[OT] Follow-up to Star Wars Kid videos

[haiiro]

There's been some interesting follow-up to the Star Wars Kid videos, including the identity of the SWK (whose name is Ghyslain), a short interview, and more:

- The blog that first posted the movie, <a href="http://www.waxy.org/">waxy.org</a>, has started a geek-driven fund for the SWK, and it's currently at US$3,519 (they're going to buy him an iPod and some other goodies). The video was downloaded over one million times from waxy alone. They've also posted details about the SWK himself.

- There's a <a href="http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,58881,00.html">Wired.com article</a> about the whole phenomenon.

- Another blog (connected to waxy) <a href="http://waxy.org/random/html/star_wars_kid/">interviewed the SWK</a>.

- An article in the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030520/UKIDDN/">Globe and Mail</a>.

- Another article in Canada's <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?id=392697A0-54A6-489F-AFF8-C58DBF0C2A03">National Post</a>.

- And an article in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/19/technology/19VIDEO.html">New York Times</a> (which requires registration to view).

I found all of these items interesting, so I thought I'd share them here for those who hadn't seen them yet. (If by some chance you haven't seen the videos in question, they are also available from <a href="http://www.waxy.org">waxy.org</a>.)

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

Thanks for the links!

I'm kicking around the idea of chipping in $5 or $10 myself. He probably just about died of embarassment at his school. And I got a good laugh out of it. I owe the guy.

 

[Mark]

Why exactly does he need the money more than some actually worthy charities? Seems like the kid has time, equipment and money to spare, if you ask me...

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

Don't worry, Mark. I give to charities. The $5 just means I brown-bag it for a day or two. Nothing major.

I don't want to drag the thread into Locked Land, but I don't consider this a charity per se. It's more like I got a laugh at his expense and I'm - metaphorically - buying him a drink by way of apology.

 

[Necrogorgon]

Have you SEEN the video? Trust me, giving this kid a gift IS charity.

 

[Mark]

Don't worry, Mark. I give to charities. The $5 just means I brown-bag it for a day or two. Nothing major.

I don't want to drag the thread into Locked Land, but I don't consider this a charity per se. It's more like I got a laugh at his expense and I'm - metaphorically - buying him a drink by way of apology.

Hee hee hee Now that's a way of looking at it that hits closer to home...

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Don't worry, Mark. I give to charities. The $5 just means I brown-bag it for a day or two. Nothing major.

I don't want to drag the thread into Locked Land, but I don't consider this a charity per se. It's more like I got a laugh at his expense and I'm - metaphorically - buying him a drink by way of apology.

If I was going to be giving money to him--which I won't just because I need to be saving up for GenCon and etc.--I'd be doing it for exacly the same reason as BiggusGeekus: "Ah, that was a good laugh, big guy, here, have a drink on me"

 

[BiggusGeekus]

It just occured to me that if I have a spare $5 to give to the Star Wars Kid, I could at least spend $5 on a d20 pdf.

Potent Portals is a fun read. So far, I've only flipped through it, but there's useful stuff that players might like, neat things to liven up a location just for flavor's sake, and nasty stuff with which to kill ... er ... challenge the party. Kudos!

 

[Mark]

It just occured to me that if I have a spare $5 to give to the Star Wars Kid, I could at least spend $5 on a d20 pdf.

Potent Portals is a fun read. So far, I've only flipped through it, but there's useful stuff that players might like, neat things to liven up a location just for flavor's sake, and nasty stuff with which to kill ... er ... challenge the party. Kudos!

Thanks!

(I hope you didn't think I was referring to myself as a charity... )

 

[Angcuru]

Ah, me.

The hilarity that is the SWK is just so....hilarious.
Personally, I think that if some schmuck humilaites himself in front of what is basically the entire internet community I.E. everyone except the poor, illiterate, and blind....that's just funny. He's done himself a good turn actually. Any publicity is good publicity, even if it's videotape of yourself swinging and tripping over a painter's pole for several minutes. And now he has name recognition. Good for him.

Buy WHY in the name of all that is sacred are people sending him cash?? Do you send in money to your favorite Cable TV station when you see something funny on the Tele? I think not!(unless you're an icky wierdo) So why should it be so with this kid?

Why don't you send the money to one of those funds that gives vaccinations to kids in 3rd-world countries for $0.07 a pop? (Remember how in Grade School the teacher would pass out little milk carton-type boxes where you put your spare change and give back to the teacher a week later? Same thing.) For the same $3,519 US, we could put this kid through one semester of community college +books, or we could protect 50,272 starving children in Uganda from Polio. Take your pick.