So, uh . . . there’s a story about me in today’s New York Times.
Oh my god. The New York Times. And it’s incredible.
In 1000 words John Schwartz captures and communicates who I am, what I am, where I am, and (most importantly) why I am. I always hope that reporters will understand me, but John grokked me.
I spoke with John for about 90 minutes last week, and the story he wrote is in today’s edition of the Times: A Computer Is Also a Screen, Wil Wheaton Discovers.
I was going to buy the reprint rights so I could put it up here, but the Times wants $1,000 from me for a year, and as much as I’d like to spare you all the annoying-but-free registration, I think that money would be better spent on some bills. The bugmenot plugin for Firefox calls . . . 🙂 Update: or you can use this NYT-approved blog-friendly link. Thanks to countless e-mailers and commenters who pointed it out, and to Aaron Swartz who wrote the oh-so-useful code.
The absolute best part, the part that made me scream out in joy and run laps around my living room is:
Mr. Wheaton said that on the “CSI” set, he had to manage a potential conflict between his new writerly self and the professional actor. “It was unbelievably difficult for me the first two days I was working on the show to be very present,” he said. “They’d say ‘Cut!’ and I’d say, ‘I can’t wait to write about this!'”
If he was distracted, it didn’t show, said Duane Clark, the director of the episode. Mr. Wheaton had originally tried out for a smaller role, a hotel clerk. But after seeing his audition tape, Carol Mendelsohn, one of the executive producers, suggested giving him the meatier role of Walter, even though the writers had drawn him as an older alcoholic. A younger drug addict, she said, might prove more menacing, more interesting.
At first, Mr. Clark said, the writers said, “Wil Wheaton, a crack addict – are you nuts?” But Mr. Clark said that Mr. Wheaton brought “a lot of scary volatility” to the role.
“He really dug his teeth into it,” Mr. Clark said, “and on his own came up with a backstory of who Walter was.”
“He really filled out what could have been a caricature. ” he said.
Oh.
My.
God.
When I read that the producer and director believed in me, and the writers took a chance on me . . . well, I’m speechless.
And if all this wasn’t enough, John helps me put some nails into that “former child actor” coffin:
To Mr. Wheaton, the experience on “CSI” is proof, if any is needed, that he’s still in the game. “When you say a ‘former child star,’ you may as well say ‘failed child star,’ ” he said. “The fact is, Jodie Foster is a former child star. Ron Howard is a former child star. I am a former child star. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
I can’t wait to watch CSI tonight, and see how I did. I haven’t been this excited to see something I did since the first screening of Stand By Me.
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Wow. WWdN got Farked pretty quickly once the story made the main page.
But the New York Times? Fuckin’ RAWK! \m/ Most people would kill to have their obituary listed in that sucker, let alone an article written about them in it. Kudos, Wil!
Yeah, I’m behind the times and don’t have TiVo like everyone else. But hey, the VCR still works! And it’s set for CBS, 10pm, The Wheatching Hour (which is short for Wheaton Watching)!
Wil,
That is truly badass. Great article! Sounds like they totally got you. And the comments by the producers, that’s wonderful!
Can’t wait to see CSI tonight. Gonna have to Tivo.
Cool, made the Times. Wil, I along with my wife would not miss the episode of CSI tonight. Enjoy watching it again with your family.
“Doin’ the things that a triangle can…” (c’mon, you all were thinking it when you saw the title.)
Very nice jorb, Wil. Tonight’s CSI episode is one of two things I’m TiVoing tonight.
The other is the OC. I hate the show, but (damn you Fox Broadcasting!!!) the new Star Wars trailer is airing during tonight’s episode. Fortunately, I can just fast forward past the crap and get to the important part. 😀
“Doin’ the things that a triangle can…” (c’mon, you all were thinking it when you saw the title.)
Very nice jorb, Wil. Tonight’s CSI episode is one of two things I’m TiVoing tonight.
The other is the OC. I hate the show, but (damn you Fox Broadcasting!!!) the new Star Wars trailer is airing during tonight’s episode. Fortunately, I can just fast forward past the crap and get to the important part. 😀
Tivo is set.
I *HATE* that the times makes me register to read anything! Now I’ll NEVER get to read the article!
FARGIN SNEAKY BASTAGES!
/pouts
Wait.
I live in Manhattan.
/off to buy the paper
Congratulations Wil! It’s a great article and I’m glad to see you getting your well-deserved “props”.
Now I just need to find someone who will let me watch CSI tonight with them (Network TV Free Zone here in the home). It’s gonna be nice seeing you on the tube again!
Congrats again!
Awww…what a great honor and compliment from The Times. I am REALLY looking forward to CSI tonight, and I hope that you and your family enjoy watching it as well. Soak it all in, you have earned it. I think is wonderful how you are refered to as a wonderful and successful writer now, and it is equally wonderful that people see how humble and real you are. WAY TO GO WIL!
