"fascinating"

There's this great xkcd that illustrates how you can start reading about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge at Wikipedia, and three hours later find yourself with William Howard Taft and Wet T-Shirt Contest open in two tabs. It's funny, the saying goes, because it's true.

I mention this as an introduction to how I came across this rather embarrassing but hilarious photo earlier today.

Somehow, I forgot to mention that I make a guest appearance in the fantastic comic Dead Eyes Open, starting with issue #4. I remembered this because I had a horrifying zombie dream the other night, and though I'm normally a real big fan of zombies, I'd rather they didn't attack my brother who then attacks me when I fail to save him.

I did a bit of the googles to get the best link to Dead Eyes Open, and then did a google image search to find an image of the zombie version of me, which I saw (but forgot to save) once upon a time.

So it turns out that the search "wil wheaton zombie" gives some rather interesting results, including the clown sweater-esque picture you're looking at now. It's not a zombified version of me, but it can still scare the hell out of the kiddies.

The image comes from the flick filosopher, who doesn't have any license attached to the photo that I could find. If someone knows the original source, let me know.

(Fun stories about this photo in The Strange Case of Mr. Schlock coming Wednesday to this week's Geek in Review.)

Comments

[Eric in PA]

Fascinating indeed. Highly logical, though, given your ultimate geekness. Do you even remember having that picture taken?

[Tara]

I can see that the geek runs deep in you. How old were you in this picture? Just to think, this was practice for wearing your own uniform on TNG.

[Jamie McCarthy]

OK, so googling your own name is called egosurfing...

Googling your own name + "zombie" = ???

[Thorpe]

Google works wonders. With Wikipedia I often find opening so many links in new tabs to find out more on a topic. It's just a trend I do on there.

[Mad Monk]

When I was a kid, I had a dark green shirt like that one (don't know why dark green) but I never had a cool communicator and phaser. I had to improvise with a silver cigarette holder, and a gun.

I was lame then.

But creative.

[Joel]

classic, absoloutly classic. I hope somebody finds the zombie pic, that would be too rich for words.

And people wonder why I didn't like dressing up for halloween as a teen...

[Magic_Al]

Almost as prophetic as the picture of Brandon Routh dressed as Superman at a Halloween party.

[MacBros]

I thought the image with you in the McDonalds uniform was amusing.

But is that really you in that photo?

[blooflame]

Next week on InDigital:

Hahn of the Dead!

[lunarangel01]

That's really weird... I KNEW I had seen that photo before, which is why I was baffled as to why you would say that you hadn't seen it. Then you mentioned the fact that it was taken from The Flick Filosopher. She's my favorite online movie critic, so I was right, I had seen that photo before. I guess I had just assumed that I had seen it on your site. Funny how that works.

[MaryAnn Johanson]

Hey, Wil. FlickFilosopher here. You're absolutely right about me not having any license to that great photo -- I found it via a Google Image search, probably searching on something simple like "geek," and thought it was too funny and cute and ironic and delightful that I couldn't use it. I'll take it down if you like, though...

[TSM-terrificallysuperiorilymediocre]

Now, see, I assured my husband that there is no way we had easy access to the real Wil Wheaton. Color me surprised!

And an average Joe at that! We geeks have to stick together, ya know!

(However, you will NOT find incriminating pictures of me in google, lemmejusttellya!)

[Tara]

Wil,
I'm a new reader to your blog, so I hope it's not too much to ask for a little favor. An old friend of my mom's, Ruby, has a daughter who is a freshman at Virginia Tech. After hearing the news of the shootings, I tried to meet Ruby at work to see if her daughter is okay, however she wasn't in. I don't know if her daughter is okay, but I pray she is. Can you please put a post and ask that everyone keep the families and students affected by this tragedy in their thoughts today? Thank you.
Tara - Fredericksburg, VA

[SeeJane]

Tara, done.

Wil, I wasn't going to do any of my normal browsing today, but came here b/c of the new threadless tee--Rollin Hatin.

Proud Member of the Hokie Nation,
Jane, VT, Class of '93

[Chris Radcliff]

I think I see the cover of your next book.

"Portrait of the Artist as a Young Geek"

So, what's the story behind the photo, Wil? Looks like a photo of something on TV, but I'd love more context...

[Lady Jaye]

Wil, I can't wait to read the story behind that pic. Was it taken before or after you joined the ST:TNG cast? And see? Instead of being dressed as Wesley Crusher, that's how you should have dressed when you met William Shatner as a teen... (j/k)

Now, the question is: did you post that pic online before? If not, someone else had a paper copy and scanned it, but who? Ooooooo, it's a mystery! :P

[squeaks]

Realizing what a complete geek you were makes me slightly hot for you. It really does.

[squeaks]

Realizing what a complete geek you were makes me slightly hot for you. It really does. Is that wrong?

[Christina]

Hey Wil,

Regarding the pic, I did an image search on "wil wheaton vulcan" and found a link in the comments of your old site (circa 2004) to the VH1 photo flipbook for "My Coolest Years" - I assume you provided it to them for the show? Anyway, I look forward to the story behind it!