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Crusher Crushed from Nemesis
Ant sent in a link to Wil Wheaton's weblog where he writes a surprisingly heartfelt piece on being cut from ST:Nemesis. Its a strangely bittersweet little entry that really speaks volumes, especially considering Wil's fairly public disagreements with
Rick Berman. Apparently Wil's bit was cut along with 48 whole minutes of the flick- its just the nature of filmaking. But
I guess if nothing else, they've got tons of stuff for the DVD now!
Snarky comments about Wheaton and/or Crusher in 3... 2... 1...
they've got tons of stuff for the DVD now!
Yeah because if Paramount has shown anything, it just loves to pack extras into their Star Trek DVDs.
If you're the kind of person to make an angry distinction between "Trekkies" and "Trekkers", I'm honestly surprised you don't have a Wesley Crusher action figure.
I moderate "-1, Fool"
"The night features world-class electronic music artists and a special treat: celebrity boxing with Wil Wheaton and Barney! Wil Wheaton, of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stand By Me fame, will take on Barney in a celebrity boxing matchup for the history books. Watch and see if Wil with his backing from EFF can protect free speech and parody on the Internet and defeat Barney and his team of corporate lawyers."
http://www.eff.org/cafe/2002/
Give that vomitous terrycloth reptile hell, Will!
Stefan Jones
No way. I've got two words for you, buddy. Well, actually it's one word, but it's so annoying that you actually have to say it twice:
Dang. I could only bring myself to type it once, and my fingers are already blistering, like I dipped them in acid or something.Stop talking on your mobile phone while you're driving through residential neighbourhoods!
Quote from the article:
Of course, I tend to not put a whole lot of stock in what I read online...if I did I'd be overwhelmed with the sheer amount of hot teen bitches who want to get naked for me right now, and I'd be rolling in Nigerian money.
Exactly, Will. Most bigshot, part-in-Star-Trek-gettin' movie stars already have those problems.
...
Because not everyone reads Fark. If slashdot never posted a story which anyone else linked to, it would never have any news. Sometimes there's a delay, but what do you expect?
Oh fuck, I feel old. This is all I needed after finding my first grey hair last week.
Overall, I suppose anything that makes the end film better is a Good Thing. Still, it sucks that it had to happen -- I can't imagine the weirdness of putting, what, 7 years of my life in as a particular character and then having my last chance to play him yanked out.
At least Wil seems very grounded about it. Unless, of course, he just omitted some drinking-drug-and-wife-beatin' binge he went on after the end of the blog.
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
I know this is some crazy shit, but usually people's personal sites are really hard to beat for up to the minute news about that person. Just a thought..
Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
Maybe I'm being horribly naive or stupid or both but I can't understand how they managed to find 40+ minutes of unimportant material to cut out AFTER they've already filmed it! Shouldn't they be trimming stuff out of the story while they're refining the script? Whenever I write something I start by letting my ideas flow onto the paper (actually word processor). Then I make several passes through the story to make the logic and dialogue stronger. I also cut out non-essential stuff if I feel the story is too long. It's not difficult at all. Given how much money it costs to make a movie, shouldn't these guys in Hollywood work hard to make sure the script is really "tight" and there's no fluff in it BEFORE they start the shoot?
As I said, I know nothing about the filmmaking business but the fact that they were able to find 40+ minutes of stuff they could cut out it sounds an awful lot to me like they didn't plan things very well and were just in a rush to get another poorly-thought-out Trek product to market.
Insightful responses welcome...
GMD
watch this
Star Trek II: ugly space skanks (what happened to those hot chicks from "Space Seed"?)
Star Trek III: better looking Savek
Star Trek IV: cute but annoying whale-lovin' chick
Star Trek V: sexy muscular Klingon chick
Star Trek VI: boring, regal chick in charge of conference
Star Trek VII: Whoopi Goldberg, ugh
Star Trek VIII: creepy-looking overconfident Borg chick
Star Trek IX: beautiful mature quail who says one too many "live life to its fullist"-style quotes.
I dunno, I'm not seeing much of a pattern here....
GMDwatch this
Get a grip. I see plenty of people driving with children right there in the car with them, not muzzled or anything.
What the hell is wrong with people? Wesley wasn't a bad character. He had his annoying moments (largely in the earlier years,) and I'm not entirely certain I ever believed he was as brilliant as the scripts made him out to be, but he was a reasonable part of the show.
