I spent five days at Comicon this year, and discovered a new level of exhaustion and fatigue every day, surpassing the level I’d discovered the day before. By the time I was finally on the train back home, I had reached a point of burn out that I never though I’d experience: I pretty much don’t want to go to Comicon any more, because it’s stopped being fun for me.
Wednesday, we got on a much-delayed train (tragically, a northbound train hit a woman up near Ventura, so the southbound train was delayed by almost three hours) and headed down for Hop-Con at Stone’s Liberty Station. We celebrated the launch of w00tstout 2.0, and tapped some awesome limited collaboration brews, including my own white sage IPA, called the Tao of Sage. Much fun was had, and I drank as much beer as I’ve ever had in my life. I’m not sure how it got away from me so quickly (I suspect it was the 13.5% w00tstout on cask with s’mores) but my wife had to literally roll me into bed, because I sort of overdid it. Lesson learned, I woke up Thursday morning without a hangover (Anne says she kept giving me water) and vowed to institute Operation: Beer Just Drink One for the rest of the con (a quest I completed, I’m happy to note).
Thursday night, we did w00tstock 6.0. It was a great show, with some standout performances by Mega Ran, Marian Call, and Thomas Lennon. Craig Ferguson even came by to make jokes.
I always want to perform something new at w00tstock, but I’ve been so busy with The Wil Wheaton Project, I haven’t had time to write anything that isn’t specifically for the show. I had some stuff in my pocket that hadn’t been performed for w00tstock before, though, so I went with my story Blue Light Special, from The Happiest Days of Our Lives. It felt like a little bit of a cheat to me, but the audience loved it, and I had a hell of a good time performing it.
After the show was over, we tried to go to the Geek & Sundry lounge, but upon discovering that the rest of the world was there, in a room that I’m fairly sure was 500° Kelvin and 812% humidity, we ended up going back to our hotel, crashing into bed, and sleeping for almost 10 hours.
This was a theme for me at Comicon this year, and it’s probably the only reason I was able to survive it (emotionally and physically): I didn’t stay up too late, I didn’t overdo anything, and I made sure that I got to sleep as much as I needed, on every night that it was possible to do that.
Friday morning, I went down to the convention center and actually went inside for the first time. I was a surprise guest on the Big Bang Theory writer’s panel, and we showed a trailer for the imaginary film Serial Apeist 2: Monkey See, Monkey Kill. The audience loved it, and they really seemed to be happy that I was there, which made me feel good.
Friday night, I took a crew from The Wil Wheaton Project to Syfy’s Sharknado 2 party, where we made some funny stuff together. Some of it made it into this week’s show, if you’re into that.
Sidebar: How much fun was Sharknado 2?! I love that everyone in the film’s universe just accepts that there can be a massive shark-infested weather event, and then stuff happens. I also noticed that, according to some Twitter thing, I was the second most prolific Sharknado 2 Twittering person, behind the official account. I’m, uh, I’m not going to try to pretend that I’m not proud of that.
Saturday, we went back to the convention center, where Anne did a signing at Cupcake Quarterly, a really cool nerdy pin-up magazine that our friend publishes. After dropping her off, I tried my best to get through the con floor to visit some of my friends, and this is where I discovered that, maybe, I just can’t enjoy Comicon like I used to.
I realize that I’m on television every week, and even though that audience is smaller than we all hoped it would be (turns out promotion off the network is kind of important), that audience is maybe, um, oversampled at Comicon. There’s also the whole Big Bang Theory thing, and Tabletop is pretty popular with my people … so on the one hand, it was really exciting and awesome to meet so many people who love the shows I make as much as I do, and I tried to take pictures and stuff with as many people as I could, but I quickly learned that there’s no such thing as “just one quick selfie”. I hate telling people no when they ask, but if I said yes to one person, that person quickly became ten people, and then a small crowd formed. I got a little panicky once, when I was literally surrounded, but everyone I interacted with was kind and understanding, and with the help of my friend Shawn, I was able to make it across the floor to visit with some people I don’t get to see as often as I’d like.
