learn to swim

Eventful is getting lots of press, which is great for Brian and his entire team, because I believe that it's a tool that indie artists and guys like me will be able to use to connect with our audiences in ways that just weren't possible as recently as a year ago.

But I'm getting really tired of reading things like this:

The Eventful demand system is still new, and right now the system is overwhelmed by a collection of demands to hear former Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton speak. But don't let that put you off.

I'm sorry, but why would that put anyone off? Because it'd be better if Eventful was filled with demands for huge artists that don't care about meeting their audience, and wouldn't listen to demands, anyway?

Yeah, it's a really terrible thing that I hopped on board with Eventful, and consulted with Brian before it even launched, because I believe in it, and my upcoming trips to Montreal and Boston are perfect examples of how it can work, right? And it's equally off-putting that because of Eventful, the people who read my blog and I have a way to figure out where and when I should come perform, right? Yeah, that's just terrible! It's so off-putting!

And excuse me if this puts you off, Mr. Web 2.0 writer, but could we maybe retire the phrase "former Star Trek actor?" I know it's hard for you mainstream media types to understand that I've done a few things with myself since Star Trek ended over a decade ago, (like publish two books, write several weekly columns, and provide voices for several video games and animated series,) but I have a lot more in my life than just being a "former Star Trek actor," which you would have known if you'd done your homework.

Update: The article's author has apologized:

I'd like to apologize to you, Wil. I did not mean to offend nor to diminish your work. My tongue-in-cheek comment about how a ton of Eventful Demand posts to see you might be overwhelming to people trying to set up their own demands was not meant as a slight to you personally (although I can see how it was insensitive). As I said to one person who wrote an email to me, it's clear that you've done a lot for Eventful and Eventful has done a lot for you. That's how good business gets done.

I'll buy a ticket to see you when you come to SF.

Thank you, Rafe. Whenever I hear "former Star Trek actor . . ." without any mention of anything else I've done with my life, I do feel diminished and slighted. Apology accepted and appreciated very much.

Comments

[CattieBrie]

Don't let them get yoiu down Wil, just take heart from the fact that your writing is superior to these hacks who can't even be bothered to research a 'story' properly.

Chin up, we all love you!

[Joe]

Case in point. I know your name, but have absolutely no clue who the writer is, and probably never will!

[terheyt]

Speaking of, where/when will you be speaking in Montreal? Can we who could not order the latest chapbooks (due to being dirty furriners) make a request to hear some of that material?

[shauna]

Good lord! Talk about your typecasting. Ah, geez. That is rediculous, Wil. Maybe eventually the rest of the world will get their heads out of their butts and realize that you're a heck of a lot more than a "former Star Trek actor". For what it's worth, you've got a lot of people here who know it.

[Keith Coogan]

I wouldn't let anything like that get to you. My Grandfather used to say, there is no such thing as bad press, just as long as they spell your name right. He will always be known as "Uncle Fester", even though that was only two years out of his entire career, which lasted from 1919 to 1984. Sometimes you have to look that gift horse in the mouth, smile at it, and feed it some hay! Dude, embrace and accept that "Stand by Me" and "Next Generation" are your most well-known pieces of work. This is a fight that I do not see you winning. You could win an Oscar next year for playing a serial killer, and they would say, "Former Star Trek Actor wins top nod!" As my former publicist Linda Brown would say...

Get over it!

[MJBUtah]

Let's go egg his house!

[MJBUtah]

Even better, lets create an Eventful demand for that writer!! Can we demand that he be publicly flogged? to go F*#?! himself? Can we get his name?

[Wil]

Harassing or bothering this writer would be a really, really bad thing. Don't do that.

[MJBUtah]

Sorry, got carried away. Maybe I should switch to decaf.

[Kornham]

He looks like a major tool in his picture. I wouldn't worry about it.

[pat miller]

What an idiot. Don't let it get to you - You are the guy in demand and that shouldn't "put off" anyone except those that aren't saavy enought to use Eventful

[Eytan Zweig]

You know, I understand your frustration and all for still being identified as "Former Star Trek Actor" - but I read that article differently; the way I read it was that what may be offputting about the demand system is that it is dominated by a single person. The fact that that person happens to be you is besides the point - anyone who dominates the system in that way would be offputting to some since it sort of suggests the system may be skewed (which I'm assuming it isn't, but it's a theoretical possibility).

At least, I think that that's the point the article writer was making.