And Wil Wheaton isn't Wesley Crusher. He's a seemingly levelheaded, decent guy. I wish people could get past their hangups and insecurities and be nice people.
There should be a moratorium on the use of the apostrophe.
Max V.
NeXTMail/MIME Mail welcome
Yeah he would have been in Star Trek X if he had been using OSX
Trekkies.
Nobody else cares.
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
That's pretty bold, given that I have only seen the trailer, but here's why I think it'll be bad.
First, the trailer makes it out to have wanna-be horror elements. It's too dark for StarTrek; even First Contact and other encounters with the Borg (by far, the most powerful enemy the Federation knows) are nowhere near as intense. If it hadn't been for familiar characters, I would have said that the trailer was for a budget-hyped Babylon5 episode from the Shadows series.
Second, it seems too action oriented. Yes, we all love the StarTrek blow-up-the-other-ship action. If done well, battles are good and add a lot to the story (DS9 had a few episodes with epic battle scenes with Cards - incredibly cool). This movie just seems to have lots of fighting action without meaningful substance. There's also this ATV with guns driving around on rough terrain, then later jumping into another vehicle much better suited for transportation. That makes little sense to me (I can see arguments, but why?)
My third reason will get me flamed by all the horny geeks out there. The movie appears to have an explicit sex scene. While sex between two characters had been implied frequently in the past, it was never explicitly shown. This destroys an element of the StarTrek universe that I've always found charming: it's always had a childish innocence. A fun element. This kind of subject matter seems to turn ST into a different animal. (This reason is purely subjective.)
Fourth and last, all this spooky, "don't fear..." nonsense that just seems way to ominous to be believable (and quite cheesy - I laught when that bald guy says that in the trailer). This sort of ties into part of reason one. Again, the movie is trying to be something StarTrek isn't.
Overall, I get the strong impression that Rick Berman is not targeting geeks, but rather, the mainstream gun/sex/action oriented entertainment. "Blow stuff up and fuck the girl!" That seems great in a lot of ways, but I've always turned to ST for entertainment of a more intellectual sort.
Rick Berman is pulling a Lucas and not staying loyal to the fans.
Why bother.
When did it happen? Or is it just the usual array of socially inept geeks, snickering behind the cuffs on their black trenchcoats that make it seem that way? This guy poured his guts into this essay of his. He was obviously stunned by the news, disappointed, hurt even, though he denied it in his story. He had to know it was coming, but it sounds like that knowing didn't help. I was sincerely touched by this.
I was just as annoyed as anybody at Wesley Crusher, but I think Wil Wheaton did the best he could when he was handed what were, frankly, pretty insipid lines. I grew more and more fond of the character as the show and character matured, most particularly the last show he was in regularly.."Final Mission" I think it was. And his character grew even more intriguing with his guest appearances, like the fascinating "The First Duty." At any rate, I looked forward to seeing him in Nemesis. I wish he could have been more a part of it. I wish him the best in finding a successful adult career, and I hope that he puts the unfortunate image that Wesley Crusher has given him through no fault of his own, behind him.
Trolls: The high-tech version of those morons that scrawl obscenities in public bathrooms.
I only need to know one thing -- where to send my pleading fan letter. I'll gladly sit through a longer Trek film if it gives me what I want -- character development, backstory, FEELING. I grew up with ST:TNG -- this is part of my long-lost childhood they're cutting goddamnit.
We know Nemesis is probably gonna be weak, and we know it'll be the last TNG film -- of which not one to date has lived up to the Trek movie franchise. Why can't they leave in the few things that might make it a really special gift to the fans??
I mean really -- Christian Slater gets his cameo but Wil-fucking-Wheaton gets chopped? This breaks my heart. Even ten seconds of Wesley Crusher dying in a space-battle -- even a glimpse of Wesley in the background as an inside joke -- would delight the fan in me.
Case in point: Tasha Yar. How popular was that? 'Nuf said.
- Sean
http://interviews.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/1 0/29/173252&mode=thread&tid=129
He's actually a pretty cool guy. It's a shame to hear that he got cut, but it happens.
I have a feeling that was his last chance to be part of Star Trek and I'm sure he'll miss it.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
I picked up Anti-trust, because I have a habit of buying movies that I want to see when they are $10 or under. Its nice, no trips to Blockbuster and I have a bunch of films lying around.
