FAQ postcard distributed by the guy who played Biff in Back to the Future

Tom Wilson, the actor who played the bully Biff in the Back to the Future moves, has produced a small card that provides answers to all the questions he is commonly asked by fans of the movies. I wonder, though, how many of the fans who approach him with these questions ask them because they really care about the answer, and how many are using the questions as a conversational gambit, and really just want to speak briefly with him because they admire his work?

'Back to the Future' Star's Unique Postcard Recalls On-Set Stories (via Beth Pratt)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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http://ae4rv.com/ royaltrux

Stop asking him the questions!
Here’s his musical version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwY5o2fsG7Y
- http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo
  
  Somehow I’m not surprised to hear Gary Busey is considered a jerk, but I have NFI why… phrenology?
http://twitter.com/toypianoband Twink

I used to laugh at people who thought the hoverboard was real. Now I feel like the fool for being tricked by the fake dung.
- http://profiles.google.com/marc.k.mielke Marc Mielke
  
  I’ve always assumed most movie shit is fake. But if they used fake shit in “Pink Flamingos” I’d feel a little tricked…
  - retchdog
    
    john waters claims it’s real in his stand-up tour, which is on netflix as “this filthy world.” it’s very funny.
Sagodjur

I’d rather ask what Mark Hamill is like.
jake king

He didn’t say if he is also the guy from Madness.
Øyvind

Tom Wilson is by all (or most) accounts a really nice guy, so I’m sure he’s open to people just wanting to speak to him too.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=520184505 Andrea Dickson

I remember seeing him in the “outtakes” section of the BTTF DVD set my husband bought – he was so sweet and goofy. After watching three movies in a row with Tom Wilson as Biff, seeing him as a normal, funny guy was such an odd juxtaposition.
- http://ae4rv.com/ royaltrux
  
  It’s like we need to be reminded now and then that it is called “acting”.
Timothy Krause

I wonder, though, how many of the fans who approach him with these questions ask them because they really care about the answer, and how many are using the questions as a conversational gambit, and really just want to speak briefly with him because they admire his work?

That’s rather the point, the long, disconnected infodump on the card the perfect tonal equivalent of a trufan’s obsessiveness, a casual fan’s trite questions, and a polite non-fan’s uninterest. I love its studied vapidity, its breathy fullness, its helpful dullness. Quite an artful card, whether as a way to communicate or to say “fuck off, don’t bother me.”
- http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo
  
  Thanks for crystallising that impression for me : )
  
  And it is impressive.
Cocomaan

Wow, he coined the term butthead? That’s the most impressive thing on his resume, IMO, hah!
- http://twitter.com/CatherineOmega Catherine Winters
  
  It’s possible he didn’t, but he sure as hell popularized it: http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=butthead&year_start=1800&year_end=2012&corpus=0&smoothing=3
  - http://ae4rv.com/ royaltrux
    
    I think the big spike coincides with Beavis and…
    - http://twitter.com/CatherineOmega Catherine Winters
      
      No doubt, but there’s a clear upswing prior to the original short’s release in ’92: http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=butthead%2C%22Butt-head%22%2CButthead&year_start=1980&year_end=1991&corpus=0&smoothing=3
      - http://ae4rv.com/ royaltrux
        
        Ah, yes. And I was thinking that B&B was a bit earlier than 92.
  - http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo
    
    Oh, this tool is fun.
Bill Walsh

Then I walk up and just drill him with Wing Commander questions.
ocatagon

Tom Wilson’s performance in the second film pretty much carried the whole movie. He played five different Biffs, each with very specific characterizations and each completely different. He’s the only reason I still watch that film, and he’s a highly underrated performer.
waetherman

I find it curious that so many people want to know whether Tom thinks that love or material possessions are more important, but I’m glad he answered the question.
Tedhealey

His podcast “BIG POP FUN” is pretty epic too.
Stephen Anderson

According to Google’s N-gram viewer, “Butthead” was first used around the 1860′s. Its meager popularity died off quickly (maybe at the OK Corall) and indeed “Butthead” has a major resurgence in 1980′s. Buttheads are currently in decline. How far back in time did BTTF III travel?

http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Butthead&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3
- evanplus
  
  it’s pretty clear from the context that he means he *improvised* the line, not that he was the first person to ever use the term.
  - http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo
    
    I disagree; that’s not what the term coined is for.
    
    I’d guess his exact meaning was that he made it up, in that he’d never heard it before, but wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn it isn’t original.
    
    In same sense I could say I coined the term fuckstain, but it’s not as if I imagine I’m the first.
TheBehinder

He made a great teacher in Freaks and Geeks too.
mccrum

I’ve found that if you need a conversational gambit to get the conversation started, you’re pretty much just wasting everyone’s time on other questions instead of getting to what you’re there for.

“I thought you were great, can I have an autograph?” is much better than a ten minute conversation you fake your way through before getting to that.
kimbervanry

Steve Martin has done this for years… http://www.neatorama.com/2009/04/20/the-best-business-card-ever-steve-martins-card/
Glen Able

It’ll soon be 2015, the year in which the second film was set. 1985 will be the distant past – the same 30 years in the past that Marty travelled in the first film.

Also, when are those lazy scientists going to build me a hoverboard?
- mccrum
  
  Oh, they have them, but that jerk Peterson won’t let the damn things out of beta until he can master a rail slide without falling on his ass.
- Brainspore
  
  Worse, the inevitable remake in which Marty McFly (played by Jaden Smith) travels back to 1985 in a customized Tesla Roadster to perform the oldie-but-goodie “Baby Got Back” at his parents’ prom.
  - BrotherPower
    
    I want to click “Like” for how perfectly you nailed that, but I’m torn because I also want to stab myself in the eye with a pencil for the same reason.
  - Bobsyeruncle
    
    How about a female lead this time? We can all share a chuckle when Willow Smith confuses the hell out of the 50′s kids when she whips her hair back and forth. :D
    
    (Yes, I am a cold cynical bastard.)
http://twitter.com/lessernerds Carlson & Crashboy

Jeez, you’d think the guy would be more happy to get the attention these days. It’s not like you’re interrupting his three way conversation with rival film studios desperate to put him in their next picture.
duncancreamer

As a comedian, I thought that card would be funnier somehow.
- awjt
  
  Wait, you’re a comedian?
Space Zombie

For those who enjoyed that letter, you’ll love when he sings it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwY5o2fsG7Y
nachoproblem

Stream-of-consciousness FAQ is awesome.
jsmithee

Tom talks about the card in this Nerdist podcast -
http://www.nerdist.com/2011/09/nerdist-podcast-125-tom-wilson/

He said he loves to talk to fans and the card is fun way to get the same old questions out of the way and move on to more interesting conversation for everyone. The interview is good and recommended even if you don’t care at all about “Biff” or Back to the Future.
sydnius

…courier? Really Tom, courier?
Kaleberg

Back in the early 70s there were three very tall aeronautics and astronautics graduate students one often saw in a group, two men and a woman. One day I noticed they were all wearing tee shirts with three answers on them:

1) 6’8″, 6’6″, 6’4″ respectively (They were tall.)
2) The same as down there.
3) I forgot the third question, but you should get the idea.
Thad Boyd

I don’t see it as dismissive at all; his answers seem gracious and sincere. (And they’re informative!)

From what I hear he’s a really nice guy.