WIL WHEATON dot NET: 1.5

Good for you to let it go.

So, did you bathe the dog too?

Hey Wil, screw them and live your life.

I'm going to go get a copy of your book.

It's a beautiful day in Ohio...I'm not an author, I'm not rich...I don't have any title...but I've got dogs...friends...and a car that gets me around (most of the time) and I tell you what...it's not raining

Fuckin' A dood. Fuckin' A.

I know how you feel, I have a hard time letting that stuff go. I want to write Entertainment
Weak-ly and bitch, as soon as I can find their stupid address. Have you looked them up online? There's a few not so positive items. Its called a "rag" by more than one listing. Don't worry, the people who read and get you ARE the cool people. (find and post their address so we can innundate them with letters) ;)

Very cool.

Take Anne and the kids out tonight and enjoy YOUR LIFE and don't worry about the media morons.

hang in there dude! [_]

This is why I read your blog and not EW.

Wil, you're an incredibly talented guy in all kinds of ways--thanks for sharing your talent, and your life, with us Real People!

Oh, and apology accepted. I personally didn't need one, but accepted anyway, since you were gracious enough to offer it.

p.s. Anne, you SO rock--you're the kind of woman who gives the rest of us a good name!

Take care, all!

Syd

Good to hear you've gotten through this. You know what's important, and a lot of people will never learn. Plus the eye twitch thing sucks.

Apology not necessary.

There's always the critic out there that fails to mention you in a review, or sums up your 6 weeks of memorization, blocking, character studies, choreography, costuming, anxiety, and performance in a single word: adequate.

Water off a ducks back, otherwise you find yourself believing what they say.

Screw 'em. Enjoy what you do, enjoy the people that tell you they enjoy what you do.

Hell, I can be honest. I never really got into ST:TNG, but you're way cooler than I ever thought you would be. I enjoy what you're doing now.

Congrats!

Thanks, Wil. For the apology to us, tho' it's not needed. We will forgive you well nigh anything. It's just so awesome for us Real People to get to have a glimpse into your life. Unfiltered and honest. We love you and don't ever forget it!
Now go wash the dogs. :)

Way2Go. We all need a good dose of Let It Go. There's too little time in our lives as it is to waste on others who don't deserve a second of it.

ah, The sweet sweet feeling of letting go and falling into a shimmering place free of... Entertainment Weekly.

I'm glad you found peace again, Wil. But don't worry about being "a fool." We love you because you're a real person, and real people get hurt. You handled things beautifully.

Amy

Glad to hear you're feeling better, Wil. There will always be some petty jerks out there that will make you feel horrible, if you let them.

I love this sentence: "The world is filled with jerks, and probability just says that sooner or later I'm going to run into one of them."
Absolutely.

I love reading your site. You have a great writing style, and stories that everyone (actors, non-actors, parents, geeks...) can relate to. Keep your chin up. Your fans love you and always will. I'm really looking forward to finally getting my hands on a copy of Just A Geek. :o) *hugs*

Way to go Wil... your book is one of the best I've read in a long time.

Keep up the good work and ignore the critics :^)

That's the Wil we know. Glad to have you back to your usual charming self! The Goddess of Justice and Vengeance is proud of you, as are your other posse members. I need to head over to the store page and buy me a "Wil's Posse" t-shirt. I wonder how many people around here will recognize it.

Hugs,
Aylaleia - Goddess of Justice and Vengeance

Hey Wil, No apology needed. I love reading YOUR site and YOUR books and I'm pretty sure that's how most of us Real People feel. Rock on.

Wil, we, the Real People, will keep reading your blog whether or not The Media ever get it. Keep writing. We'll be here.

Thanks for the post. Thanks for the love.

Back at ya man!

And my oh my how I "heart" your family. Anne, you totally rock.

Good For you,
Because the people at Entertainment weekly are NOT the cool kids, they are the want-a-be cool kids, the ones who all ways just hovered around looking for scraps and taking whatever the cool kids would give them, thats why they can strike out and be so mean, that is all they know, because its what was done to them.

