I Praise You: Steve Wiebe

I don't know how many of y'all betches are arcade game dorks*, but if you are, you've probably seen The King of Kong, and you know exactly what I'm going to say. Maybe you'll say it with me.

I love Steve Wiebe. Because of who he is, because of what he accomplishes, and because he's a totally perfect palate-cleanser for your blackhearted election-year, celeb-gossip cynicism. Netflix his movie, like, yesterday.

*My game was Centipede.

So in the movie laid-off housedad Steve Wiebe of Redmond, Washington, resolves to break the Donkey Kong record held by Billy Mitchell, hotshot celebrity gamer of yore turned hot-sauce Godfather. (There's a wonderful scene of Mitchell blow-drying his feathery raven hair.) And even though his daughter thinks he's ruining his life, and his son is screaming for a butt wipe, and the world is against him, literally, and no one will pronounce his name correctly, Steve Wiebe goes on to break that record. And he's not at all a dick about it.

Just when you think there could not be a greater guy, he becomes a middle-school science teacher. Steve Effin' Wiebe. Check him out.

 

Comments

[Sandy]

Loved that movie. But how can you be so cruel? You've GOT to add spoiler tags!

[Tara]

Oh i really enjoyed this doc too and was able to attend an event at an LA arcade where Steve Weibe did a Q&A with the producer and played Donkey Kong of course!

[DianaCLT]

So how does one pronounce his name correctly? Because all I can think about now is, "How the hell do I say his name correctly?" I am neurotic about things like that - correct pronunciation (or lack thereof) is capable of keeping me up at night.

[Marrit Ingman]

Wee-be. Not "weeb."

[Robin]

We saw the movie too and adored it but y'all should Wiki it so you can learn what was not shown in the movie, etc. There was some interesting editing going on. The video game records site (forget the name, sorry) also had some interesting takes on what was left out.

[Wes]

Great doc, very refreshing to see the agents of entrenched nespotism be force to face the truth in the end. The only thing I can say about Billy Mitchell is What a scumbag! He says at least 15 times in the doc that you only way a gamer can claim a legit record is to do it in a public forum in front of cameras. He says this thinking the Steve Weibe is going to be intimidated in this way. Then Billy Mitchell it turns out has not in as long as 25 years faced legit competition in a public forum and he makes excuse after excuse after excuse after excuse to avoid playing in a public forum. Billy you are a scumbag!

[Matt, Connecticut]

Steve Wiebe is a true champion and Billy Mitchell is an embarassment to the gamer world. Great Documentary that exposes a sad, corrupt world formerly lead by a total looser(Billy Mitchell). It is now the job of Steve Wiebe to lead a new generation of old school gamers and who better to do such a thing than a true Gaming Leagend!!!

IT IS TIME TO KNOCK BILLY MITCHELL OFF HIS HIGH HORSE AND BREAK UP THE CORRUPT CULT OF TWIN GALLAXIES!!