by Teresa Jusino
The internet is a funny thing. It makes expressing yourself almost too easy. It also makes it easy to forget that what you’re writing actually is being read by lots and lots (and lots) of people. You might never know it, because they don’t all make you aware of their presence. And after all, it’s just you at your computer, right? Clickety-clacketing away all alone. And no one’s actually going to read this, right?
Post.
Suddenly, something you meant to be funny is misinterpreted by some people. Most people get it. Most people realize that you actually weren’t upset about losing $12.00 when you were eight. Most people get that you were making this incident epic – epic in the way it can only be to an eight-year-old – for humor’s sake, and they laugh, post a funny, “commiserating” comment below, and leave it that. However, there are some who either take it seriously, or take the joke too far. I saw that people were taking their comments directly to Wil “on my behalf”. Apparently there was a “Wil Wheaton is a Deadbeat” meme trying to get off the ground. I had to sigh. And laugh. First, because I couldn’t believe that anyone would take my essay the least bit seriously. Second, because people were using my funny to try to make themselves funny! Find your own jokes, people!
But guess what? One of the people who came across my essay was Wil Wheaton himself. The essay made him laugh out loud, he got in touch with me to tell me so, and very nicely and successfully “made amends.” He’s the opposite of a deadbeat, actually, and really sweet to boot. Not to mention that I think I just may be getting my fan club stuff after all! Twenty-one years late is better than never.
So you all can stop the Twitter-hating now!
And Wil, if you’re out there, I wanted to thank you for being such a good sport, and for being so open to the people who appreciate your work.
And this girl and her weird almost-mullet thank you from the bottom of her little heart:
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TERESA JUSINO was born on the same day that Skylab fell. Coincidence? She doesn’t think so. As a writer, her work has appeared in Elmont Life newspaper, and on the sadly defunct website, CentralBooking.com. She has recently become a comic reviewer for PopMatters.com, and is currently at work on several fiction projects, including a collection of short stories and a comic. As a geek, Teresa loves Star Trek, Lost, comics, and anything Joss Whedon ever touched. She has a fangirl *squee-ing* crush on Brian K. Vaughan, which beat up her Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man crush in a fight proving once again that writing skill trumps gadget skill even when that gadget skill is attached to bulging biceps. Teresa is also an aspiring fangbanger. Get Twitterpated with Teresa, or visit her in The Red Room.
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TERESA JUSINO was born on the same day that Skylab fell. Coincidence? She doesn't think so. As a writer, her work has appeared in Elmont Life newspaper, and on the sadly defunct website, CentralBooking.com. She is a founding member and editor of The Revolving Door Commune Blog, is currently at work on a collection of short stories, and is writing a web series for Pareidolia Films called The Pack, which is set to debut this fall! As a geek, Teresa loves all Star Trek, Lost, Fringe, comics, and anything Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan, and Neil Gaiman ever touched. She is also an aspiring fangbanger. 
Yay! It was a great article you wrote and I never saw anyone who thought Wil actually *was* a deadbeat (except for some Whedon fans who want Joss to win that online comp). Anyone spending more than 5 mins on the internet would know that WIl has a great sense of humour. I'm so pleased that he got in touch with you and congratulations on getting closure!
Heh. Seriously! Whedon fans are crazy! *watches DVR'd ep of Dollhouse*
If you get the fan club thing, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE. Seriously, I TOTALLY want to see that, I bet it's epic.
Your baby pics are cute!
I'M SO JEALOUS!!!!!!!!! I guess I'll have to live in the comfort that I did once get to hug Sean Astin, my first mega crush after the Goonies, and even though I met him 20 years after my major crush I STILL couldn't tell him that I had a crush on him…I could only confess his was the first fan letter I ever wrote!
LOL…this is excellent. I'm glad he thought it was funny. =D
Let that be a lesson to all those other hot nerdy celebrities that if their fan clubs don't do what they promise to do, they will be tarred and feathered in a humorous way on the internet. Wheaton is awesome.
Thanks! I love those old 80s style school photos!
Luckyyy!!! I had the biggest crush on him when he was on TNG. Hey, do you think that's why they names his character Wesley *Crusher*? XD
Yeah, okay, I'll shut up now …
And with that, you nearly made me snort my morning granola bar. Well played, madam.
I'm just upset that I didn't come up with that myself!
YAY! I'm thrilled you're getting your goodies!
((and I'm highly amused that Wil's gotten in touch with you himself… I think he's a WEE bit addicted to the internets))