If there is a mantle for Goddess of Geek Culture, it rests squarley on the shoulders of Felicia Day. With her role in Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and her own creative online sensation, The Guild, Day has become a household name for the geek set. Her nearly 1.9 million Twitter followers, for example, demonstrates that she has struck a cord. And not just with those guys who dream of finding a cute girl who shares their geek passions. She is also a hit with the girls who are coming out of the basement, so to speak, to proudly proclaim their own geek status. For Felicia Day is the real deal.
A Juliard-accepted violinist (she opted instead to attend UT at Austin) she double majored in math and music (wiki). And if that wasn’t enough to fill her time she was also the avid gamer that provided the inspiration for her web-hit, The Guild.
So why all the Felicia Day love on this Friday morning? Well come along and I’ll tell you.
The other night my friend Jeff came over and one of the things he was quick to share (by way of John Scalzi, I believe) was that Felicia Day had started a new Youtube Channel, Geek and Sundry. While checking it out we discovered that the Season 5 of The Guild starts Tuesday, April 10th and will be launched weekly from this site. But it was some of the other content of Geek and Sundry that I felt compelled to share.
First off, the cast of The Guild kicks off Season 5 with their newest music video proclaiming the coolness of geeks everywhere:
Next up, and the thing Jeff specifically shared with me, is Wil Wheaton. If you’ve read my reviews of his books Just a Geek and Dancing Barefoot then you know that while I’m not a fan of Wesley Crusher, I am a fan of Wil Wheaton. Wheaton’s story of using his writing, in particular his blogging, to reinvent himself fills me with inspiration every time I think of it. Over the years he has taken on the Geek God mantle with his online presence as well as turns in shows like Eureka, Big Bang Theory and The Guild. Like Day, Wheaton is also a legitimate geek. He has long been a computer savvy tech-nerd and a consummate gamer and geek culture lover. His latest online effort is showcased on Geek and Sundry. It is called Table Top.
The essence of Table Top is that Wheaton gathers a handful of friends and demonstrates gameplay for whatever Table Top game he has chosen for the episode. What may sound like a silly, or perhaps boring, idea is anything but. First off if you’ve ever tried to just sit down and read the rules for a table top game or collectible card game you will know the definition of “intimidation”. I consider myself reasonably intelligent and when I’ve read directions for games like these I find myself looking up to see a giant cartoon question mark perched precariously over my head. Wheaton’s sense of humor shines as he makes the show entertaining and at the same time does an excellent job of demonstrating how the game should be played. I think the idea is brilliant. You may not have 30 minutes today to sit down and partake of this, but I wanted to share it in the hopes that you’ll check out a few minutes, or perhaps catch the whole episode over the weekend.
And finally, as I was searching the internet in preparation for this post I stumbled across the site Geeks Are Sexy. Many of you know I myself am a gamer and one of my latest passions is Skyrim. Peter Hollins and Lindsey Stirling put together this great rendition of the main theme of the game using Stirling’s violin skills and Hollin’s voice along with the wonders of modern technology to pay homage to an addictive, immersive fantasy role playing experience.
Lindsey Stirling is herself a bit of a geek, as you can see with her game and other fantasy-inspired performances on her YouTube Channel here.
Although it doesn’t have anything do do with Felicia Day, I couldn’t resist sharing this video in this Friday’s celebration of my geekiness, and the fact that both women play the violin made for a perfect bookend.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend pursuing your own passions.
What a great way to start my Friday Carl. Thanks!
I will have you know I was this close to buying Small World yesterday. I had it in my hands at the game shop yesterday afternoon.
I also love all things Felicia Day and that Skyrim video was awesome.
I was hoping you’d catch this one early since it was you who inspired the whole thing with the up to date Day/Wheaton info you brought over on Wednesday.
I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had grabbed Small World. I certainly would have given it a try with you.
Wasn’t the Skyrim video fun? I’m going to have to check out Linsdey’s other videos this weekend if I can get time.
The Skyrim video was great. I’ve seen some her other videos before and enjoyed them as well. I thought you had turned me onto her videos last year but I guess I am mistaken.
Nope, wasn’t me, but I’m glad I stumbled across her stuff.
Loved that Skyrim video. As you know, this house is a fan of Skyrim. Although, I wish I was a better player – the darn contoller. I am going to check out more of Lindsay and Peter. Entertaining.
I have heard of The Guild and have been meaning to check into it. Sounds interesting, now if I can finds time to finish watching Dr.Who (still on season one), Torchwood (still on season one), Downton Abbey (season one), and one other series but cannot remember but I know there is another. To watch tv, I need to wait until late in evening – as you can see, that works out infrequently.
Love that yellow photo of Day. I am going to add it to my collection of photos that I would like to try re-create in some manner…some day.
Great post…loved reading it.
Glad you enjoyed it. I had forgotten until you reminded me that your family got Skyrim for Christmas and are indeed fans. Yay!!! Love that game. I haven’t played it in weeks and one of my must do’s this weekend is to return to the world for a little while.
Mary and I have to start watching Downton Abbey. I’ve heard nothing but praise for it.
Can’t wait for the next season of Dr. Who. I am missing that show. I’m tempted to go back and watch previous seasons, maybe starting with the first Tennant season (Season Two).
What a lot of interesting sounding info! I need to get back to The Guild…
It is worth getting back to, hope you get too soon and enjoy it. The last season, at the “comicon” style festival, was great.
Thank you for this! I spent a very cool hugely hours or so exploring my nerdy side last night. It was ridiculously good fun.
YOU.need to read Ready Player On by Ernest Cline, if you haven’t already. I think it would be right up your alley. To make it a really meta experience, listen to the audiobook; it is read by Wil Wheaton.
Cool Heather, glad to hear it.
I actually have listened to half of Ready Player One and had to get it back to the library. I need to check it back out to finish it. I was really enjoying Wheaton’s narration. He was a perfect choice for the story.
I have such a girlcrush on Felicia Day!
thanks for linking to the Tabletop thing, I noticed that the other day and was geeked beyond belief to see a “How To” of games like that. I got to squee “I’ve played that!!!”, which was fun too.
gamer geeks rock.
Yes they do, Redhead! Felicia Day is easy to crush on, that is for sure.
This was such a fun post, Carl, and a glimpse into another side of you! I don’t play games as such, though I belong to a gaming group that is run by a DM who makes his own rules up because the D&D manual got boring. So it’s a very original gaming group, and I find lots of fun.
I haven’t read Ready Player One yet, though I am in the middle of This is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams. Have you read it yet? It’s about a woman who creates ‘live’ RPGs set in the world, with live characters, followed by millions….and now she might be in the middle of her own RPG…..it’s quite intriguing. I have Ready Player One on request at the library.
I think a whole lot of us are secret geeks, aren’t we? And it’s fun! Fun post to read, Carl! Thanks for sharing
Oh – and Wil Wheaton on Big Bang Theory is fabulous, isn’t he??? I hated the Wesley Crusher character too.
So happy you enjoyed the post, Susan. I haven’t really played any tabletop D&D type games either. Didn’t know anyone growing up who did. My only exposure to these type of games is online role-playing games, more similar to what they do on the guild only I generally only player single player versions. Your group does sound like fun.
Still, I share that spirit that these players have and would love to play a game like the one Wil Wheaton and Co plays in the Tabletop video.
I haven’t heard of that book but it sounds good. The only gaming novel I’ve read is Halting State by Charles Stross and I highly recommend that one as well. And having listened to half of Ready Player One I can pretty safely say it is a must read.
I think we are too, Susan, although I don’t know why we keep it a secret! We should wear those badges proudly!
this was a great post. and interesting info. didn’t know Day was a violinist and math/music major. must tell Natalya!
I read the article on geeks & sundry on the tor newsletter and of course alerted Sean to its existence. He is a big Day fan, too! and didn’t feel bad about the rest of the crew teaming up for this project.
Thanks L. I didn’t realize it either, but assume it is true. It was on Wiki, but I noticed that Felicia Day points to her Wiki link as the source of her bio on her own website.
I haven’t read that article yet but need to check it out!
One of the things I really enjoy about following blogs is that I always learn something. And the other reason I enjoy blogs is seeing people’s passions. Thanks for sharing Carl. You have a way of opening new doors for me all of the time.
You do the same for me, TBM, so thank you as well. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes the things I like are too fun not to share and that was certainly the case with Felicia Day’s new channel.
Oh, cool! Thanks Carl, must check out the links!
You are welcome. There is so much fun stuff going on over at Geek and Sundry, I hope you enjoy it.