of young people you brought to the ST:TNG franchise.
Will,
Salon got it right. It’s the very ordinariness of your life (work, kids, pets, marriage) combined with the openness of your writing that keeps us coming back to see what you have to say. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back – heck do it once for me too.
What’s wrong wtih jerking-off? Ever?
Hi Wil
Great posts as always…It didn’t seem like you were “jerking off” but hey who dosnet like a good jerk off now and again..lol but in all seriousness im glad thay did a half decent job about the blogs and thay picked a great guy as there example.
Wil,
You weren’t jerking off. MSNBC was…
keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for turning me on to Neil Gaiman’s blog, its fantastic. I liked American Gods, though I kept feeling that I had missed something — that there was going to be a payoff. Was “Shadow” a metaphor for something in American society — a lack of tradition, rootlessnes?
I am relatively new to your blog and spent an embarrassing amount of time reading the entire blog to date. It was incredibily engrossing to make entry into a piece of someone’s life that way. Thanks.
i dont know what all the fuss was! i mean you are a normal human being and you present your self just in that way. i dont know why people think that celebrities are like this sub breed of god.I mean for Christs sake! they are human just like the rest of us! and the fact that you dont come off like your better than every one else is part of why you kick ass. TYVM
I think it was more of a general comment on big-media vs. blog world.
That said, if anyone reading this has any chance of being in LA next saturday to see the ACME show, do it! I went last Saturday (GF surprised me with tix). I was not sure what to expect, I’m not big on skecth shows (SNL is deathly boring to me…) but the show was SO funny. Holy cow, funniest thing I have seen in years. Wil is not just ‘in it’ like he was ‘in’ CSI, hs is in both the opener and the 2nd act opener. He is in a lot of the sketches and probably gets more stage time than anyone else. AND, he hung out in the lobby between the shows, and was the most gracious, coolest host ever. Patience of a saint I tell you, wow. I just shook his hand and said ‘hey nice show’, but it was cool to watch him talk to fans. Like, he’s sighing a book and another cast member walks by, he leans over and bumps into him “oh, sorry, I was just busy signing one of my books..” It was pretty funny, self depreciating.
Anyway, that’s all I had to say. See the show, really.
JON
Three cheers for Wil!
“celebrities aren’t like you and me, except when they are. WIL WHEATON dot NET is appealing because it’s written by a regular person with intelligence and a sense of humor”
Ain’t that just the truth? Don’t worry about how you come of because we grok you.
Wil-
I’ve been an admittedly non-loyal reader of your blog for a while now. Sometimes I’ll pull it up on my break at work. This entry intrigues me because blogs really are becoming a phenomenon world of journalism. I only wish I could keep one without having anatomy removed by my employer. You see… certain online ‘blogs’ contain what might be referred to as ‘leaked’ materials, be the materials true or false. These blogs have been sued by my employer and the owners of these blogs are in trouble, not to mention the sources of the ‘leaks’. My employer frowns heavily upon such ‘leaks’ and terminates employees upon revelation without prejudice. So I can’t keep a blog about my personal feelings about anything involving my professional life.
That said, we all know Apple employees know nothing about the future, other than their work schedules… and sometimes not even that much. So quit pestering us at the stores people… please!
I’d love to keep a blog some day, and God forbid my favorite job in the whole world should collapse… I may indeed keep one.
Hey, Wil. This’ll be the last comment from me for a while. Just wanted to send lots of love and mojo to everyone in the Wheaton Clan, kitties and doggies included. Thanks for writing and giving me something interesting to read these past 3 or 4 years. You really have a genuine gift for the written word, and I look forward to more from you soon! Thanks again, and take care…
Eric in PA
Wil, in no way do I think that you are tooting your own horn In the years that I have watched STNG and followed your writings and acting debues (sp) as well peeking into your life through your blog. (btw saw CSI and you were FANTASTIC) I have found you to be very intelligent, charming and funny-very personable and not at all the nose in the air look at me type star. So in the words of those much younger than my 43 years. YOU ROCK!! Keep up the good work there is much more wonderful adventures heading your way. You are extremly talented and it shows in you work.
Wil, thanks to your fantastic philisophical and humanist approach to blogs, I think you should be the man most credited towards successful promoting of it. Any way to add you to the international blog council? What sounds good? IBC, AIB (Assoc of International Bloggers)? I elect you head elder! :O)
I love your blog, I hope you never end it. If you do make a book about it, I will buy it. Buy the way, how are the cats doing? What is their status post Vet visit.
Bright Blessings
Wil, Never be ashamed of “tooting your own horn”. Many of us who don’t have cable (gasp!) or don’t check most of the mainstream media news sources would not know about your success unless you share it with us. By the way, you have more good news…
Behold the power of Wil’s Posse
Congratulations,
Larry
Wil,
It’s been awhile since I’ve visited your blog, but a couple things happened that brought be back.
First, I ran into (but did not actually meet) Brent Spiner this weekend. I was standing face to face with him on the Orlando Airport tram, but didn’t at first recognize him, and by the time my feeble brain remembered his name, he was walking briskly down the concourse away from where my wife and I needed to go to catch our own plane
Then, upon relating this to my buddy Jesse Slicer and his wife Robin, HE related to me his most favorable experience of meeting YOU (Wil) at Acme Comedy Theatre this past weekend.
You can read about both of these events on my blog here:
http://www.athelist.com/sodabob/archives/000389.html
And Jesse’s blog entry about meeting you here:
http://theslice.livejournal.com/22034.html
Thanks!
Bob Curtis,
Indianapolis, IN.
Oh, and I forgot. Your “Games of our Lives” review of R.C. Pro-Am. Have you played the more modern game inspired by that called “ReVolt”?
I can’t find the “official” website for the game, but here’s a pretty well done overview of it:
http://www.simcyberworld.com/roadracing/revolt_game.htm
And here’s where you can download a demo:
http://www.download.com/Re-Volt-demo/3640-7519-911246.html
Sorry for posting twice, I meant to mention this in my previous post…
Hi, I’m a student and happened upon this page through the Salon article. I wanted to say that as a fellow blogger, your blog is a fun read and well written. I’m actually doing an assignment for a anthropology class on virtual communities about blogging and it was nice to find an avenue of blogging I was unfamiliar with (celebrity blogs), and that some members of hollywood aren’t as vapid as one would assume.
Keep writing, enjoy the press, and have fun!
-Caitlin
Waltham, MA
longtime lurker, first post 🙂
Hey, congrats on the writeup on Salon! When I noticed that article, I felt a little nervous reading it because I felt sure they would mention your blog in there somewhere…..and they did, and it was good!
Go, Wil!
Someone said, “You’re not Wesley Crusher to us. You’re Wil Wheaton.” True. I stumbled across this site some time ago, and I keep coming back because you’re *interesting*, you’re insightful, you’re politically savvy, you have a great sense of humour and the absurd, and you’re man enough to talk about your emotions. You do it all in an intelligent and engaging manner. Pointing out that you got a nice write-up in Salon is hardly a social faux pas.