I'm gonna let you in on a secret... you think the mainstream media is the 'cool kid'? Nope. YOU are the 'cool kid'. Come on, do you think we would read your books and check out your blog if we thought you sucked? How many times have people commented that they want you to do a book signing in their city? How many AWESOME authors have recognized your writing ability? And I guess getting your picture with porn stars doesn't hurt the ego, either. :)-

You don't do drugs, you don't smoke (cigars don't count), you're not an alcoholic, you've never been to prison (at least, that I know of), you have a family, you have friends, you're able to do something you love... Dude! YOU ARE COOL!!!

:,)

It's a Kodak moment...

Good for you, Wil. Don't let it get to you.

Neil (Gaimain) said (in the Penguicon panel "Blogs as Fiction") that one's faith in the thoroughness and truth in media survives right up to the point that you see something that you've been closely involved with reported on. Having been through that myself, it's astonishing how completely assanine the things people will write. And I only experienced ignorance and sloppy journalism; it sounds like you had somebody who was deliberately trying to pump themselves up by dumping on you. Whew!

The Real People will stand by, and continue to read. Please continue to write; you are always are an inspiration.

standing by...

Craig STeffen

As usual, you rock.

Great attitude Wil! It bothers me a little that some people will read EW and judge the book by that insipid bit but perhaps it's for the best that people who read EW are NOT going to buy your book.

Well spoken, Wil. I've said it before in one of the million e-mails you probably would have answered if you had a roomful of clones: your website, your writing, and the way you live your life in general are inspirational to me.

Welcome back.

Stace

Atta boy, Wil! The biggest irony would be if you found out who drew that charicature of you, then use him to illustrate your next book!

Well, I suppose you could release your own sex tape to Main Stream Media™.

Sorry.

I have always enjoyed your site, and your writing in general. Fortunately, most of us Real People can spot that type of pseudo-journalism that is EW a mile away. Those type of writers always seem to me to be the ones trying to hard too impress the Cool Kids, simply by pissing on someone else.

I raise this glass of Guiness to you, sir. Keep up the good work.

It's better to be a has-been, then a never-was.
-Jackie Coogan

How annoying is it that we have to keep learning the same lessons over and over again, in slightly different ways, every three weeks?

Smiling in sympathy...

Good on ya Wil.

Letting things go is a very tough lesson to learn. :)

Wil, like many others who said earlier, chin up. Your book sales is an indication of what the truth is. Your blog readership stats show that we are still here for you regardless of what some idiot said. Hold your head high, Wil and keep on writing the way you do. You have maintained your integrity in all that you do way better than some idiot person that shoots hurtful arrows at everyone. Otherwise, I wouldn't be reading your blog everyday.

Okay, now go wash the dogs and clean up the car. ;^)

I feel with you... I find it just as hard to get over when someone doesn't like me, and sometimes I try to impress the wrong people. I know how hard it is, and how much harder it must be for you, considering that you have made yourself vulnerable in front of so many people by being honest, and because it is on such a large scale.
But it takes A LOT of guts to do that, to stand up for yourself and be yourself, and this whole post has been an inspiration to me once again.
You can be lucky to have such a wise, supportive wife who helps you to become a better human being, and you have been given a great gift for being able to view yourself in such an honest light!
Thanks for that post, Wil!

Next thing you should publish is "Wil Wheaton's Chicken Soup for the Soul". ;)

Darn it! I can't even type my name right. :^P

About the eyelid twitching...it's most likely due to stress. My eyelid twitched for over a week before I realized it was stress induced. Perhaps the twitching will end since you have identified what was eating at you. :^)

Trust us Uncle Willy - some of us ARE cool kids and we read your blog NOT Entertainment Weakly.

I love my life - crazy mixed up thing that it is. There's nothing better than knowing who you are and having family/friends/dogs&cats that will always love and support you. You've got a blessed life!