So, before I continue: I know this is a #firstworldproblem and a #celebrityproblem and whatever else you want to say about it. I get that, and I know that from a business position it’s an amazing problem to have. From a human being perspective, though, it’s a bummer, because I couldn’t wander the floor and look at art and talk to comic creators, because whenever I stopped I got sort of mobbed, even with my friend doing his best to keep an eye on me. I suppose I could be one of those people with a couple of security goons, but that seems even worse. If I do go back next year, I think I’ll have to cosplay in a full mask or something, which is weird, but at least I’ll get a chance to maybe pick up some cool art and books.
After Anne was done signing, I did a quick interview for Rotten Tomatoes, and then we spent a little bit of time at a really nice cocktail party that Bill Prady has every year. Finally, I got to see a lot of my friends all in one place, and that was really nice.
Before we knew it, it was time for the Geek & Sundry panel, which I had to leave early because I had to get up to a theatre a couple miles away from the convention center to perform in the Welcome To Night Vale / Thrilling Adventure Hour crossover show.
“You look exhausted,” Ben Blacker (Thrilling Adventure co-writer) said to me when he saw me backstage.
“I am,” I said, “and I’m soaked through because of the humidity, but I’m really glad to be here for this show.”
I looked around the backstage area, and took in the curtain, the lights, the prop boxes, and all of the things that I only see backstage in a theater. I heard some of the other actors running their lines out on the stage, and flipped through my script to catch up to them.
“I’m so happy to be here, though, because I feel like I’m back in my element as a performer, back where I belong, back where I’m doing actual work, instead of being ‘that guy from TV’.” I wiped sweat off my face and took a deep breath. “It’s like I’ve been doing hundreds of performances for an audience of one for the last few days, and I’m looking forward to doing one performance for an audience of whatever fits in this theater.”
“I get that,” he said.
“I feel like it’ll be rejuvenating,” I said.
“That’s awesome,” he said, “and you’re up on the next page.”
I walked up to the mic and joined the rehearsal. It took me a few tries to find the character, but with the help of Ben Blacker and his co-writer Ben Acker, I brought the omniscient galactic being S’Tonge to life in a way that was incredibly fun and deeply satisfying. And not for nothing, I got to be in Welcome to Night Vale and The Thrilling Adventure Hour on the same stage in the same show, and I never thought I’d get to do that.
When the show was over, I thanked everyone for having me, found my wife, and went back to our hotel.
“I have found a new level of tired that I didn’t know existed,” I said, in the elevator.
“You said that yesterday,” she said.
“I know.” I said.
We went to sleep, and got up early Sunday morning so I could make it to Nerd HQ for a panel with Felicia. After that panel ended, Anne and I were rushed to the train station in a freaking golf cart motorcade — for reals — and a few hours later, were back in our house. The dogs were extremely excited to see us, and even the cats couldn’t pretend that they didn’t give a fuck about us for very long.
I unpacked my suitcase and repacked it with clean clothes, because the next day, Anne took me away for my birthday, which I’ll write about later.
I think I read some where that if you eat a teaspoon of yeast for every beer you want to consume. It will help you not to get drunk as fast or much. Think the founder of Samuel Adams does that littme trick.
I think I read somewhere that if you take one pill of yeast extract every day and have a glass of water with it, you will take up enough vitamin B never to need a glass of beer.
Just sayin’.
And this is exactly why I stopped working gaming this year in Phoenix Comicon. Not because I have celebrity problems. I’m a nobody. But because it’s exhausting and I burned out on wanting to attend cons in general.
True story: John DeLancie once came to speak at the university I attended. He was stood in the food court of the building where I worked in housekeeping. I walked up to him and said “excuse me” he looked at me and said in a rather exasperated tone “Yes I played Q on Star Trek, no you can’t have my autograph”. (This was before selfies were a thing.”
I said “Well that’s nice sir, but would you mind taking a few steps to the right so I can empty the trash can behind you?”
That’s awesome. I remember him from when I was pregnant with my first kid. He was Eugene on days of our lives. Did someone forget his roots? I had a similar thing happen with Bryant Gumbel. But since he wasn’t on Star Trek, the story just isn’t as good.
I totally understand the desire to be able to walk the floor of ComicCon without being mobbed. I would like to think I’d have respected your space if I saw you there, and probably would have unless you were actively giving autographs/selfies at the time (at which time I would have joined the throng) as I enjoy your show and your outlook on life and celebrity.