The storyline didn't make any sense. Watched the deleted scenes, where a MAJOR part of the plot was cut. Makes more sense.
Some of the deleted scenes from Dogma gave a LOT more insight into the characters.
Alex
talking, putting on makeup, reaching around to take care of a baby/kids, getting dressed, drinking a soda/coffee and eating food have been statistically proven to be many *many* times more dangerous than simply talking on a cellphone.
Please provide a URL link to the statistic that shows that more accidents are caused by people getting dressed while driving than from people using cell phones while driving. I'd be interested in seeing it.
Now, accidents being caused because some hot chick is getting undressed while driving I can understand... :)
GMD
watch this
I'd just like to say that Wil is a class-act. I have a lot of respect for celebrities that know how to handle fame gracefully, and even more for those who know how to set priorities in their life for what really matters.
Fame is fleeting - family lasts forever...
It's gotta be twice as difficult to be an actor with a wife and kids and keep everything together. Wil seems to be doing just fine.
N.
"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." - Charles de Gaulle
If you were a true geek, you wouldn't have to ask who Will Wheaten is. You would Just Know.
But, fool, you are only a nerd. The truly productive members of our technological society who runs his GCC and puts strange Paul Graham quotes in his slashdot signiture. Yet you ask who Will Wheaten is.
Posting here on Slashdot is only a sign of True Geekiness. But I must ask you, do you have a Geek Code? If you are over 16, do still own any action figures? models?
Do you watch cartoons?
These too are only signs of True Geekiness. But your True Nerd may kill the Geek within. You may spend the rest of your miserable life learning about the workings of the Universe, building vast technological systems, and watching reruns of Gilligan's Island.
But one day you become old and gray, and you suddenly discover what you believe to be the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything; and you bring forth this information to the Council of True Geekdom. And they laugh. And Geeks throughout the world learn of your pitiful endeaver and they, too, laugh.
To reconcile, you will be forced to stand on your knees and beg: "Thou art geekier than I."
And then, for the first time, you may learn what we already Just Know.
There is no Spoon.
...no [BOOBIES] links on slashdot. We don't need 'em here, since most slashdotters get a wood on from reading about "*nix now ported to unexpected device n".
Freedom: "I won't!"
Is cock-boy hyphenated?
I don't know. Is anal-retentive?
In mathematics, one does not understand things, one merely gets used to them.
--VonNeumann
Beyond Wil Wheaton being axed from Nemesis, it's really a tragety for anybody looking for a real story when they go to the theaters, not the chopped and boxed two hour edit. So many movies out there could have been great if the man with the axe had only shown a bit more restraint and a bit more faith in his fanbase. They're basically saying we as an audiance can't handle a deep plot and don't have the attention span to sit through three hours of movie. It annoys the crap out of me.
A good example and everybodies favorite here on Slash-- Lord of the Rings. Damn near 3 half hours and I loved every single minute of it . I didn't get bored. I didn't wince at the complex plot. I was thrilled that a director actually broke from the pack and lengthened the movie, ultimately making it a par excellent experience. I can't imagine how a two hour Cambells condensed soup version would have added up. Makes you wonder what how the extended edit will fair if the movie is this good now...
Back to the point, I've been waiting for a decent Trek series/movie for years. TNG? Booorrrring... They were the UN of outer space. DS9? Better. It depicted the edgier side of the Trek universe, but it was still pretty damn sanitized. Personnally, it only got good when large quantities of ships began blowing up... Anyway, Voyager? It had it's moments. Too bad they were far and few between. The movies? Wrath of Kahn. Hands down. Undiscovered Country? It was OK filler until the next great movie... Which was... Umm... Sorry, but I wasn't inspired by any of the TNG movies, though First Contact and Insurrection were OK. It wasn't anything that you hadn't seen in the series before. It comes down to this- I'd be willing to bet an extra hour would do the new movie a world of good. The Trek universe is rich and full of plot and the fans want to see it. It's the reason it's been kept going all these years. For once, I wish they'd take break the mold and create an experience, not just a movie.
On Wil Wheaton, it is kinda too bad. Just a hunch, but I'm betting he'd actually be good in something other than that "annoying naive teen" roll he was cast in for 90% of the series. It's a misjustice all the way around....