Keep up the great writing Wil!

Hey will,

I have always believed that if someone has a problem with me, it is their problem, not mine. Sometimes they can be cruel because of their problem, but if I make it my problem, then I am now the one with the problem and it is my fault.

I think it is way cool that you are able to just let go and not make other people's problems yours. Who cares what other people who don't really matter think. Just focus on those who you really do care about (your family, friends, and of course "Real People"). Don't worry about impressing anyone. You don't have to because you are already totally cool. I think that those who really matter in your life would agree. Anyone who wouldn't agree, well, that's their problem isn't it.

This whole EW thing has reminded me I haven't got round to the buying the book yet, so I've just ordered it from Messrs Amazon.
No such thing as bad publicity...

Honesty is a good thing. So is letting go.

I'm glad EW won't get the best of you in the end.

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

I'm sorry, but one of us has to break this to you.

"I used to be an actor" is six words. If it was in your book six times, then that's 36 not 48.

Much *LOVE* Man,Much *LOVE*!

Yes, good for you and all of that. Now to the real point of my message....I spent about 30 seconds trying to figure out what a "jackasssays" was. I kept thinking, man, do I need to brush up on my cursing or what? I've never heard anyone called a jackasssays before! Then I got it (the typo), and really felt like a jackasssays.

Don't care what others think, its so much more fun that way. I appreciate the lessons and writings you share with us. (your readers)

Sometimes what you create won't interest all the people you've created it for. Sometimes what you create just isn't very good. Sometimes it's both.

Either you suck it up and get back on the horse, or you don't.

Was writing the book worthwhile? Did you enjoy it? Did you get paid? Did what you invested result in a reasonable payoff?

And, in the final analysis, do any of these questions matter to anyone but you?

I'm really glad to read this post. I'm happy for what Anne said, but even happier that you understood, and are letting go.

Go you! You've touched so many people, and that's not something anyone - even the (questionably) Cool Kids - can take away.

All the best to you and yours.

Wil, that was deep. I hope you really mean it. If you tend to slide and feel disappointment again with the EW shithead or the "Industry", just reread what you wrote because it's very inspiring.

Even if you feel you don't care to hear it right now, I want to say one thing. I don't understand why you are not noticed much more by the industry? I (and many others obviously) think you are extremely talented, interesting, entertaining, and, of course, good looking. Personally, (*exasperated sigh*) I can't comprehend Hollywood standards. So many of these "Hollywood types" are so awful. And here you are....with real talent.

You have a wonderful life, it seems, we're all glad for you that you aren't letting any career disappointments get you down. Screw the media, do it for us :) You truly are an inspiration.

You just let it go and I just one-click ordered your book on Amazon. Sorry it took me so long.

Very nicely said Wil. And your wife is one
smart cookie.
I am the happy owner Of Just a Geek.
I can't wait to read it.

*smiles*

Perspective is everything. Glad to hear yours is back in a better place now.

Wil, you rock. Your words (in blog and JAG) remind me to spend a moment thinking about how I can be a better person and appreciate what I have. When I get overwhelmed by annoying work stuff (which has been happening too much lately), your posts are a breath of fresh air and I felt the same as I read JAG.

"Yeah, the truth is important to me, but just like I can't please everyone"
Okay. So you can't please everyone. But you please a whole bunch of people who've been here reading your website, or we wouldn't be here.

"I was so worried about impressing The Cool Kids, I forgot who I am, and why I do this."
Except, we are the cool kids! After all, who decides what's cool? Generally that's decided by a majority of people. Hey! We're people! Geeky people! And that's cool!

Oh, and I know about the whole left-eye-twitching thing. Happens to me a lot when I'm streesed. Chances are now that you've let it go, the eye twitch will stop too.

Wil,
You must be a real Pink Floyd fan. This is the second time I've seen you use arcane Pink Floyd lyrics as the title for your posts. Way cool.

And way stupid Entertainment Weekly. You rock.

