Geek in Review: Star Trek: The Experience

As I prepared for this trip, I thought I may pull together a Geek In Review that focuses on non-gambling activities for geeks who are visiting Sin City, so I started with The Pinball Hall of Fame, and then moved on to Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton.

That's as far as I got, because when I thought about Star Trek: The Experience, my mind kept drifting back to the first time I, uh, experienced it, and it's a story that seemed to fit very well with the stuff I write about in this column.

Star Trek: The Experience should be visited by every Trekkie in the world, at least once, but that's not why I wanted to write about it. I wanted to write about it because it's very important and special to me, largely due to an experience I had there in 2001, that is a big part of The Saga of SpongeBob Vega$Pants, which first appeared in Dancing Barefoot.

See, Star Trek: The Experience helped me make my peace with Star Trek: The Job I Used To Have, and also gave me a story which helped propel me down my path as a writer; it remains one of my all-time favorites to perform. For today's Geek In Review, I've decided to share a portion of that story.

The Transporter Chief says, “Welcome to the 24th century. You are aboard the starship Enterprise.”

She could have said to me, “Welcome to 1987, Wil. You are on Stage 9.”

She touches her communicator and says, “I have them, Commander.”

Jonathan Frakes' voice booms over the comm, “Good work, Lieutenant. Please take them to the bridge.”

We leave the transporter room and walk down a long corridor which is identical to the ones I walked down every day. I realize as we walk that, in my mind, I'm filling in the rest of the sound stage. I'm surprised when we don't end up in engineering at the end of the corridor. Instead, we are herded into a turbolift, where we enjoy some more special effects. The turbolift shakes and hums . . . it's infinitely cooler than the real ones we would stand in for the show.

When the turbolift doors open, and reveal the bridge of the Enterprise, I gasp.

The bridge is a nearly-perfect replica of ours, with a few minor differences that are probably imperceptible to anyone who didn't spend the better part of five years on it. The hum of the engines, which had only existed in my imagination on Stage 8, is now real. I stare at the view screen, where a beautiful starfield gives the appearance of motion. I remember how much I hated doing blue screen shots on the bridge and how much I loved it when they'd lower the starfield. When I looked at those thousands of tiny mirrors, glued onto a screen of black velvet, I could lose myself in the wonderful fantasy that this spaceship was as real as the view.

I am consumed by hypernostalgia.

I am 14-years-old, walking out of the turbolift during Encounter at Farpoint. Corey Allen, the director, excitedly tells me, “Picard controls the sky, man! He controls the sky!”

I am 15-years-old, sitting in my ugly grey spacesuit at the CONN. My fake muscle suit bunches up around my arms. I feel awkward and unsure, a child who desperately wants to be a man.

I am 16-years-old, working on an episode where I say little more than, “Aye, sir.” I want to be anywhere but here.

I am 17-years-old, wearing a security uniform for Yesterday's Enterprise. I am excited to stand in a different place on the bridge, wear a different uniform, and push different imaginary buttons.

I hear the voices of our crew, recall the cool fog that hung around our trailers each morning from Autumn until Spring.

I recall walking to the Paramount commissary with the cast, on our way to have lunch meetings with Gene before he died.

I have an epiphany.

Until this moment, all I have been able to remember is the pain that came with Star Trek. I'd forgotten the joy.

I don't have a link at the moment (I'm writing this early in the morning and the link won't be live until noon Pacific) but maybe someone can put it in the comments for this post. I'm also unsure about how SFW the geekwire will be, so maybe someone can note that, as well. In any event, I'll update this post with direct links later today when I get back from CES.

Comments

[Shane Nickerson]

Here's a direct link:

http://suicidegirls.com/news/geek/19859/

[Tom]

Some of the pics are not safe for work, unless your co-workers tend to sit naked by the window. I must say I wouldn't want to see my co-workers doing that.

[Mad Monk]

Hey Wil:

You are too hard on yourself man. Way too hard.

When I was 14, living in a small hick town, I was watching you on Star Trek:TNG.

Seems to me that you got the better end of the stick!

And you, my friend, were cool.

Glad to see you still are.