Congratulations on the good press!! I’m so proud of you! I can’t WAIT to see the show tonight. Oh, and I love the Triangle Man song. (Although I liked the Particle Man verse better.)
That is freaking awesome about the Times! I can’t wait to see the episode. Personally, I’m at a crossroads, do I watch the new O.C. with the release of Star Wars Ep III trailer? Or do I watch CSI? Well duh, of course I’m watching CSI!
Can’t wait to see the crazy Walter in action!
Great press! Congrats on the Times, can’t wait to meet crazy ol’ Walter tonight… I’ll be making good use of my Tivo to analyze this fantastic make-up job you spoke so highly of…
–T
Heheheh, I posted the URL in one of the other blog posts – definitely a great article, Wil. My friends are still forwarding it to me as if I haven’t seen it yet.
Nice plug for Acme too!
It’s about bloody time that people started to see how talented you are. I’m so proud of you, sweetie.
Now I have to go bounce up and down for a while.
Check your listings, everybody! CSI is on here at 9 instead of 10. Have the VCR set already. I’ve made my friends nuts for a week waiting for this.
Maybe it’s because it’s late and I’m tired and you’re wearing a shirt with eagles on it in the NYT pic but you look a little like a young Johnny Cash. In a good way …
Perfect! We are glued to the set at my house tonight (even if we are more of CSI Miami fans). Can’t get enough Wil.
Awesome article! Wow, journalists do pay attention, who knew??! 😉
Go Walter! I hope your character gets off and Baldwin’s goes down (darn him for selling his soul to jesus!).
Again, awesome and well deserved article!
wil, I am so happy that they profiled you in the NY Times… you totally deserve it! congrats :>…
for those who do not wish to register for the new york times site, try the following which generates an “anonymous” login for you:
http://www.bugmenot.com
alternatively, you can visit the following site and the wonderful little doo-dad here will generate a weblog-friendly (i.e. don’t have to register) NY Times link for you:
http://nytimes.blogspace.com/genlink
you rock, wil!
renee, a canadian in chicago
Wish I could see the show — something about a lack of TV makes that a bit difficult, though. I’ll just have to track it down later on. 🙂
Also, a quick heads-up: the New York Times Link Generator lets you create NYT links that bypass registration and won’t die after a few weeks, is completely legal and NYT-approved, and even has a handy little bookmarklet.
Here’s your article, for instance.
🙂
Congrats on the Times article! I read it earlier when I clicked the Wil Wheaton link in your Google NEws Gets Cooler post. It was the first hit, I believe.
Anyways… you see, I told you two years ago, along with many others.. you are a great person, Wil, and the world is finally starting to stand up and take notice.
your bud, Terry
Three posts today! Someone is excitied about something. Wonder what it could be?
That quote with the writers stood out to me too. I think it shows there is a ‘Weseley’ type cast for you out there (aka ‘non-edgy’), and that this role may be breaking that cast into tiny little plaster pieces.
And in bit of synchronicity, I used a TMBG quote for a blog title today too.
And in a bit of fandom synergy, TMBG will be playing in Los Angeles 3/24 at the House of Blues, and at a FREE ‘family’ show 3/25 at Amoeba Records.
The NY Times article is very good. A suprisingly nice and easy read. Great to see such a awesome event getting some press.
I will be tuning in tonight.
Now there’s an article that needs to be saved, printed out, and given a prominent place in the Wil Wheaton Wonderful Memories Scrapbook. That is just plain awesome, Wil. I expect that your public profile just jumped a few points, thanks to that excellent piece.
I’ll be watching CSI tonight, along with lots of others no doubt. Looking forward to it!
The article is fantastic, congrats! You deserve the attention.
I’m so excited about CSI! I have to admit that despite being 26, I squeed like a teenager when I found out you’d be on my favorite show. You and Eric Szmanda on one show, c’mon, I HAD to squee. I’m in Germany, so it won’t be on TV for another six months or so. Dubbed, at that. I hope you’ll get a good voice, I hate hearing actors I like with horrible dubbing voices. Anyway. First thing I’ll do when I get up in the morning is get on the computer to download tonight’s episode.
It was a really amazing piece, and I can’t wait to see CSI tonight!
Congrats will, you deserve to have it all.
Wonderful! (NYT Article) =) I’m looking forward to seeing the episode too, as are so many around here – because you happen to be in it. =) Don’t forget the popcorn… !
congratulations wil…you’ve had the talent to do these “meatier” type of roles for quite some time now…but now others have seen…and will see…and now you believe!…that last part maybe easier for you now…since you no longer depend upon being cast in a television or film project to define your life or career plans…seems that hollywood has come knocking on your door again…and this is likely only be the beginning.