[Kornham]

Yeah, Eytan has a good point

[whatupdog]

I couldn't find those comments but I did find this one which wasn't so bad:

The week started with Wil Wheaton in firm control of the Eventful Demand stats, thanks to his shrewdly providing just the right amount of frequency and urgency to the posts on his blog, keeping his avid readers up to date on the 134 demands worldwide from 2700 people. Wil already had agreed to do events in Montreal, San Francisco, and Boston.

As I mentioned in the previous post on the Eventful blog, on Monday Wil announced an actual date and venue for his Boston event. I suspect well over 200 people are going to show up, perhaps many more if the Boston Globe, the Phoenix, or another local paper decides to cover how fans of the local community successfully got Wil to agree to do an event.

Also impressive has been the demand for Wil to come to Atlanta as part of the DragonCon science-fiction convention. No word from Wil yet as to whether he'll agree to do Atlanta too.

BTW, who is Brian?

[Nate]

The writer seemed more interested in potential large-scale applications. (Let's note his headline, which focuses exclusively on bypassing "concert producers".)

His main beef with you, Mr. Wheaton, is that you're not Pearl Jam and that nobody's sticking it to anybody else by using Eventful to get you to "play".

He just sees your use of Eventful as an anomolous one that is beside the greater point of the tool.

Which I imagine is complete bull, but I don't think it's that he finds you (or us: your fans) particularly distasteful.

For what it's worth.

[Wil]

Good points, Nate and Eytan. But the whole point of Eventful, and the whole reason it's so revolutionary and has so much potential is that it lets indie guys like me, or artists like Rilo Kiley and Jill Soboule find out exactly where the audience is, so we can go where they are. It doesn't matter if Perl Jam knows where the audience is, because the audience for them is everywhere.

And I know that I'm sensitive about this, but I believe that I've earned the right to have the "former Star Trek actor" label and all its associated baggage removed.

[edgore]

Wil,

You should be ashamed of yourself - using technology like this to connect with the fans of your work - both as an actor and writer.

Also, for not coming to Colorado (yet).

[SirRogue]

Chin up, Wil. Snobby critics love to take pot shots like that to make them seem clever and feel better about themselves. You've been far more successful than he implies since The Show That Must Not Be Named, just in other areas. The fact that most of his audience knows this will just make him look that more idiotic.

Don't stress it, you still da Man. :D

[Astin]

Umm... Eytan MIGHT have a point... but I doubt it. Nothing against him specifically though. The fact is that the snippet is written in a fairly mean way. Either taking out the "don't let that put you off" or the "former Star Trek actor" bit would change the tone considerably. Although, to be fair, Wil DOES dominate the demands. I think Jonathan Coulton is second, but by a pretty wide margin.

One could also argue that it was meant humourously, like when Wil refers to himself as a "former Star Trek actor"... but since it lacks the quotes or dripping sarcasm, I'd say that isn't the case.

The spin could have been so different.

"Wil Wheaton, best known for his roles as Wesley Crusher in Star Trek, and Gordie Lachance in Stand by Me, dominates the demand list. The loyal readers of his popular blog and his two recent books prove how well this system can work at connecting artists and their fans."

On a tangent: Space (kind of a Sci-Fi station of Canada) has looped back to the first episodes of TNG. Back when you were "The Boy". "My name is Wesley, Commander." Way to stick it to the man!! Take that beardless Riker! :)

[mcsey]

Wheaton,

You know I love you man, but you gotta get over this. You are always gonna be "former star trek actor" to some people. Those of us that hated Wesley Crusher and love Wil Wheaton know the difference. You're an execellent writer, great speaker and voice actor, and good actor.

(sorry for the left handed actor compliment when I see you I see WIL MF'ing WHEATON, not the character)

[davidrupp]

Here's the real question -- when can we expect the Monolith Press debut of "I Am Not Wesley!" ;-)

P.S.: I connected the "don't be put off" to "the system is overwhelmed", not "former Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton". But then I don't think there should be any shame in that for you. I'm sure it's a curse, you're typecast, you'll never escape it, blah, blah, blah. But the fact of the matter is that you are luckier to be a "former Star Trek actor" than any of us wannabes will ever be. Take some pride in it, man! Write more posts about how good it feels when you run into Patrick, and Brent, and Jonathan. That's what we like to read. You don't need to Prove Anything To Us.

[Kornham]

"former star trek actor" will be used by people who are out of touch with what is going on now. The writer look like he had some grays. My Granny doesn't even know what American Idol is.

[Rhettro]

Just let it roll off of you like water off a frog's back. Comments like this say more about the people making them than the subjects they address.

[Rhettro]

Oh yeah, and there's a lot of people demanding that you show up at Mike and Evo's pool party. :)

[Joker Cross]

The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh Wil?