I'm glad to hear you're over it, Wil. Life's too short.

I'm curious to know how many people ended up writing Ent.Weekly about the review. I know I told them off on your behalf. Any idea?

Someone wise once told me, "Always know where the reviews are, but never read them. The publicity is good, but the heartache isn't."

When you see, them, though, it really is hard to let go...and even when you let go, it still pops into your head. That's when you gotta remember that for every person who snorts and thinks it's funny there are two that snort and say "I gotta check this out." You can get rich!

I subscribed to EW once. It was for a Publisher's Clearing House thing or something where the deal was for three subscriptions.

I read it a few times. It struck me as being the "David Spade's Hollywood Minute" of magazines. You know, it's tough to base a weekly magazine on a 1-minute recurring SNL sketch, but somehow they managed.

When my subscription lapsed, I didn't even notice.

Hey Wil, as a technical writer and aspiring novelist, I know exactly what it's like to have some uneducated dunderhead slam your work based on reading nothing more than the executive summary/cover letter. It sucks. It hurts. It produces anger and self-doubt, the most corrosive forces we humans are ever exposed to (not counting acid, of course.) I don't blame you for hoping the industry would notice your efforts and give you some kind of validation. Hell, I'd like that too. It's pretty disheartening to have my latest short story rejected by every publisher in the civilized world. But that doesn't mean my story sucks or that I suck, and the real joy was in creating the story (although I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that byline...)

For whatever it's worth, I bought your book, I liked your book, I got the point you were making, and I think it's pretty damn cool that you've gone beyond being Wesley/Gordy to being a blogger and comic.

Awesome! You are not letting the critics get you down.

I looooovee YEEeeeEwww

"I know that it's risky to be totally honest, because some people view that as weakness, and attack." - Wil on his writing.

"putting the "weak" in weekly" - Wil on EW's writing.

Wil, there is always an element of fat, sweaty duplicity in everything you write whether you see it or not. Paging through this blog and parts of JAG, you write admissions of not being totally honest with yourself or your readers.

I totally agree with Anne. You do waste energy fearing negative truths in a dream state of denial and perpetuating feelings of rejection filled with candycane lies and butterscotch half truths. Your tendancy is to take your candyland audience with you and make enemies out of those who feel they must deny your cake at times in order to keep you grounded in the here and now.

You must confront it. I, like many others, have been reading since the beginning here, waiting for you to go through the real confrontation with this demon of yours.

I'm still waiting. For your sake, Wil, not mine. It was one of the first things I saw through when I got here. It was a winter sun to my dark adapted eyes, cold and blinding. Make no mistake...a treuce with this demon will change you forever.

I leave here after the latest high on the rollercoaster with a familiar "we'll see" feeling in my gut. You can go ahead and hate like hell that I've said all that. But, I hate like hell that it keeps needing to be said.

I'm glad for you that you let it go, Wil. Is it OK if we don't?

letters@ew.com

Very cool, Uncle Wil.

I just finished your book, and I review it as a great book !!! I don't normally read books, unless they are tech manuals or something on computers, but I thought your book might be fun to read because I liked your acting from TNG, and I am also a geek.

Please don't worry so much about what others think.

You have more people that like you ( yea I know, we don't realy know you, but we feel we do) than most people meet in there entire life. Be thankfull for the love and fuck the rest.

Wil - you rock.

I'm going to get my copy of Just A Geek and hopefully Dancing Barefoot in just 25 days at Linucon.

And I'll probably giggle like an idiot. :)

Wil,

I've read your blog for many months now, I picked up a copy of 'Dancing Barefoot' a few months ago, read it, loved it, related to it, but I have never commented here. But I have finally decided too after this entry. You are one of the most remarkable people I have ever come across. You inspire me. I hope to someday be atleast half the man you are. I idolize you. I love your writing, your style, and just how brutally honest and down to earth you are. There is just so much you have accomplished in your life that I can only dream to do someday. You have a beautiful wife and family, you've written and published two books. You lead a remarkable life. Ok, I'm going to stop before I sound like a raving fan boi (probably too late, huh?) I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of 'Just A Geek'. If it is anything like 'Dancing Barefoot' I will love it.