Congrats Wil,
Gonna go out and by that paper. Never read The Times before, but it seems like a good time to start. All ready for the episode, party goin on! I cant wait, neither can my family and friends. Phone is gonna be off, and I am just gonna watch and love my new favorite episode.
AIEEEEE!!! *squeals and bounces in her seat*
This is so fucking AWESOME! I’m watching the show while I tape it, then watching it again tonight with my husband.
So proud… so proud. *wipes away tear* ;D
I am so excited for you, Wil! I have never watched CSI before, but I am tuning in especially to see you =)
I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this before, but are you aware of the livejournal feed of your blog? People comment there from time to time, and I wondered if you ever got a chance to see those comments.
Wil, I’m so happy for you! I can’t believe it’s already the 10th. I don’t watch network TV and have never seen “CSI”, even though it stars the man from the best made-for-TV-squid-movie ever, but I am begging friends to tape it for me tonight.
Have fun tonight after all the phone calls and emails start pouring in!
All this does is confirm what I’ve already known and seen in you, and that is that you are LOADED with creative talent, not the least of which is your ability to act.
[Suck up mode on]
You gave a powerful and convincing performance in Stand By Me and something like that isn’t a lucky coincidence, or a once in a lifetime performance. Only someone with real talent, ability, and discipline could muster something like that and those qualities do not diminish. You have always had that kind of talent and you will always have that kind of talent.
[Suck up mode off]
Congratulations, Wil.
I suspect that the phrase “he really filled out what could have been a caricature” could be applied liberally across the board, be it taking on computers, writing, or fatherhood.
You’ve done a lot to dispel the myth that celebrity equals whatever generalization we all seem to conjure. Humanizing a character is one thing, but doing so on a wider scale is all the more impressive.
Wil,
The NEW – YORK – FREAKIN – TIMES??? You have got to be kidding! No matter what else happens in your life, I bet this is something you will never ever forget. Wow. That is way cool!!
Neat!
I can’t hardly wait for CSI tonight! (and I can’t hardly wait to read what you write about the whole expierence!)
Tim in Nor Cal
Well, the mainstream media SHOULD pay attention to you, Wil!!! Imagine the kind of press you’ll get after the show airs!
I’m dying… just dying of anticipation until it comes on… 36 minutes and counting!!!
Hey Wil, So excited about CSI. I have been bugging my husband to death about it. I think he is sick of hearing it but I can’t help it. Also, was glad to hear you like Wilco.. greatly underestimated band.
Long time reader, first time poster. Congrats Wil!
Don’t forget that he refers to you as Mr. Wheaton.
That’s just icing on the cake, baby.
You’re probably going to get a whole pile of new posters due to your appearance tonight, enjoy the attention. 🙂
Ten minutes ’til CSI airs here on the east coast, I can’t wait.
Hi, Wil-
CSI is coming on in a few minutes, and I am looking forward to seeing you on it. The NYT article was excellent, and has gotten positive airplay on places like BoingBoing.
OT: I’m getting into Linux. It’s your fault.
Did anyone else see the “Tiny Toon Adventures” version of Triangle Man? Plucky as Triangle Man, now that’s funny. I’m recording “The Adventures of Walter the Crack Fiend” tonight. Stupid work getting in the way of my fan-boydom.
I can’t wait to watch it when I get home.
It’s on!!! It’s on!!!
I signed up for a TypeKey account just so I could mention that I’ve shown my face at the Wil Wheaton CSI premiere… and I’m hella excited! Wheaton’s on CSI! Wheaton’s on CSI! Wheaton’s on CSI! HOO HOO HOO HOO HOO HOO HOO.
I want to be in the posse.
Commercial break.
I’m guessing that the hotel clerk interviewed at the beginning was the part you originally auditioned for. He was pretty creepy. Perhaps he is the killer.
I’m watching CSI as I type this.. When your name came accross the screen I actually *squeed*, which was embarassing as my family walked past right at that moment.
I’m also impressed at the amount of blogging you have done in the two days I have been offline. That’ll teach me to get sick!
Amazing about the NYTimes piece… I am totally linking that to my LJ tonight!
Have a great night watching your Eppy, and GOOD LUCK!!!!
Is it weird to know that you are being TiVo-ed and Recorded and such as we speak???
Jeannette
I’m one of the MANY who made a blog post about your appearance on CSI tonight. I can’t wait to see it!
And that was a great NY Times article.
…aaand there he is!
This is my sweater!
I know you guys are a few hours behind on the west coast…I just wanted to say…
WIL YOU WERE AWESOME!!!! I was jumping up and down in my office going “WOOO HOOOO…Wil is BACK BABY!!!”
Damn, Wil! That is one freaky dude you are playing!
Wil!!! You look…well, I am not sure great is the right word… 🙂
Freaky, yes. Crack addict, yes. Scary, oh hell yes.
Good job. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!!