You need a FREE iPod Nano
Things like TWOK don't- where that acronym might make sense on a fansite, it means nothing to most of the people here.
I just thought it was some porn I haven't seen yet.
Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.
Dude, I hate to burn karma on an idiot like you, but you are obviously one of these fucking morons who can tell us exactly why Wolverine's Adamantium skeleton is affected by magentic fields in current Volume 4 Issues 8-12, but not in previous Volumes 1-3, while explaining to everyone that you were "before we were punk", why you are more of a fan of band X because you bought their first album before they were popular, etc etc etc. Maybe you're one of those real nutcases who has himself convinced that he can speak Klingon, or perhaps you learned to speak Japanese from watching Anime.
Kids, the moral of the story is this. Being a "nerd", reading comics, loving fantasy and sci-fi stuff, etc, is all fine. Seriously. But trying to be the expert of one little thing and correcting people based on irrelevent semantics, exposes that you are not merely a nerd, but a FUCKING INSECURE MORON. You're about as impressive as those guys who run around spouting about the advantages of the v-tec system in their 10 year old 4 cyl stock Honda (which they senselessly red-line daily).
In short: Being an idiotic expert in the semantics of something no one cares about, makes you look like a jackass.
Actually there is a DIRECT and MEASURABLE comparison between brain activity on the road and cell phone usage. A study was done where people would wear a piece of headgear that would not only measure the placement of one's eyes but also brain activity while driving. Turns out that people talking on cellphones spend less time looking at the road and the parts of the brain which are active while concentrating only on the road are less active while the operator is talking on the phone. Similarly, while intoxicated, and they used this exact comparison, the brain is less concerned with the road and more concerned with other thoughts.
This doesn't even take into account the reality that most people still hold their cell phones with their hands, rather than using the headset.
Your racecar analogy is bogus for reasons that any reasonably intelligent person can see. However, since we're posting on Slashnerd I'll elaborate. A racecar driver has certain commands and phrases that he says to his pit crew that he has said hundreds of times before. There is no conversation and there is no intensive cognitive thought involved. Therefore the portions of the brain which are focused on the road remain focused on the road when these pre-programmed phrases are uttered. Clearly arguing with your girlfriend is more demanding on the brain than "I need gas."
_Everyone_ thinks they're an above average driver.
Half of them aren't.
I've been riding motorcycles on the streets in one of the most congested areas in the country for more than 20 years. I'm not dead or crippled, so I am above average.
One-size-fits-all is the only way to be fair and enforcible.
Police spend way too much time enforcing arbitrary and capricious laws rather than protecting public safety. The majority of tickets written are for speeding on superhighways where speeding has little to do with accidents. What we need is fewer laws about what one can and cannot do in a car and more cops patrolling the roads ticketing people who drive recklessly.
But if you still demand more laws, I'll be happy to give up my ability to use a cell phone in my car when the legislature:
1. Makes it illegal to use rear-view mirrors for looking at children in the back seat.
2. Makes it illegal to do personal grooming while driving.
3. Requires one adult for every child in a vehicle (except buses driven by professional drivers).
4. Makes it illegal to eat while driving.
5. Limits the sound level of in-car radios to a such that it does not interfere with the driver's ability to hear.
6. Makes it illegal to drive with the seat reclined to the lay-down position.
7. Makes it illegal to change CDs while driving.
and so forth.
The reality of it is that there are a million and seven distractions that any given driver can give himself. A good driver minimizes his distractions when in complex traffic patterns, reserving things like cell phones for uncrowded roads or highways.
that did indeed conclude that conversations between the driver and passengers dramatically increased the risk of a fatal accident for newly-licensed drivers.
There seems to be a line of thought that has cropped up in the last few decades that goes something like this: If someone dies, a law must be passed making illegal whatever directly, or indirectly, lead to their death. The people espousing that line of reasoning seem to believe that once we have enough laws, there will be no more deaths. People will become immortal.
Kids can't ride their bicycles without helmets any more. Lawn darts have been banned. Infants must be tucked away in approved child seats in the back seat of the car. All cars are required to have airbags. We've lowered the blood alcohol level for DUI/DWI multiple times while raising the drinking age.
I have sad news for these people: You cannot legislate death out of existence. People are going to die and some of them will die because of accidents rather than old age. Even if cell phones are banned, there will be traffic accidents just as there were before cell phones existed.
I know: -1 offtopic.