So there I am watching Highway To Heaven reruns and who do I find but Wil Fucking Wheaton - trying to let the air out of Michael Landon's tires! A great 80s moment!

You got it - "It's a Peterman"

Funny story Wil! At least it didn't end with... people were staring at you because you realized you didn't have your pants on! (The very pants you were returning - name that quote) Anyway, it's obvious that this was a blatent attempt for publicity of the "Former Teen Actor Wil Wheaton Arrested For Shoplifting" variety. Sorry it didn't work out. :)

I played part of your speech for a younger friend of mine today. Aside from me talking about Wil Wheaton, he's never seen you before and doesn't know you, but he is so into games, movies, writing stories, and using his imagination. Within 30 seconds you totally had him captivated. It was amazing to see how he lit up to everything you were saying. Pure joy.

Just finished watching... the server worked better this morning. I loved what you said about wanting to know what happens next in the story. For me this goes beyond games. When I've not really wanted to live in this world anymore that's why I kept living - I just wanted to know what came next. When you don't over-control it, life itself can take some pretty amazing turns. That's why I keep 'playing'. That was a very heart-felt and wonderful speech, Wil. You were really YOU. I think you're amazing for being able to be that open and true to yourself with an audience of that size - it boggles my mind. You're quite a generation bridge too - a rare capacity. Congrats on a great job!

Here's a decent video except it keeps pausing... maybe the server is too busy right now PAX East 2010: Wil Wheaton Keynote

Thanks for the update Wil - glad to hear it went so well! I like the way you mention creativity. Games tend to be destructive and violent, and this is the content that non-players see and judge. Frankly, I think this destructive tendency comes from a will to tear down the status quo - it's about freedom. And that's why Hillary and the powers that be feel threatened - they would preserve the status quo. Even the violence to me has to do with letting go of the illusion of the body and the material world - busting out of the matrix by dissing it and not fearing it. I find gamers themselves to be generally peace-loving people, but also freedom-loving. They've certainly killed far fewer people IRL than the Hillary-types that judge them! They play games too - and very nasty ones! So you're right - I think games are ultimately about CREATING - nice insight.

And I went to all the trouble to google bean thinking I had missed a great linux app only to see it's an OSX program! It's not even for LINUX! I thought Wil was a linux guy... my illusions have been shattered. What's next? Will I see Wil eating at Burger King? (just kidding Wil) At least it's open source.

I say get the whole audience puking like Gordy did in the pie story - that would be memorable! I'll be watching the rebroadcast on Youtube. :) Break a leg!

Thanks Wil - this was AWESOME. I love it when you ramble. You had some great insights on creativity in there.

Hi Wil - Just wanted to offer a hearty GOOD LUCK with the keynote. I look forward to hearing it (on Youtube?) - the original one was grrrrrrrreat (an 80s reference to get you psyched). Have fun with it!

Wil, ironically you captured the creator's feeling of "being there" versus "being" there perfectly. The question now is, when you were being the guy with the video camera, observing, were you also aware of being the guy with the video camera aimed at the guy with the video camera? IOW, were you aware of being aware of being there? You must have been - you were observing yourself observing yourself, or you couldn't have described it so well. So you see, there are many levels of being and awareness. Whatever we're being, there is another part of us aware of that, oserving that, then observing that... Whatever we choose to be (create), a part of us rises above it to witness it. Then the witness is inspired to create something more... and rise above that. We are the observer and the observed. I think you tapped into a very primal paradox of existence (not to mention Hollywood) in this post! You should explore it more. This business of becoming aware of becoming aware of becoming aware is what transcendental meditation and various practices of rising into the sublime, divine levels of being are all about! This is no small thing you ponder, Mr. W. I think finding the balance between creating and tasting is at the heart of the creative challenge, don't you?

Thanks Wil that was AWESOME.

I've been so thinking that lately - going back to the 80s. I just want to go home! :) I am a stranger in this time.

It finally occurred to me who this piece of writing reminded me of... You're going to think I'm crazy for saying so, but it reminds me of Mark Twain. I think it's that biting yet wry social commentary woven into witty humor. Just listen... "After languishing for years in the obscurity of role-playing games, Satan finally crossed into the mainstream of arcades everywhere. Parents panicked as kids eagerly coughed up pocketfuls of quarters to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight." Granted it's hard to put Twain and a video game into the same context, but he was a game player for sure - hey this guy invented Huck Finn! I can just see you in a white suit on your southern plantation smoking a pipe. You channel so many different writers, Wil. First you're Douglas Adams then Ray Bradbury and then Mark Twain. I've never seen a writer move around the map as much as you do. I think that's what makes your writing so fun to read - I never know what you'll be next. That's also probably why you sometimes feel self-conscious about it. I have a word for people like you: creative.