Our first time ever to ComicCon was on Sunday, in the hopes that Sunday would be a little less crowded, but it was still a mob-scene. There were spots on the floor where I felt like we were in ST:TOS “The Mark of Gideon”. Wall to wall people shouldering around.
That makes keeping track of my kids of utmost importance, and there were times when we wanted to stop by and talk to an artist or whatnot and simply were not able to without climbing over the table. Overall though we had a great time, seeing all the great exhibits, the occasional celebrity (my kids were on the lookout [and found] their YouTube hero) and the panels.
Wil–I’m a fan and you’re a professional so I hope you see this as constructive criticism by a consumer of your product but I don’t watch the Wil Wheaton Project–not because of lack of marketing by SyFy but because I don’t watch Game of Thrones! It seems like every time I try to watch, I turn on during a Game of Thrones thing and I lose interest quickly. Perhaps there’s other stuff on the show but I never last long enough to see it.
Once again, I’m a fan–like Table Top, read your site, bought your book–but just can’t get into the show.
Sharknado 2 was a lot of fun! Hope you got to catch up on sleep!
http://www.creative-news-muses.com/comic/sharknado-2-the-second-one/
Happy Birthday Wil!!
So happy to see this post, as I was wondering how the weekend went for you. Wow — you did a LOT. I agree that you should walk the floor and see all the things you want in costume. Something that covers your head. I suggest you don’t go as Spiderman or a Stormtrooper, as those are pretty popular with people trying to hide their identity. You’ll think of something. Sounds like it was awesome, despite the down parts. Thanks for sharing with us.
Someone mentioned going as Team Horsehead. I woke up thinking about this. I think you need a whole entourage of people wearing the horse head and the clown sweater (or a hockey jersey, that might keep some of the sweat inside your body.) Then you’d just be part of the ‘group’ cosplay.
I am sorry to see and hear that these things happen to you.
I have gone to conventions and watched actors on stage and doing photo ops and I always wonder “dude, do you hate this? Does it suck that even if you could have a conversation with me, you wouldn’t because I might be a raving scary person who will hurt you?” And I also wonder if it’s all an act when a star says they are so glad to be there and grateful and….do we ever see the real person or are they always acting?
I have seen people camped outside actor’s hotel rooms and it makes me sad and angry, because some of us just aren’t that needy and don’t want to be lumped in with them!
Sometimes it’s that, for me, I admire what you do and get surprised that “this complete stranger seems to appreciate and like the same things I do and WOW he’s actually accepted and applauded for it”
For myself, I am attending one last convention because it was a lovely, thoughtful birthday gift – and then I am over it.
REALITY CHECK: For 10 seconds I get to say hi to you; 10 seconds of my life that cost me $150 or more and Poof over like that and I am forgotten and replaced by the next 10 seconder (I know not a word)
We are never magically going to be friends, so why don’t I take my money, myself, and an actual friend somewhere – and buy some games (joke) – do something fun that BOTH of us will remember.
You could always wear a polite sign. 🙂
It’s not your fault that some people don’t respect boundaries and privacy; you have a right to enjoy a con just like anyone else. Yeah, fame makes that harder and it does seem to bring out the dick in a lot of fans, book at it this way: it wouldn’t be a problem if people respected your right to privacy and to enjoy the con, but if they won’t do that, who’s problem is it, yours or theirs? I say bring a couple of guards and don’t worry about it. Especially since you’re more than giving of yourself when you have a set time for your fans to meet and interact with you. You’re genuinely nice and friendly.
*look at it this way….
Well, I’m the nerd who wants so badly to point out that apes aren’t monkeys. Sorry.
Maybe I used too many monkeys…
I know that this is an important event for your career (And we LOVED seeing you on stage at Seattle Comicon) but perhaps you need a year off from the Cons? Recharge, then come back when you miss it. We are not going anywhere.
I’d go the cosplay route. Hide in the crowd. Isn’t that what Adam Savage does? I know the fans can be intense sometimes, but they love ya, dude.
I like the suggestions for a group Team Horsemask cosplay, but I have a better idea.
