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

 

[Eyes of Nine]

So he should've known that he was going to get interviewed about his home game and adjusted it to suit people who will never come even close to joining it?

Nope. As I said, he has no responsibility. So there's no "should".

However any interview is an opportunity. There was a "could".

(I should acknowledge that my perspective is that showing off that D&D has the most diverse group of players now as ever in the past is a positive thing. Others may not feel that way.)
[EDIT]
I re-read your post. So yes, I think he "should" have known he might get interviewed - he knows he's famous (we can all agree on that?).

However, I don't think that he "should" (ie, has a responsibility to) adjust his home game.

BUT - he had an opportunity to let the interviewer know that one thing he loves about the game is that he has the chance to play with a wide range of people. He could have mentioned that "It's funny, my group has a lot of mostly white dudes - that's just how it worked out. But I know a bunch of other groups that are mostly women/black/latinx/veterans/other. Like Vin Diesel's Warhammer 40k game is all POC [spurious example, unknown if true]. Do you want an introduction to those groups for a follow-up piece, or an addendum?"

 

[Dire Bare]

I've noted quite a few times where I felt that he didn't improve the situation and actually made it worse. Which as a moderator isn't what they should be doing in my opinion. I personally try to avoid interacting with him because I find him caustic, argumentative and unhelpful.

Speaking of not improving the situation. Can we lay off the personal attacks?

Umbran is a mod here, but he's also a community member who should be able to share his opinion. Even if I disagree with it.

 

[Mistwell]

but he's also a community member who should be able to share his opinion. Even if I disagree with it.

Can a celebrity separate their celebrity status from their private D&D community member status, if they're being watched by that community at large?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Speaking of not improving the situation. Can we lay off the personal attacks?

Umbran is a mod here, but he's also a community member who should be able to share his opinion. Even if I disagree with it.

It's funny, this is the same argument about Joe M writ much smaller.

Umbran (and Joe) has some pull in the D&D world, but they are ALSO a community member.
What rights, responsibilities, opportunities, and benefits therefore accrue to either or both of those roles when engaging internally and with external parties?

That feels like the crux of people's positions in this discussion - and not everyone is aligned (because, Internet).

 

[Paragon Lost]

Speaking of not improving the situation. Can we lay off the personal attacks?

Umbran is a mod here, but he's also a community member who should be able to share his opinion. Even if I disagree with it.

And I've just shared my opinion, it was an observation on what I perceive based on that they have posted and not a personal attack on the poster but what they post. There is a difference.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Manganiello is winning at life. That's it. That's the post.

 

[Xenonnonex]

I too detest some of the posts, but that’s a pretty broad brush you are using there bud.

I'm also disappointed in the posters who feel the need to criticize and judge Joe Manganiello's home D&D game by weird and inappropriate standards. Some of the critical posters are folks I normally find myself in agreement with and respect their opinions, some are folks I'm constantly at odds with here on ENWorld.

But, don't judge our community as a whole by the postings of a few. And try not to judge the individuals you disagree with too harshly, as we are all coming at this from different perspectives . . . . and we are all flawed in our own ways and give in to negativity from time to time.

Overall, I think ENWorld is actually a pretty open and welcoming community of gamers. We are not perfect as a community, and we are not perfect as individuals, and we certainly as hell don't always agree on things. But there's a reason why I've been hanging out here since the Eric Noah days just before 3rd Edition debuted, it's a nice place!

Whilst my initial response was hyperbolic the calling out of some of the responses was not. And it is that continued bad behaviour and bad will towards people who we "think do not deserve" to be included in our hallowed fan base that is holding our hobby out of truly being accepted in the mainstream.
That bad will is frankly disappointing and really should not be happening.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

I don't expect the whole world, even the whole gamer world, to share my vibes on Joe, or celebrity gamers, or much of anything really -- but it was legit surprising and off-putting to see so much pushback against what sure seems like just a regular ol' gamer (who now happens to be in the public eye) psyched to be able to fanboy out about his favorite game, his cool gaming room, and the players in his group to another demo.

Yeah... Count me among those who came here looking for the good vibes and left kind of disappointed that people are demanding diversity in another DM's home game.

I remember a time when discussions here would end with someone remembering that "RPG police will not arrive at your home and arrest your group for bad/wrong fun". It seems poor Joe doesn't get that privilege. :/

 

[darjr]

Was it a demand? Was any following post a demand? I don’t remember seeing one.

 

[Mistwell]

Was it a demand? Was any following post a demand? I don’t remember seeing one.

If the penalty for daring to have a home game with the same gender as yourself covered by mainstream press is a stream of nerdrage and statements about how you've disappointed the fanbase and failed to take advantage of an opportunity to send a better message and have instead portrayed systematic oppression...is that meaningfully different than using the word demand? Because I don't think it is. That's how we demand things these days on the Internet.