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Don't Get Your Hopes Up, Wil...

Regular readers (there?s about four of you) might notice that I added a new link to my ?Where I Go? section the other day. It?s wilwheaton dot net, the personal blog of the one-time Ensign Wesley Crusher of ST-TNG fame. I started reading it because it was linked by Cobolhacker, a guy I think is pretty cool, so I checked it out. Since I keep going back for some reason, I decided it was time to add it to my links, because I think others might enjoy it also.

Now, I?m not a total Star Trek geek but I guess admitting that I?ve been to more than one Trek convention in my life (hell, I met my ex-husband at one!) might put me in that category, and linking Wheaton?s blog on my site might reinforce that impression. I will state here and now for the record that I?m not an undiscriminating watcher of Trek. I do have some taste and I don?t like things that are boring, stupid, maudlin or otherwise waste my time ? unless there?s a highly entertaining trade-off. I have totally given up on Enterprise. I cannot engage with any of the characters, with the exception that I find T?Pol (sic?) mildly interesting, but I digress. I watched TNG faithfully and loved it, and loved all the characters, even at times Ensign Crusher, though in re-runs I now find the first couple of seasons pretty unwatchable. Star Trek at it?s best was great television. There?s not really not that much in the way of great television out there, folks, you might have noticed, and even less so now that Buffy?s off the air.

Anyway, back to Wil Wheaton. Any of you who read his blog will understand why I read it. Far from being some creepy has-been child star?s ravings about his attempts at getting back in the game, Will writes (very well) with humour, self-deprecation, and heart about day to day stuff like being concerned about his sick cat, his love of computers, music, family, (he?s married and a stepfather to two teenaged boys ? man, can I grok that!) and brushes with fame and the famous written in a way that you and I can actually identify with.

Recent posts were full of his excitement at being cast in an episode of CSI which aired last night. I never miss CSI, (the real one! not Miami, or New York, or Fargo) so naturally I looked out for him. Apparently he was called in to read for the hotel reception clerk, but was later offered a part as Walter the Scary Homeless Guy. His part consisted of about 30 seconds of screen time but you could tell he poured his heart and soul into it. Wil/Walter was one scary dude. If he was living in my neighbourhood park I think the cops would have rousted him ages ago, but again, I digress.

Now here?s the part where I have to say not-nice things, and I don?t want to say not-nice things about Wil. I mean, I like the guy now. I?ve been reading his blog, I identify with him, he reminds me of some geek boys I used to hang with. But here goes?

Wil, that part on CSI was not the Big Thing you would like to make it out to be. I know it was a big thing for you to be on the show ?cos I would have been pumped about it too (though I?ve already had my own personal/professional encounter with Will Peterson, but that?s another story for another day.) I just hope you don?t think this gig is going to kick-start your acting career. I used to be married to an actor, so I know the tendency of Actors Who Are Nobody (or in your case, Actors Who Used To Be Somebody) to blow any little thing into a huge career-maker/reviver. The thing is, it?s not enough to have talent, even if you do have talent. In fact it appears you DON?T EVEN have to have talent, as long as other people think you do, or have that certain something that makes you bankable - looks, charisma, whatever. And I?m thinking, maybe the guys in Hollywood who make those decisions see you as someone who was a child star who recently made it to the polling list of ?Most Annoying Star Trek Character Ever? (though thankfully you are far behind Worf?s kid in the numbers.) And therefore, you might be Poison.

But, hey, I?m not a Hollywood pundit. I could be wrong, so cheer up, Wil, and keep writing, ?cos I like to read what you have to say, and I?ll be watching for your reaction to the show last night! It?ll be fun to see what kind of spin you put on it.

Filed under Pop Culture, Mar 11, 2005
 

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