Level one – Encourage people to cosplay as you. Then there will be hundreds of fake Wil Wheatons for you to blend in with. You don’t even have to wear a sweaty horse mask.
Level two – Contest. Cosplayers get points for every time that they’re asked for an autograph or photo. The best fake Wil Wheaton gets a case of Vandaleyes PA or w00tstout.
🙂
Bits
This seems like the perfect diversionary tactic..
I know your in Sharknado 2 but did you see the Z Nation spot? I hope so it has been fun working on set for it and hopefully you will watch it.
Thanks for sticking it out to the NerdHQ panel with Felicia, was a great panel.
Much Appreciated! You’re a Great Guy! ♥
I was actually thinking about this in the shower this morning (it’s really not a creepy as it sounds, I swear!) and I bet that there are plenty of other people at cons having exhaustion issues, so you should develope a new Con thing: Nap Time with Wil.
Seriously, everyone shows up at the designated time to a room where all the chairs have been removed. There are mats in the floor. At the start time the doors are locked and Wil starts some relaxing music if his choice. Everyone them flops down and sleeps for an hour.
There would be two attendants who sit on opposote sides if the room to make sure there are no shenanigans while everyone sleeps. They could just sit and read a book for the hour.
What is it about popular/famous/well known actors that makes people forget common courtesy and manners? Is it some sense of entitlement, claiming that actor’s popularity is due to the audience rather than that actor’s performance, the writers’ skill, and the director’s ability to maximize the effect of those elements?
Every time I see the “Without us, they wouldn’t be famous” argument, I want to point out that without the actor/director/writers’ hard work, you wouldn’t have that particular entertainment at all.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, “Wil, you OWE us NOTHING. We owe YOU a ‘thank you’ for your hard work.”
As an aside, I don’t consider you a celebrity, I consider you an actor and a writer. To me, a celebrity is famous for WHO they are, while a an actor/writer/director become famous or well known for WHAT they DO.
Another aside (hopefully humorous), ask Adam if you guys can get together and do his Incognito Cosplay thing.
Fame is often the product of success. Fame also comes at the cost of one’s anonymity. I delivered mail to the local TV meteorologist for two years. In those two years I would often get the chance to talk to him, either walking the dog, in the driveway, and doing other menial tasks that most of us take for granted. Even at the local level, he found it difficult at times to do the simple tasks like go buy a gallon of milk, or put gas into his car, without being interrupted. It was nice to be able to talk to him about those issues, I think it helped him vent at times. I have always stressed to my kids that if you meet a celebrity, treat them as you would anyone else. They’re people too, they just have extraordinary jobs.
I was excited to see you at Geek and Sundry after the Night Vale panel. You looked kinda grumpy from the heat and I was feeling just as grumpy for the same reason, so I didn’t bother you. I was hungry and ready to get to a panel at the convention center. It was an exhausting four days, and I made sure to take my time and sleep and eat. You have to. Especially at a uhhh…certain age. Anyway. Just wanted to say it was nice seeing you IRL while I was there.
I’ve seen you hanging outside Starbucks at sdcc and I’ve seen you in our local grocery store buying food a few times. Instead of bothering you, I prefer to smile to myself and text my mom later “hey, I saw Wil Wheaton!” This comic-con had the crazy a bit heightened. I had a great time staying away from it, and checking out panels about comics and buying books/comics/toys.
Not to throw pop psychology into the mix (too late), but it makes perfect sense to me that you would feel tired after so much social contact. There are two people in this world: those who are energized by such contact, and those–especially sensitive, creative types (gives meaningful look to Mr. Wheaton)–who are drained by it and need down time to recharge. I have never attended a Con and have no level of fame for comparison, but that sort of gathering sounds like the perfect setup for making me want to hide in my hotel room, rocking back and forth in a corner and sucking my thumb (or, more accurately, a bottle of wine), after just an hour or two. Maybe building in such downtime (with or without the bottle–it’s up to you, really) for these gatherings, far from the madding crowd, would help your energy levels.
Glad your physical and conscious being survived SDCC. You are a talented, kind and empathetic person. Just wanted to thank you for your insight and advice on the podcast, “girl on guy#148 with Aisha Tyler “. You have given me the courage to be proactive and reclaim my sanity. Thank you.
