Ben Paddon

Blog

  • Let’s Review: Doctor Who Season 11

    I’ve had a lot of time to think on this season of Doctor Who. In many ways, it’s been the season I’ve looked forward to the most in the entire modern run of the show. Despite my reservations about Chibnall at a showrunner, despite the cynical tone of his previous contributions to the series and the uneven tone of Torchwood, I was buoyed by the prospect of change. After all, Steven Moffat’s first season as showrunner gave us what was the best season of the revival until Capaldi’s second season five years later. Doctor Who is a show built on change – that’s one of the reasons it has endured for as long as it has. If one is to love this show, one must embrace change.

    However, not all change is good change, and while Whittaker’s turn as the Doctor absolutely sizzles, the writing and tone of the season have not. Let’s review, shall we?

    Potential spoilers, obviously. (more…)

  • Invisible Powers at LA ComicCon

    If you missed Invisible Powers: Invisible Illnesses in the Fandom and Entertainment Industry at Long Beach Comic-Con earlier this year (and given how bad their disabled access was, that isn’t at all surprising), worry ye not! We’re bringing the panel to the significantly more ADA-compliant LA Comic Con this weekend! Join us in Panel Room 308 on Sunday, October 28th @ 1pm for one hour of conversation as we talk about chronic and invisible illnesses.

    I’ll be discussing my experience with fibromyalgia, how it has impacted my career and, perhaps more relevantly, how it’s impacted my ability to attend conventions. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there!

  • My Full SD Who Con Schedule

    I am once again a guest at SD Who Con, San Diego’s only Doctor Who convention, happening this weekend at the Handlery Hotel in San Diego. While I’m not MCing this year – that honor goes to San Diego based voice actor Marc Biagi – the con is nevertheless putting me to work at a lot of panels and events. In fact I may well be doing more things this year than I did in either of the years I served as MC!

    Can’t make it to SD Who Con? Don’t worry, I’ll be back in LA in time for Look Who’s Talking, the Doctor Who aftershow at Geeky Teas!

    My full schedule is as follows:

    Friday

    6pm – All Ages Pub Quiz
    How does your knowledge of Doctor Who trivia stack up against other fans? Come and find out. Maybe your brain is so bursting with Doctor Who factoids you’ll win gloating privileges for the rest of the con!

    Saturday

    11am – In Defense Of
    Join us for a late morning gaming event requiring volunteers to defend their position on an audience suggested Doctor Who subject! Appropriate for all ages.

    1pm – The IntelleXual Podcast – LIVE from SD Who Con
    Hosts David and Whitney of San Diego podcast, The IntelleXual, will interview a selection of special guests as they record a LIVE podcast with audience participation!

    2pm – How to Make a DW Fan Film With a Life Size Dalek
    Remember Dalek Gary? For the first time since completing the series, join director and co-writer Michelle Osorio and me, as well as some of the cast and crew, as we talk about the process of making the film and shooting with a real, full-size Dalek!

    3pm – Cosplay Contest
    I’ll be judging the cosplay contest for reasons that continue to elude me.

    7pm – In Defense Of – Adults Only Edition
    Join us for an ”ADULTS ONLY” version of this hilarious game requiring volunteers to defend their position on an audience suggested Doctor Who subject. A winner will be chosen!

    8pm – Saturday Night Dance Party “Doc Hop”
    I’m returning as one of the entertainers for SD Who Con’s actual Saturday night dance. I’ll be doing ten minutes of standup. You lucky dogs.

    Sunday

    10am – Tabletop RPGs for Beginners
    You’ve been watching Critical Role, you’ve listened to every episode of The Adventure Zone, and you’re ready to jump into the world of tabletop RPGs yourself. Join Ben Paddon – GM for the  Doctor Who RPG show The Game of Rassilon – along with Lynne Marie Martens and ‘Saving Throw’ regular Mac Beauvais as they talk you through how to get started on your own RPG adventure, as well as answering your questions about everything tabletop!

    11am – Cosplayer Theater Games
    SD Who Con presents an hour of wacky improvisational games led by our invited cosplayers in character.

