autographed guitar hero controller from PAX

While I was at PAX this year, I signed a sweet Guitar Hero controller for a pretty cool guy who waited in line a for a long time to put the pen in my hand.

Near the end of the convention, I saw him again, and he showed me that he'd gotten it signed by pretty much everyone there, from Gabe and Tycho to Jonathan Coulton to MC Frontalot, to . . . well, check out the whole list at Kotaku. It's pretty awesome, especially if you're a gamer.

He has put the autographed guitar hero controller up for auction on eBay, with 100% of the final bid going to the Child's Play charity.

For the five of you who don't know about Child's Play:

With the help of hospital staff, we've set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, and movies. You can go to each hospital's list and buy a toy, and that toy will be sent to the hospital. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shape. Imagine being stuck alone in a hospital over the holidays, getting something from a fellow gamer would really raise their spirits. Some of the stuff the hospital will give away for kids to keep, while other gifts (like consoles) will be kept by the hospital for patients to use throughout the year.

So if you win this auction, not only do you get a guitar controller signed by me with the timeless inscription "FREEBIRD!!!!" you will be adding some awesome to the world.

I submitted this story to Propeller, and it would be awesome if it made the front page, so more people know about it.

(Image ganked from Kotaku)

Comments

[ang]

Nice!

Having been one of those kids stuck in a hospital bored & scared out of their minds, I appreciate all efforts made on behalf of these kids. And it's a really cool connection between you & Guitar Hero (one of your faves).

Thanks for caring & sharing, Wil.

[GeekessDaisy]

Very nice of that guy to put the time and energy into this for charity! Hope he gets a lot of money. Thanks for posting this Wil.

[alan]

...except the more people that know about it, the more expensive it gets for me!

That's really cool, though.

[Nugget]

"Lastly, Wil Wheaton signed on the foil tag on the back and in carrying it around PAX getting other signatures, some of it rubbed off a little."

Way to ruin it for everyone, Wil! :)

Seriously, though, this is really cool. Hope it fetches a ridiculous price.

[gordie]

Wil, I know you've given a ton of autographs to various people, and that it meant a lot to all of them. But it must be a thrill to know how much this autograph is going to mean to some little kid- not because it's a keepsake of Gordie Lachance, Wesley Crusher, or author Wil Wheaton, but because it means a brighter holiday. It means a ray of hope when all seems dark and desolate. Today, that is the power of your autograph, and I thank you for reaching out to an individual, and therefore reaching out to humanity.

-Anthony

[starshine_diva]

Very cool, and voted.

[Keith L. Dick]

That's a wonderful thing for that guy to do...

Kudo's for him giving to those that need from those that gave to him...

[Alan]

Very cool.

[SandieK]

Completely unrelated to anything recent, but in case you havent seen it, I came across http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/best-celebrity-blogger-1.php (yes, using the link itself as a hotlink was intentional), when someone sent me the comic version in order to vote for XKCD (which, by the way, you should do that too...)
At the moment, Im pleased to say that you have an overwhelming lead with just over 6300 votes. Yay!

[SandieK]

If I had $500 to spare, Id try for this, even if Ive never touched a GH console. Heh.

[Tim]

Apparently, I was one of those five people who'd never heard of Child's Play ... and I have no excuse because I actually work at one of those children's hospitals. But now that I am aware, I've got a use for the holiday bonus. Thanks for publicizing this, Wil ... you're a good man.

[Jaded Empath]

Firstly, you get a coolness for your signing the thing - at that point I thought you merely signed an unusual object for a fan.

Then I read on, and this guy deserves double coolness (and you another half-coolness for publicizing it).

Oh, and in closing, Wil, you have a really neat looking signature - I *hate* you, since I can't get my to look like anything other than cursive. ;)

[Samantha]

Thanks for posting this Wil, I just sent a note about Childs Play to my whole company (I head up volunteer activities). Hopefully people will dig deep and help make a difference!

[mcmliix]

There you go Wil, The thing is mate; I may very well enjoy reading you and yours.

But I just gave €50 (EUR) to a US charity: What the fuck did I do that for? The US is about as rich as Europa

I think it's because 90% of all the Americans I've ever met in my Life both here in Europe and over in the US I've liked very much, and I would hate harm on them.

But I DON'T LIKE the
US anymore I'm just waiting for the next war. sorry

I have way more freedom in England than you guys do in the US

HELP

God Bless The PEOPLE of the United States Of America

[Thoughtful75]

Great cause! Hope it raises lots of money.

On a related issue, they relesed Guitar Hero 3 yesterday in Australia, I went out and bought it because you raved about the other Guitar Hero games a lot. Dude it rocks! I now have you to blame for making my husband a Guitar Hero Widow :) \m/

[KevinBe]

South Park + Guitar Hero = great episode!

Hope you saw South Park last night Wil. If not, be sure to check it out. You will LOVE it!

KevinBe in Georgia