People can be so rude and just mindless. My daughter and I were visiting LA and went to the Gene Autry Museum. It was almost empty and as we were leaving Curtis Armstrong opened the door for us. We didn’t recognize him at first. He was with his wife and little girl. We thanked him and as we were walking away I asked my daughter who he was, she told me and we both looked back at the door. They looked at us and had that look of “Oh no, are they going to stop us?” We smiled, waved and kept on going to the parking lot. We were not going to pester him and his family on their day out. The mask sounds like a good idea. Don’t let them run you off and aging can affect your energy. It happens to the best of us. 🙂
I don’t think I would enjoy being a celebrity. I don’t even like it when people try to make chit-chat with me in public. I get annoyed when the sandwich guy at Potbelly wants to chat about my plans for the weekend. When I was pregnant, I hated it when strangers came up to me and asked me personal details about my pregnancy. I think I would go nuts if I had strangers coming up and trying to chat with me every time I went anywhere.
Oh gawd! Or when people think you being pregnant is a good reason to rub your belly without invitation!
I can barely handle SDCC, and I am the most opposite of “well-known” there is. Even Phoenix Comicon and some of those other not-SDCC events has become too big for me to handle now. I think with a con like SDCC, you’ve gotta go incognito like Adam Savage and Dan Radcliffe do. Sucks you can’t enjoy it like you’d like, but maybe that just means it’s not meant for you. Come back to Phoenix! Or DragonCon. Or any of the other amazing Not-San-Diego places. …but more than anything, have a solid vacation. You need it.
OK, so i need to write out this unwritten rule for nerds and groupies everywhere: if you see someone in costume, and they look or sound kind of familiar, let it go. That’s now the official uniform of “I’m off of work, and I’d just like to enjoy myself.”
Maybe the idea will take off in real life. 🙂
I’ve read your blog for a few years now and I appreciate your sharing of how overwhelming it can be and the overwhelming nature if trying to walk a Con floor. I’ve also read of other geeky celebrities having the same problem.
It’s a very real problem for folks like you and I feel bad that you’re not able to do so. One of the main reasons, in all seriousness, is that it doesn’t give you time to just “be a geek.” You have been one of the people who has helped make our geekiness acceptable and shown many of us we are not alone and I appreciate that more than you know.
Personally, I think it would be to the Cons advantage for their to be a time set aside for celebrity geeks to just “walk the floor.” Whether that time is before the halls open or during a VIP moment.
Heck, even more awesome would be if fans put together a Con where people such as yourself could just walk around and be a real person. I’m in a profession which often doesn’t lend itself to a lot of “just let me be me” time so I have to find myself going other places where I can just hang out.
Who knows? Maybe you could find some small, geeky con and just show up and be a fanboy?
Best wishes,
Never been to ‘any’ Con. But I fully grasp the draw. It’s unfortunate you can’t enjoy it as a non-celebrity. My first thought is would it not be the same if it had a ‘back-stage pass day’? Vendors, celebs, industry types only?
Take break from that rodeo.
I would like to meet you in person some day, but not at an event like Comic Con. I’m terrified of large numbers of people in a small space. Worldcons are about as much as I can handle, and I’m usually behind a table with whatever bid I’m working for, which helps.
Good luck and best wishes!
“If I do go back next year, I think I’ll have to cosplay in a full mask or something”
Daniel Radcliffe did that this year. So did your buddy Hardwick. So, not so weird after all.
I don’t know if you’ll see this, but I just saw the beginning of Sharknado 2 and it was so AWESOME seeing you AND Anne doing a cameo! And it was DOUBLY AWESOME that you got taken out by a shark!!!! Plus Anne’s screaming was sooooo much better than Tara’s. As a BIG Wheaton fan thanks so much!!!!!
Celebrity or not I think there comes a time in a person’s life when work can have its fun moments and when fun becomes work. For those of us with depression it may be even more difficult bc just getting out of bed can be a chore.
It is in those moments that we are forced to take a step back and look at ourselves and try to find the right balance for us. Not to say that there won’t still be moments that we will push ourselves to accomplish what needs to get done. (go in early/stay late at work–bills still have to be paid) We just have to make sure we don’t lose ourselves in the process.