Thanks Wil.

-cory

Outfuckingstanding Wil! You hit it on the head!

Echoes dude, Echoes...

I've heard of you, Wil. I've heard of your book and bought "Dancing Barefoot" and am going to buy this one when I get the money. Up until you mentioned it, I'd never even heard of EW. That alone must tell you something, if only that you're worth sticking one's head out of the sand for. :)

And isn't it true that only something like 6% of Americans read books? Book readers by default aren't mainstream...they're the elite. And writers are their gods. Thou Art God, y'know. :)

Way to go, Wil.

Ya know, while I think I'd heard of Entertainment weekly (it's on grocery checkouts with Enquirer and that lot, no?), I seek out and read your work.

I think that it's important to really /feel/ the anger and hurt - for a while. But then you need to shrug it off and move on.

I would /love/ to see what you would do as a producer/director. You would make fascinating, atypical films.

You frickin' rock, man.

Wil,

I swear that you have to be an INFP or ENFP -

http://typelogic.com/enfp.html

I am an INFP (http://typelogic.com/infp.html), but you seem more extraverted so that's why I think you might be an ENFP.

I'm sure that you've taken these personality tests before. In case you haven't, click the link below to find out if I'm close -

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Nice blog entry, BTW. Glad that you're able to "Let It Go" -- for some reason, I have the song from The Full Monty stuck in my head with the same title. That's a different sort of letting go. *smile*

Best wishes,
Linda

Developing thick skin is one of the hardest things to do

"You do waste energy fearing negative truths in a dream state of denial and perpetuating feelings of rejection filled with candycane lies and butterscotch half truths. Your tendancy is to take your candyland audience with you and make enemies out of those who feel they must deny your cake at times in order to keep you grounded in the here and now."--Y.K.W.

Jeez, man. Go have dessert; your blood sugar is way too low. If you really think that a snarky one-liner from a magazine's book critic is meant as some sort of therapeutic service to the target, you need to get out more.

Screw the rest, hon... You are the best and we all love you. My friends have a saying that kinda fits here... "Apologizes and explinations are not needed with friends and not wanted by enemies."

You know, there are assholes out there, but I agree with you, don't let them get to you. You are a talented writer, and the media chooses what they think people want to see, and they are wrong. That why tv sucks!

You are inspirational, and talented and lucky. Forget those jerks. I love your website and enjoy peeking into your life, and you have a great one!

I'm so glad to hear you're going to let this go. I haven't read your books yet (keeping my fingers crossed for Friday), but from what I've read here, you're a great writer. Don't listen to the dicks who obviously don't know what they're talking about.

A good attitude, Wil.

As a (successful-in-a-smallish-way) writer myself, I know how hard it can be to read reviews that dismiss the work...especially when one puts one's heart and soul into it.

I'm a pretty recent convert to your 'blog, Wil, and I made a point of running out and buying your book last night, *specifically because of the nasty notice in EW*.

In related news: I elected not to send in my subscription renewal to EW.

---

I got home last night at about 9:30. I read "Just A Geek" until 10:30.

Hot damn, Wil: good stuff. Thanks!

-E

Big Hugs for Big Willie.

From everything I've read on your website. I wish you were my neighbor and my friend. Until you become either, I'm a big fanboy.

You are a great person. Wish you all the best.

Hey Wil
I don't know if you will read my post or not,but I just had to comment on you and your book.I recently bought your book,I've been reading your blog for a few months now.I am a Real Person and I enjoy your writing and your book was GREAT!So keep up the great work man,and keep your spirits up also.

I don't know you, but I feel I know your work very well. It speaks to me on many levels, and what it says, as best as I can articulate, is this:

We don't need special effects. We don't need larger-than-life heroes and heroins, villains and minions. We don't need end-of-the-world catastrophes and Olympian gods and Keanu Reeves' ubiquitous "Whoa!".