    1pm – The Game of Rassilon: The Doctor Who Roleplaying Game LIVE!
    For the third SD Who Con in a row, British comedian Ben Paddon brings a motley crew of incredibly funny people to play the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game: It’s Dungeons & Dragons, but a little more timey-wimey! What misadventure will the Doctor and his (or her!) companions find themselves in this time, and how will they get out? It all depends on the dice…

  • Announcing LOOK WHO’S TALKING, a Live Doctor Who After-Show at Geeky Teas

    Los Angeles based Doctor Who fans, I have something exciting for you! Starting October 7th and running through to December 9th, I’ll be hosting Look Who’s Talking, a live Doctor Who after-show, every Sunday at Geeky Teas. Each week I’ll be joined by special guests as we discuss the newest episode, what we liked, what we didn’t, and what we think of the season so far.

    Admission for the show is $5 at the door. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30pm.

    Not only that, but preceding each show is a complimentary screening of the newest episode at 6pm! This can be attended by ANYBODY free of charge – no ticket required, no purchase necessary!

    Geeky Tea is located at 2220 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA, 91506.

    For more details, check out the Facebook event.

  • Comedy at Anime California, THIS SATURDAY!

    If you’re going to Anime California this weekend, good news! I’m participating in a comedy show on Saturday @ 8:30pm in LP3 (Hollywood Ballroom). There’s a Facebook event set up for the show if you want to add it to your calendar. Do note that this is an 18+ only show, so be sure to bring ID.

  • Justin McElroy: Hero To All – Chapter 2: Panic! At The Deathspire

    Before you continue, consider reading the previous chapter so you’re all caught up.

    Justin McElroy, savior of Earth and hero to all humanity, hovered above the Largfnaac pit, his body cocooned in an energy field restricting his every movement.

    “I’m Justin McElroy,” he said. “Savior of the Earth and hero to all humanity. I bet you’re wondering how I got here.”

    “Not especially,” said Lord Haalblaine, drumming his clawed fingers against the smooth handle of his obsidian trident. “We found you floating aimlessly in space, so we picked you up.”

    “Ah!” smiled Justin. “And having heard of how I rescued the Earth from a celestial body by punching it square in the selfie surface, you’re hoping to enlist my aid in saving your own kind.”

    Lord Haalblaine began picking at his claws with the tip of his trident, trying to remove some dirt. “Not as such, no.”

    “No?”

    “No, mostly we were thinking, ‘Hey, I wonder what space meat tastes like?’”

    (more…)

  • Justin McElroy: Hero To All – Chapter 1: One of Our Asteroids is Missing

    Seven years ago, in a failed bid to generate a little income, I ran a small website called Five-Dollar Fiction. The premise was this: For $5, I would write a bespoke piece of microfiction just for you based on any prompt given. The story would be no more than 1,024 words in length.

    One of the few people who took me up on this venture was Justin McElroy of My Brother, My Brother and Me fame. The prompt he gave me was “Justin McElroy: Hero To All”. I wrote the story and sent it to Justin. He seemed to dig it.

    Earlier this year I spoke about the story on Twitter as part of a story about who Justin is to me, and the lessons he has taught me outside of just listening to his creative output. You can read the thread here. That got people interested in reading the story itself, and so with Justin’s permission, I published the story, unedited, to my Tumblr. Typos and all.

    Now, a month later, I am reposting it here. Why? Because earlier this week I put out a call to try and raise a little money, and in return for hitting my goal I would write and publish a follow-up. I hit my goal, and so the follow-up will be posted here too. It’s in the hands of a couple of beta readers, but once they’ve given it a onceover it’ll be going here, live.

    For now, though, here’s part one of the story. (more…)

  • COMEDY SHOW: Anime Conji San Diego – June 2nd @ 11pm

    If you’re going to Anime Conji in a week, you’ll be able to see me (hey, that’s me!) perform as part of the HAHA-BallZ Standup Comedy Show on Saturday June 2nd at 11pm in LP 1 in Destination 1 Room for what they are describing as “Some of the best in So-Cal Anime and Nerdy stand up comedy”. I’ll try to live up to that reputation.

    The con itself is from June 1st-3rd. You can pre-register for the entire weekend on their website for $50, or it’s $55 at the door. Alternatively, if you just want to come the day of, it’s $25 for a Saturday registration at the door.