That I believe is the hardest part and something that I personally struggle with.
Here’s a true story that I hope will help you (because, let’s face it – we can fill your comments board with affirming posts about how you have the same right to enjoy yourself as everybody else, but I’ve seen people crowd up and oggle at the local news guy doing a remote on the sidewalk, and you’re WAY more entertaining than that guy, so what chance do you really have?) Anyway, the story:
I used to work in 50 Rockefeller Plaza (the building right next to 30 Rock, of NBC/Saturday Night Live fame). It’s also the place where they light the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree every year. One year, we watched them light the tree from our office windows (good view, no crowds!), and one of the acts performing was Tony Bennett. The next day, I was walking out of my office to head home, and there’s Tony Bennett, walking on the streets of Manhattan. He even stopped to take his own picture of the tree (you’d think NBC would give him a nice one?) Anyway, just as I was registering my amazement that he wasn’t being mobbed in the streets for pictures/autographs, a middle-aged woman walked up to him and said, “Mr. Bennett, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your work and…” It was then that I noticed the two women standing on either side of Mr. Bennett. One of them nicely put her hand on the woman’s back, pivoted her away from Mr. Bennett, smiled, and said “Sorry, not now.” She was very friendly and matter-of-fact about it, and the fan took it in stride. She took one last look at Tony Bennett and was on her way.
My point? If you’re famous enough to cause small crowds to form around you, then you’re famous enough to have people help you manage those crowds (especially if the crowds bother you). They don’t have to be 7-foot goons who push & shove people out of your way. They can be regular people who treat your fans nicely and don’t make you look (or feel) like a dick.
I hope that helps. Thanks for all you do & keep up the great work. I’ll be watching…
Though not a celeb, most of my friends and I know the fatigue that comes from being ‘up and on” for the public. When we saw you and a friend eating in Indy, (during Gen Con), last year we were excited to know you were there but just walked right on by and let you eat in peace. Seriously, who wants to be bugged on vacation? Hope GC is less taxing for you!
Yeah, I get the fatigue thing. This year, we got there late every day because we just couldn’t be bothered to wake up early! Sadly, I didn’t make it to any of the panels on writing that I wanted to see, but I got to go to Space Command, and some of the Batman 75 years panels that I had marked down, which were great. And I saw the first episode of The Flash, which was great.
We saw you at the Welcome to Night Vale/Thrilling Adventure Hour show, that was a treat. We had never heard either of those shows, though, so overall we were mostly kinda confused with the show in general.
Anyway, I hope you are able to come out for another con when you’re feeling better about it. Being mobbed on the show floor is not fun, I went to the con one year with a friend of ours who is rather ‘famous’ in the cosplay circle. Every two seconds, we had to stop, and of course we were brushed to the side because we weren’t in costumes. It’s a weird feeling I guess.
The mask is an interesting idea. Kinda sucks you have to do that though 🙁
I want to start by saying that I and the four teens that I was attending SDCC with were very glad that you were there this year. The family and I dubbed this Comic Con “blessed by Wil Wheddon con”. I flew down from Canada with my two kids a week early to LA for our annual trip to SDCC, but this year I got to watch my LA’s relatives teenagers while the parents were on vacation first. They are given very limited access to the internet, so I introduced them to the wonders of Youtube with Ze Frank’s True Stories and with you. We powered through all the Wil Wheaton Project material we could find and the kids loved it and quoted it, to their parents’ confusion, for the remainder of the trip. You are already my favourite audiobook reader, but I really discovered how much you have to offer geekdom with this show. I wished it played in my country.
So Wednesday night of Comic Con while waiting for the trolley station in Old Town, I found myself thinking, “Hey, is that man waiting with the pretty lady Wil Wheaton? Looks like Wil Wheaton.” I nudged the kids one at a time and whispered the info. They had a quiet collective debate about it based on tattoo evidence (end vote 3-1 that it was you, tats or not). It never occurred to us to go over and ask for an autograph or a selfie (and ha, did you know the spell check correction suggestion for selfie comes up as “selfish”) or even get our cameras out. I don’t know if that is just the culture I was brought up in or that you were obviously there with your family doing everyday things rather than working, but after reading this, I am glad that we didn’t interrupt you.