Each of these things, every fictional device that has been employed throughout the history of storytelling, is nothing more than a wrench, a way to turn our screws, press our buttons and twist our cerebral cortices into absorbing what the storyteller wants us to taste/feel/hear/grok on a level that is, hopefully, a close-enough approximation of what the author/composer/artist felt. These are ways of conveying truth through ideas, feelings through scenarios and analogy, and flavor through unimportant substance.

Your work accomplishes this without device, or subterfuge, or trickery, or fabrication. It, and you, meet this very elusive goal of all art by telling the truth.

This is a gift beyond value, and those that cannot see it and realize its significance are to be pitied.

And maybe sterilized.

You wrote something that made me sit back and think. It was a simple line "Well, right now I need to examine my life, and I need to be totally honest with myself."

So much is beginning to happen in my life again and the pain (I have rheumatoid arthritis) is growing worse again. I was beginning to think I didn't have the courage to fight it again and try and *live* a good life. *I* need to do just what you said you were doing. Somehow, it made a difference.

I'm glad you let it go Wil. You need to keep plugging away at life too, damn the critics, and boy, are there a lot out there (including ourselves).

"I used some linux tools to grep my manuscript last night," sounds so much like something I would say to someone and then have to spend the next hour explaining what a shell, perl, linux, computers and electricity was... lol

All in all; your fans love you Wil. And those who haven't taken the time to know you can go "piss up a rope." You've seen shit like this before, people who try and judge you without ever knowing what it's like to be you; or what it's like to be a geek! All of us geeks are born with thick skin, but sometimes it's thicker than others.

Keep up the good writing and we'll all keep up the reading! :D

Wil stories like the one you just told us about is why we are here. Glad you understand that trying to "fit in" with them is pointless... with us your a perfect fit all the time.

Someday they will be knocking on your door and then you can decide if you wanna open it or not... either way we will be on the other side with you.

Keep being the cat we love and keep loving what you do.

Keeme

That was a really great post, Wil. Thanks for putting things in perspective. I had a similar experience recently, and your post made me feel better, as nerdy as that sounds. Even the geeks who are proud to be different let the "cool kids" make them feel inferior sometimes. It's tough to let it go sometimes, but you and all of us readers know the truth - you're an awesome writer. I can't wait to read Just A Geek.

Sarah

Wil,

Something about trying to impress the cool kids...how many of us waste time with that? Man have I wasted so many precious moments over the years. Thanks for pointing that out. I just started reading your blog and I'm sure glad I did. And I will run right out and spend sum student loan money on your book! Hey a grad student's gotta have SOME fun.

E.
P.S. Yes, it is indeed a beautiful day in Ohio! Being in the moment - it's a good thing.

I somehow I feel I am in some small way partly responsible for all of this.

I'm sorry.

That's the way Wil, don't let some no-nothing asshole ruin your day or your week man. No apology needed good sir, you reacted as any of us would. And that's the point, we are all the same here. We're all regular guys and girls here, and your writings reflect our lives and our stories in a way that the jerk from EW could never comprehend, and that's why we all think that you rock dude!

S

Will, This is my first visit to your site. I discovered you through the 'Best of Blogs' book and was very moved by your entry in August 2002 where you describe the continual pain of rejection faced by a professional actor. I am a high school theatre teacher who will be reading an excerpt from that blog to my classes tomorrow. It appears from the current entry that you are facing the same sort of rejection as a writer. Try not to let it get you down. You have a gift and obviously have a large and loyal following. Your following has just grown by one. Thanks for your inspiration. Keep up the wonderful work!

you wouldn't have been human if you hadn't been upset by the callous pan by EW...at least you wouldn't have been you...you couldn't have been honest about your life in your book if you had written the kind of book the pinhead who wrote the review was looking for...i think you came out of your funk right on schedule...but i knew you would...because now you understand what's really important...something that reviewer would probably have a hard time grasping.

