April 23, 2008

Wil says,

"Don't be a dick!"

You may know him as an actor, programmer, improvisational/sketch comedian, geek writer, poker player, or a caring father to his step-sons. Some of you may even know of the following he's gotten (good and bad) all over the internet - see alt.wesley.crusher.die.die.die and WWdN: In Exile. He's Wil Wheaton, aka Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, aka Gordie in Stand By Me.

To be honest, though, his most important contribution to the world may be something that few people have ever heard outside of the gaming community. Last year, he gave the keynote at the Penny Arcade Expo, and it was amazing. You can find the audio online, from say, Joystiq, but be warned: as Wil himself says after the shocking beginning "[this] keynote is rated MA by the ESRB." It's a fascinating retrospective on video-gaming in general, and a powerful refutation of the supposed detrimental effects of video games.

0 comments: