D&D General Joe Manganiello's D&D Campaign Includes a Game of Thrones Creator & Vince Vaughn

The entertainment magazine Variety has joined the long list of mainstream publications who have published articles about D&D in recent years. They take a look at Joe Manganiello's home game, which includes Vince Vaughn, plus the guitarist from Rage Against the Machine, and one one of the Game of Thrones creators!

Inside Joe Manganiello’s Epic Dungeons & Dragons Campaign

Go inside Joe Manganiello's Hollywood Dungeons & Dragons campaign, which includes Vince Vaughn, Tom Morello, The Big Show and more.

variety.com

 

[Mistwell]

I don't think the Variety coverage was likely a "two-fer" or side bonus of covering Sofia Vergara. D&D used to be something to keep quiet about, in Hollywood and for us non-celebs too. But it is growing in visibility and popularity, and people are interested in it.

This article gets us D&D nerds all excited . . . "Look at all the famous D&D players!" . . . but it really isn't written (solely) for us.

Sofia Vergara is a very talented actress and certainly deserves the media coverage she gets . . . but the interest in Joe's home D&D game is enough by itself to warrant Variety running an article.

I don't think it was a coincidence Variety was also covering Sofia Vergara's new job as a judge on “America’s Got Talent” which has it's first episode about to premiere and which has 10 million viewers.

 

[Dire Bare]

While they were friends of friends, Joe makes it clear that several of them would not have been invited except for who they are.

Oh goodness. Yes, in the sense of, "He's the guy who co-wrote Game of Thrones?!?! Hell yes he can play!?!?" It wasn't done to further Joe's career as an actor, it was done because Joe was geeking out over how cool these guys are. Those new to Joe's life weren't his friends initially, but folks he wanted to meet and become friends with.

In my home game, if a friend wanted to invite somebody to our game and our table was already kinda full . . . . but this other person had something really cool about them that intrigued me, I'd open my table too.

 

[Mistwell]

While they were friends of friends, Joe makes it clear that several of them would not have been invited except for who they are.

No he doesn't. One was ‘Hey, there’s this guy in my kid’s carpool that wants to play,'” and the other was "a friend of his from Chicago."

And he explains how it's about friends. "For the group, though, it’s become more than a game. It’s a consistent way to bond and spend time together, with sessions often going into the late hours of the night...And this game — in a town that can be a little bit fake at times, let’s just be fair — this game has cut through so much of that social noise...It’s a game where friends gather that’s taken deadly seriously and is a lot of fun. But it’s serious. It’s very serious! We’re on an adventure that I think about a lot during the week. "

I mean, this is who celebrities are friends with. Their real friends. Saying they need to represent a specific demographic with their friends group - that's not real, and it sure isn't treating them like human beings. This isn't a TV show done for ad revenue with an agent and producer and manager - this is his friggen basement D&D game that some entertainment rag included a half-page coverage on. But it's been played for years and will continue to be played for years and he doesn't owe some special responsibility to the world in who he is friends with and gaming with at his home.

 

[Iry]

Oh goodness. Yes, in the sense of, "He's the guy who co-wrote Game of Thrones?!?! Hell yes he can play!?!?" It wasn't done to further Joe's career as an actor, it was done because Joe was geeking out over how cool these guys are. Those new to Joe's life weren't his friends initially, but folks he wanted to meet and become friends with.

I'm sure Joe understands cause and effect.

No he doesn't. One was ‘Hey, there’s this guy in my kid’s carpool that wants to play,'” and the other was "a friend of his from Chicago."

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Dire Bare]

I'm sure Joe understands cause and effect.
We'll have to agree to disagree.

Yes, we'll have to disagree. "Cause and effect" What does that even mean?

Is it possible that some sort of creative project might come out of the friends playing D&D at Joe's every week? Yeah, sure! More than a few folks at that table are in the same business, and the focus of the game isn't business, in fact it's very much an escape from the business, but it's certainly possible (if unlikely) that those creative people being creative together might result in a movie or television project.

So what?

When it becomes common knowledge in Hollywood that you just can't get anywhere in this town without suffering through a few sessions at Joe's D&D table . . . . then I might become concerned.

Hell, in my own home game, I got one of my player's a job! He was looking, I was aware of an opening at my company, I encouraged him to apply and put in a good word for him at work . . . . does that somehow taint my home D&D game?

 

[Iry]

Yes, we'll have to disagree. "Cause and effect" What does that even mean?

It means that whatever his primary motivation for inviting them, there's no way he didn't consider the career benefits of his choices. He's too smart, and his job is too aware of such things.

Does that somehow taint my home D&D game?

Why would it taint your home game?

 

[Dire Bare]

It means that whatever his primary motivation for inviting them, there's no way he didn't consider the career benefits of his choices. He's too smart, and his job is too aware of such things.

No way, huh? Glad you have such deep insight into Joe's character.

Why would it taint your home game?

Exactly. Why would it?

 

[Iry]

No way, huh? Glad you have such deep insight into Joe's character.

Thank you.

Exactly. Why would it?

You tell me. You brought it up.

 

[Fenris-77]

It means that whatever his primary motivation for inviting them, there's no way he didn't consider the career benefits of his choices. He's too smart, and his job is too aware of such things.

Maybe you could explain to me how this isn't sheer supposition on your part? Feel free to widen any actual argument that results into a discussion of the point at which you feel comfortable impinging people's character absent any proof.

 

[Iry]

Maybe you could explain to me how this isn't sheer supposition on your part? Feel free to widen any actual argument that results into a discussion of the point at which you feel comfortable impinging people's character absent any proof.

I would rather discuss why you think someone's character is being impinged. I have made zero value judgements and even supported Joe's right to do whatever he wants in his home game. If you think I'm somehow suggesting these things are a negative, you are conflating me with the argument of some other poster.