Very funny writing Wil!

I've been high on a snow covered mountain when that orange glow effect hit - never forgot it. Imagine snowshoeing down a steep mountain in 8 feet of puffy orange snow - I felt like I was in another world. I even took a pic because I knew you wouldn't believe me (although the pic doesn't do the surrealness of the moment justice) I'm bored as spit today - maybe I'll watch LOR... (see what you've done?)

Well I hadn't seen this (and oddly enough, nothing was missing from my life). But that's why I come here - you introduce me to a much more sophisticated world... uhhh... Anyway, the world of the infomercial... Somehow they look silly during the daylight hours. Like vampires they just don't belong here, but in the wee hours of the morning when people are up late trying to identify that hunger in their soul and will believe anything can fill it - even "Slap Chop". Anyway I thought the video was going to be of you giving us a demo Wil - THAT would have been funny. How come you never give us home movies??? Is it some SAG rule? All these kitchen gadgets. I just have a big knife I call The Salad Maker (actually it's the The Salad Maker II now). Kind of like the widow-maker, but I'm vegan so it has never tasted blood. Closest to that was pomegranate juice that runs in the little blood-collection tray of my cutting board and grosses me out. Anyway, Happy Holidays, Mr. Wil!

Not sure I understand blank-check patriotism - always just sounds like fascism to me. Are you thanking the Nazi veterans for exterminating people? Or only all US veterans regardless of what they do, why they do it, what interests they're really serving, etc.? Service to whom, and for what? I'll send out a thank you to all those who don't serve in the military - thank you for your service to humanity and our planet. "The pioneers of a warless world are the young men (and women) who refuse military service." --Albert Einstein What if they held a war and no one came? You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. ;) Peace out.

A very colorful tale, Wil. No pun intended! Ah, harvest meals - you clearly know how to live. I think everybody learns about soup blending the hard way - I certainly did. As for cooing and coddling something and then throwing it in a blender, I think I understand Anne's POV. :) Of course, yours makes sense too - it's going to grow up to be soup! I actually have some farm squash in the fridge... hmmm... And oh, here in the Rockies at ten thousand feet, if it was 50 today everyone would have been out in t-shirts saying how warm it is (which is always what happens in the spring). It snowed and didn't break 30 today, and I was out there! It was delicious, in a non-socal sort of way.

Oh and thanks for offering the DRM-free PDF - you're strange but also good! I just Lulued it and it be here already.

Thanks Wil - that totally didn't suck. But since I've been listening to these podcasts, I don't really need to buy the book, right? I mean same stuff, no? (Just teasing!) "Justice" always weirds me out... too much middle-aged skin for outer space. But now I have to go watch it again in light of this new intelligence on the subject. And I totally vote YES for a Halloween episode of RFB - last year's was most excellent and Halloween clearly brings out the 80s in you. On that note, Happy Halloween! y'all. I just saw Paranormal Activity and it was scary - kind of 80s American Werewolf in London in a 00s kind of way. (We're almost into the 2000-teens - holy s!)

Ahh... I pondered the stars comment and just couldn't figure it out. But I often feel lost with people from the internet, so I let it go as another riddle I wasn't meant to understand. That must be some cough! Take care of it and feel better soon. (And no - I'm not just thinking of the delayed podcasts this may entail - I'll be traveling for a few weeks and won't hear them until I get back anyway.)

VERY cool Wil! I'm so glad you're doing a podcast again - you're a natural at it and I love listening to you spin your tales. You were very baritone in this one, but I suspect the geeky squeakiness will rise to the surface in time. :) I didn't hear any pops - sounded good. 6 minutes is too short for me, but hey. At least I heard Wesley Crusher say 'shitcock'. [twilight zone theme insertion] (Any time you enter ST land you are Wesley once again, now a freewheelin', foul-mouthed punk. So good to see. Though Beverly will have something to say about it - I can just hear her. Q will just have to turn her into a dog again - bitch!) Thank you Sir Wil.

Gween had it right... JOY! Thanks for sharing your moment, Wil!