Mad Monk

[AmandaB]

Wil, if you haven't seen their new Borg experience, you should totally go! I doubt it'll have the same nostalgia for you, but it was quite awesome. The two "rides" are rather different from each other and both rock.

I second the idea that all people who like Star Trek, obsessed or not, should go! And do eat at Quarks. Though I must say, the Klingon lady who came and interupted our meal rather freaked me out. Thank goodness we were saved by our human waiter.

Have fun at CES!

[Merbrat]

Last year, my roomie and I decided to "Lunch at Quark's" when driving thru Vegas, back to Austin. Ha!
They added so much stuff, we spent the rest of the day there, and shuffled our driving schedual. If you are a Trekker/Trekkie/Geek just admit it, and block-out several hours to spend there. The behind-the-scenes tour is cool, too!
One thing that is so impressive is the attention to detail. There were a couple of Klingons wandering thru Quark's harrassing the tourists. The make-up/uniforms passed the up-close test. (at least, I *think* they were actors...)
Anyone posting: Please avoid 'spoilers' for the ones who haven't 'Experienced' it!
Wil, keep up the great work. I could "hear" your voice reading the memories.

[Jersey Rose]

I'm right there with Mad Monk - at that age, I was watching you and wishing I could be on the set somehow. Thought you were cool as hell then, and after reading both Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek in one sitting, I still think so ;)

~JR

[(The Original) Mary Sue]

If you go with a group of friends, though, don't forget and wear a red t-shirt. They keep volunteering you for death.

(I went to ST:TE in 2003 when I was in Vegas with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fangroup. How many geek points do I get for that?)

[leathej1]

So I just shotgunned 7 seasons of TNG for the benefit of my wife (she loves them, but won't admit it yet). I have some to a different realization: A significant part of my moral compass is directly attributable to TNG. Isn't zhat veird? Cause I haz no fazhah.

[MatildaZQ]

I'm embarrassed to admit that my entire Star Trek: Experience experience amounts to a lot of Warp Core Breaches from Quarks under the bridge.

Don't mind me, I'm just resentful that I'm not going to have one next weekend on my annual Vegas trip.

[Azuzazzyzx]

That's a really touching story. Thank you so much for sharing it. :) I haven't gone into the Star Trek Experience, but I'll make sure I do next time i'm in Vegas. :)

[stare decisis]

Thank you for that story. I haven't been to the ST Experience yet, but I plan to the next time I visit LV. I do miss the Star Trek conventions: I saw you at one here in Tucson many years ago.

[brazos605]

Whenever you get to the point where you primarily remember the good and very little of the bad -- past job, ex-girlfriend, high school, whatever -- you're over that situation and ready to move on to something bigger and better.

[wawilwert]

*lol* leathej1, I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who feels that way. In fact, back when I was young and stupid and letting myself get peer-pressured into doing things I knew were wrong (and watching syndicated ST:TNG EVERY SINGLE NIGHT), I used to get these images of Picard and Riker on the bridge of the Enterprise, and Riker's voice barking out, "Red alert! Shields up!" whenever I was doing something that went against that moral compass. *giggle* I've admitted that to VERY few people over the years, but I think this is a crowd where I can get away with it. :)

[MJBUtah]

Incidentally, that is my favorite part of the "Just a Geek" audiobook. It is so amazing to hear you perform that story, when your voice sort of cracks. Makes me all misty!

Seriously people, If you don't have the Just a Geek audiobook you are really missing out.

Whatever happened to the audiobook for Dancing Barefoot??

[greglynn]

My Fiancee Rene and I spent 5 hours this year at the exhibit. It was my 2nd time through, though the last was years ago when it was just the primary "experience" and before adding all the additional history due to the last Star Trek series tv show. We did everything, and the behind the scenes tour is a must, as you get to spend some quality time wandering the bridge. I sat and walked everywhere to get the visual perspectives first hand that I could only imagine watching the show and it was so cool. My fiancee, who loves your blog Wil, would not allow us to be married on the bridge (joke on my part mostly) but she has agreed to the 7 year Vulcan vow renewal! Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable and personable and spoke many times to you and your fellow actors amazement on the 360 degree immersement in the exhibit versus the tv/movie sets.