Whenever a little mud is slung your way, think of your blog's legion of fans and their admiration surrouding you like armor.

And EW (what an appropriate acronym) can kiss our collective stanky behind-ends. Even my dentist stopped carrying that rag in his waiting room.

Wil - I read your books and enjoyed them. I never once felt like you were whinning. I related to your stories and appreciated your honest examination. Thank you. You are an inspiration to me (and, I'm sure, to many others).

Daniel from Portland, OR

For all it's worth, I just read a rather positive review of your book a free computer magazine here in Montreal, Qc.

I haven't picked it up yet but I've been checking your blog for over a year now (since your apperance on TechTV (nb. burn G4!))

Keep it up, you do yourself good.

Paul

No apology necessary, Wil. But remember to do something nice for Anne from all of us on the Posse, OK?

Do you still have the energy to read all of these comments? Man, when I first started reading your blogs there was nowhere near the amount of interest and now there is so much i can get through it all!

Well done Anne! she picked a winning horse and knows how to keep it running huh? Good girl, keep our Uncle Willy focused on what he does best and there will always be a reason for me and countless others to keep turning on this computer and get inspired enough to keep going when life kicks you in the nuts.

You have no idea how much we all have in common with you and finally we have a universal friend who is pitting himself out there so much so that we dont have to risk that part ourselves.

For that I tip my hat to you sir. Keep it coming

Caroline
London

"If you really think that a snarky one-liner from a magazine's book critic is meant as some sort of therapeutic service to the target, you need to get out more."

I wasn't referring to the magazine when I wrote that. Don't be upset with yourself for not getting what I meant. You weren't meant to get it. It's not even on your radar.

Can I just say that YKW is a pretentious ass?

Of course you can. I expect you all to say so.

Thanks for today's story, Wil. I, too, need to put some things behind me that have been getting me down for quite some time now. Your courage to write about your feelings is inspiring.

So, keep up the good work -- you're having a positive influence on what appears to be a large number of people. And, hey, by the time the next Presidential election rolls around, you'll be eligible to run (it's been a long time since I was in civics class, but I think you have to be 35). How'd that be for a career change! :-)

Wil, no apology is necessary. Your blog is a place for you to get out the thoughts you're having at any particular time. You had a right to be angry about the magazine. And you did the very mature thing in listening to your wife, realizing that you'd been angry long enough, and trying to push it out of your head.

Of course you were hoping for some major and mainstream notice. Anyone who publishes a book has those hopes, no matter how much they'll try and temper them with realistic expectations. There is no shame in having that hope.

Just know that most of us who have read your book got what you were saying.

A few comments:

I didn't feel disrespected by your blog entry about how the EW thing hurt you. I feel *respected* that you would be willing to share that pain with me (and the rest of us WWdN readers) instead of letting Prove to Everyone gloss over it.

If you were to continue letting it bring you down, to the point where it affected your home life, then the disrespect would have been to your family. And Anne nipped that in the bud, didn't she?

There is *nothing wrong* with wanting the mainstream media to notice, and like, your books. You may have written them for yourself, and for Anne, and maybe even a little bit for us Real People, but O'Reilly published it so they could *sell it*, as in, get people to *pay money* for it. The more attention The Media gives your book, the more copies are likely to be sold, and the more money you and O'Reilly make, and the more books by Wil Wheaton are likely to be published. Now who doesn't want that?? (Besides some pea-brain at EW.) Just because EW trashed your book doesn't mean that you have struck out forever with The Media. That's one of the great things about books; they don't have an expiration date. They can take off at any time, with a smidgen of luck and a lot of good word of mouth. I don't think you will have any trouble with the latter, and the former will just have to come when it comes.

One last thing: that is one wise woman that you are married to (like I need to tell you that). If you are ever foolish enough to let her get away, I will track you down and slap you into the nearest wormhole.

Now, let it go and get back to your writing, buster.