The next day we got up at the buttcrack of dawn and lined up to get front section seats in Ballroom 20 and there you were again surprisingly in the Big Bang Writer’s panel. Speaking from the audience side, you are right we were very glad to see you there. There were so many small but advantageous things happening for us as this con at that point, we dubbed this year (add Monty Pythonish British voice here) blessed by the siting of Wil Wheaton.
At the time I was amazed at the number of events that you were booked to attend and I didn’t even know half of it until now. That was a grueling schedule. I have no idea how you managed that. We do a lot less and at the end of four days of con we need to sleep for days and have usually come away with a cold or flu bug.
Thank you for attending this year. It was wonderful to see you there. I left the con being even more interested in your work, and have started to look at your books and blogs.
I can understand why you found it so exhausting and not much fun. Doing the Wil Wheaton Project and this as well, with all the other projects you do must have made it even more hectic this year.
Have you considered paring down your engagements to the ones you enjoy the most? Your schedule was insane this year. As for the exhibition floor, Adam and Jamie of Mythbuster spent a lot of time in their panel talking about this issue. (Jamie’s undisguised version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8sz5Nat4QI, and Adam’s incognito version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x07z1rr_bjg). It might be worth it to try the cosplay at least once, even if it is just something that disguised your face. It’s a shame that you would have to go to that point. I do not think that fans have the right to interrupt you when you are obviously not working or promoting something. Time and place, people. Use some discretion.
Dear Wil Wheaton,
I’m glad I did a mini-binge watch The WWP tonight, and found myself on your blog. I’ve been reading about your feeling about stalkers, paparazzi, moving fully into your 40s and depression.
I can sympathize with 2 out 4 of your problems (40s, and depression) and, thanks to being a Rush fan, I hope that I have learned to see things from the POV of celebrities.
Thanks for TableTop. I bought the Dragon Age RPG and my 9yo loves to be the Game Master for that.
Thanks for TWWP. I hope they renew you all.
And one comment: I don’t believe that it’s right to denigrate other people’s problems because they are “white people problems” or “celebrity problems” (you weren’t denigrating, you were anticipating and defending against it). Someone pointed out to me that the worst thing that ever happened to me is still the worst thing that ever happened to me and that I do not have to apologize for my worst thing not being as bad as someone else’s worst thing. Make sense?
Whenever I hear or read someone say, basically, “Your problems don’t count because they aren’t as bad as my problems,” I know they will never get over their problems at all, and there’s no point in interacting with them any more. If someone has suffered a trauma and it did not make them more compassionate, then, honestly, the lesson was wasted and they need to go through another one.
One of your fellow w00tstock performers, Craig Ferguson, made a resolution a few years ago that attracted some attention: He declined to tell jokes about Britney Spears when she was in rehab. He said, “I’m amazed that not poking fun of somebody has become a news story.” He was correct to not poke fun, and correct to be amazed at the reaction. In the same way, no one should dismiss the honest problems of others, even when person A’s problems aren’t as bad, objectively, as person B’s.
And you, Mr. Wheaton and the readers here, should never feel bad that you haven’t “suffered enough.”
There is this little place up in Eastern Washington/ North Idaho where several entertainers buy property to hide out. I won’t list whom but, I can tell you when they come into town to shop, eat, watch movies, go to comic book stores, art galleries – yes, even our Cons, etc. they get left alone! We don’t disturb them, mob them, or take/sell candid photos of them. Half the time it’s because the populus does not recognize them, and other half it’s because this area is full of introverts. Ask some of your friends (they know) you can rest here amongst thousands of acres of forest and lakes- getting left alone to rest.
My best friend of 28 years now, (I’m 2 years younger than you) is well known. His schedule is like yours. When he tries to hide out, he gets stuck being “on”. The being “on” all the time is more exhausting than his work schedule. His fan circles and yours intersect strangely (he’s a musician) with some overlap. He does not get left alone except in his car – he hates driving like you do- unless he comes up here. You might thinking of buying cheap lake property.
I don’t envy you. I know most ppl would love to be famous, but when do you have free time? You know just time to be lazy and vegg on the couch. a much overlooked luxury in my book. Well, hope your bday was relaxing at least.