By the way I thought you did great in TNG and never give up on a 2nd chance to be involved again in Star Trek. I think you should be brought back in a movie where you left off leaving with the Traveller in the Indian relocation episode, name escapes me right now.

I have been watching Star Trek for 36+ years, and it did have an affect on my career, creative and moral path. Heck I even cited the show in MBA school because the decision making logic and challenges faced in some episodes by leaders of teams or captains of ships mirrored examples cited in case studies presented in class material. So know that while you thought your experience as a young actor was not ideal, you and all the actors have a distinct quantitative positive effect on the viewers. All you have to do is walk the halls of Apple, Google, NASA and other Silicon Valley companies to find just how many people have been affected and taken the path into high tech because of the show.

[Kevin]

I did the experience a short time after it was opened and was amazed by it. Our group goes back there to visit Quarks during our semi annual trips to Vegas. Gotta try the Warp Core Breach.... just don't get the regular sized one for yourself.... a mini breach will work jsut fine for that. I am going to make sure I see the Borg experience next time I am there.

I've been watching Star Trek ever since the movies (I've caught up on TOS over the years) and loved TNG, Voyager and DS9.... never really got into Enterprise though. Wil, you are one lucky guy to be a part of the Star Trek Universe.....and to do what you're doing now... I'd say even luckier. Keep it the great work!

[Amber J]

I went a couple years ago, a little bummed that the Borg portion wasn't going to be open for another month or so. But it was still fun to look at everything, I remembered a lot of little things and got excited. When it came time for the ride, it was hilarious that a) I'm usually the one that gets horribly motion sick, but I was the only one who came out unscathed, and b) it broke down in the middle of it. Some people joked that we were stuck out in space somewhere, "not in Kansas anymore". The people next to us said something to the effect of "This definitely is not Kansas!" So both the people next to us, as well as my family just happened to be from Kansas. Good times.

(C'mon, that gray suit was hot! Or at least it was to me when I was 10...)

[Ronnie G.]

It's posts like this, as well as ones about family, that keep me coming back.

Thanks.

[Nita]

Fuck...I gotta read more of your stuff...

[starshine_diva]

I love that story. One of my favorites, actually.

[GDISTORM]

Wil:

That was great as always. While all of us have had those sort of moments that we diodn't realsize would be important to us when they happened, your experience is different. You got to visit an environment that spontaneously kicked-started all of thos old memories into high gear. Fortunately, it sounds like they were all positive, in an overwhelming sort of way. Its almost like Str Trek sneaked up behind you ... and said ... Wil, we're here! As always you are so good at putting you feelings and experiences into great prose. Again, thanks for letting us relive those experiences with you and celebrate them you from our distant, but appreciative points in space. Take care and keep it up!

GDI ... otherwise known as Will

[Meg]

Wil-
My husband was one of the grips who handled the starfield on TNG. I have enjoyed reading of your memories when you worked in space. That's how he refers to his years on ST.

[snapkat77]

Wil,

When I first told my uncle Kyle (who is a HUGE Trek fan -- like, even owns the LASER DISCS), he said, "Yeah, I remember seeing him at a convention and he had this chip on his shoulder. But when he went to The Experience, he said he had this epiphany, like, "Man, I was so lucky!" It's kinda neat for me to hear this story from both him and you.

Katharine :)

[Kristen]

I just got back to Atlanta from Vegas a few days ago, and I admit... the only reason my family went was for The Experience! It's so amazing to me the variety of people that go there. I'm 18 and I expected to be one of the younger ones, but there were 10 year old boys all over the place tugging on their Dads' shirts screaming variations of "That was SO COOL!"

The backstage tour is very neat, but don't go on that before you've done the rides. I also would recommend doing the Borg Invasion ride before the Klingon Encounter. I personally think the latter has more of a "woahhhh this is familiar and SO SWEET" factor! And it is so insanely easy to stay in those gift shops for hours!

And like one of the other commenters, Star Trek has affected my career choice, too. I'm only in my first year at college, but so far I'm an Astronomy/Physics major. I love it. Star Trek has given me such an appreciation of science... and seriously makes me want to fast forward a few hundred years just to see what happens!

[FABIAN]

Wil,
It seems that it is never enough, for some people. You had a great time as a teen. Get over it and live on.

FG