""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.""

The guy is an idiot. No, I haven't read the book yet. But I read the web site and that's NOT NOT NOT you at all.

Did a google search for "fantastic", "funny", "well written" (paired with "Just a Geek" "Review") and saw a lot of good reviews.

Way to go!

:-D

How I love what you just posted! Biggest dose of integrity I've gotten all day. (week?)

You can't be lucky all the time, but when you are it sure facilitates the moments of clarity, huh? :)

All the best!

Lest you forget who you are again: You're one of the good guys.

E.

You should never be discouraged by critics- especially those writing for an entertainment magazine rather than a literary one. But even literary critics can be unfair and dishonest. I can't tell you how often I have come across misquoted or plain incorrect information in reviews or text analysis because the critic never bothered to read the primary source at all.
As Joseph Campbell said: "Follow your bliss!" You can't go wrong. :-)
And wear your "panning" with pride- you're in good literary company there- James Joyce comes to mind right now: ULYSSES was banned in the USA for years. See? It could be worse.
Best of luck to you! I enjoy the website and look forward to reading the books.
VZ

Feelin' the love in the room.
No apology needed here my angry brotha'.

Fuck them anyway. Fuck them in their stupid asses.

/jayandsilentbobmoment

Seriously, a good number of us have been reading your blog for a couple years now...and anything EW says isn't worth shit compared to the awesomeness that has gone down here. You're better than them, you're better than the mainstream, and you deserve what you've got so far, and what you'll have in the future.

You don't need to apoligize Wil.

Just be true to who you are and the rest will fall into place. I promise.

Good for you Wil!
You are the better man for it

You are a Fortunate one. To have all that you do, AND to know it and appreciate it. Your wife is a wonderful compliment to keep you balanced and on the right track. Such a lucky man.

that's the way! Don't let the bastards get you down. Besides, the fucknut who founded EW is just jealous that you get a much larger audience at your website then he does at his. Fuck Jeff Jarvis. He's just a prick anyway.

Wil,

"Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness." John Wayne. Apology accepted 'though I was not offended.

I just put my 97 year old mother in bed, my cat is on the front porch watching the raccoons eat table scraps, I am glued to the Weather Channel hoping Hurricane Ivan will go away. Say a prayer for us. Please.

Freeman :)

Here’s your chance to be an internet psychic. Okay? Ready? I’m thinking of the total number of times that Entertainment Fucking Weekly has dictated what books I read. Are you receiving my number? I think you are. And if you’re worried about how many people have been influenced by a review in EW, you have to ask yourself if you really care that people who let EW control their reading list may not read your book. These people are not your audience. Which, I guess is the conclusion that you came to, but you didn’t use the word fuck enough. That is what I am here for.

So, ya know, fuck EW.

Love ya, kool guy. :)

Wil,

Once again you've reached into my throat and grabbed my heart. As someone very much like you in every regard minus the two boys and the celebrity star-trek-standbyme thingie, you have allowed me to remember who is important and who we want to make happy in life.

Real People are what it is all about. Real People who don't drive H2s or stay up all night watching Wife Swap or some other garbage that only pollutes our minds. Real People who want nothing more than to be happy and to make the people around us happy as well. Yeah, it sounds like an R.E.M. song, and that kind of sucks too (Green was their last good album IMHO), but it really is the case. Because when you get down to it, if you keep those people around you happy, and they let you know their happy, then that makes you feel better than you've ever felt before. So once again, thank you for making me smile once again, and for remembering the meaning of life.

Rock on Wil Wheaton, and fuq the glitter man.

-cw

Wil, you are a gentleman and scholar. And a damn fine writer. You don't owe anyone an apology but it was very sweet of you to do so, anyway.

A fan from the beginning,
Tracey

Real People, eh? Like Byron Allen and Peter Billingsly? There's something to make you feel better. What the hell ever happened to him?

P.S. My copy of JAG is on it's way from Amazon at this very moment. w00t!