Will Wheaton is Cool
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There, I’ve said it. For my friends, who only know the poor guy thanks to his role of Weasley Crusher in “Stark Trek: The Next Generation”, it seems impossible to like him. This is a very special kind of petty hate that only geeks are capable of: the one where smug egotistical nerds frown upon people who don’t use grammar properly, don’t play their RPGs of choice or, in Wheaton’s example, play one annoying character in a TV show and then get identified with this character forever and ever.
But Wheaton is cool, which I found out two years ago when I stumbled upon an old issue of “Dungeon” magazine and therein found Wheaton’s “Will Save” column about gaming. It was there I learned that he was an avid D&D player who mourns the fact that he hasn’t got enough time for gaming because of stuff like family, job, kids, poker nights with pals – you know, all the exotic elements of everyday life of a normal, well-adjusted individual.
This was awesome in more ways then one. Laugh all you want, but it’s nice to know that geek can grow up into a responsible adult while staying true to his nerdy habits of youth. Even more cool is the fact, that, despite of all TNG fans’ teeth-gnashing, Wheaton managed to build certain respect among fellow-geeks over the years by writing about geek subculture.
So, here I am now, following his blog weekly for articles about TV shows I watch, games I played and movies we all are looking forward to. Hell, I even jumped at the opportunity to get a on-line copy of his latest book “Sunken Treasure” over at the lulu.com. It’s a short selection of his various writings: comic sketch here, blog post there, some reviews, favorite pieces of fiction and such. Although a bit Spartan with it’s mere 98 pages, “Sunken Treasure” is nevertheless a good introduction to Wheaton’s writing., which might get reader interested in his other books like “Dancing Barefoot”, “Just a Geek” and “Happiest Days of Our Lives”.
And for potential D&D players out there among readers, you can always check out podcasts over at Wizards.com with Wheaton, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins (from Penny Arcade webcomic) and Scott Kurtz (from PVP) all playing in the same D&D party. It’s awesome, in a very geeky kinda way.
Oliver out.
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