# The Vin Diesel Interview on Conan (now with transcript)



## der_kluge (Aug 25, 2003)

A lot of people might have missed this link on Saturday (I did, but I scrolled back through the news and saw it, but the actual link is spelled incorrectly).  Here is the correct link:

http://www.dieselsounds.com/connanc.mp3 

In it, Vin Diesel talks about his character, "Melkor", and describes him as a "Drow witchhunter with double-specialization".

I'm not sure I know exactly what "double-specialization" is, but I have to admit, uttering the phrase "Drow witchhunter with double-specialization" on Conan O'Brian without sounding like some munchkin dork is about the coolest thing I've ever heard.  He didn't even bother to explain what a "drow" was (he even pronounced it correctly), so it was like he was just talking to D&D players out there.

Incidentally, I didn't see any other threads on this, so if there was one, you can close this one.

edit: fixed my link.


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## ColonelHardisson (Aug 25, 2003)

Double specialization is from earlier editions of the game.


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## MarauderX (Aug 25, 2003)

That link is kinda dead... did you misspell something too?

Great to know that he is into it, and hope he switches to 3.5 if he finds the time.


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## DragonLancer (Aug 25, 2003)

Just go to the main site and the link is there.


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## Desdichado (Aug 25, 2003)

Is there a transcript?  I don't have speakers at work, and wouldn't want to listen to it here even if I did.


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## Allanon (Aug 25, 2003)

Although it's certainly nice that people like Vin Diesel play D&D it's still sad that it's considered weird, strange, unexpected, etc. to name but a few reactions I found on the Internet.
Just search for "Vin Diesel+Dungeons+Dragons" on Google for instance. You'll find two reactions":

The first one stating how weird, or unexpected it is. The tone of the articles reflecting a statement bordering on the "AWHH, how cute, even mr. Diesel has strange Quirks". It is seen as an excentricity.

The second one you'll find on boards like this or webpages by D&D enthousiasts. They'll state their disbelieve and see it as a statement to the world that D&D is not nescesserily nerdy. "look even Vin Diesel play(ed)'s it".

I know D&D isn't a mainstream hobby, and I don't expect that it will be sometime soon, but why is it so hard for people to just accept that D&D is normal. It's just as strange as playing chess and nobody ever gives that extra attention. This is mostly aimed at the first response type of people. 

Although anyone who thinks that Vin Diesel playing D&D is a defence for playing, listen to the last part of the Conan interview... 

_Edit: Darn typo's_


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## Aaron L (Aug 25, 2003)

It seemed to me that Vin was kinda apologizing for playing.


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## Voadam (Aug 25, 2003)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> *Is there a transcript?  I don't have speakers at work, and wouldn't want to listen to it here even if I did. *




Same situation so I'll second your request.

Was it on Friday's Conan? Will it replay this evening on Comedy Central?


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## Aaron L (Aug 25, 2003)

It's several months old, actually.  The same discussions took place then too.


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## Voadam (Aug 25, 2003)

*Re: The Vin Diesel Interview on Conan*



			
				die_kluge said:
			
		

> *I'm not sure I know exactly what "double-specialization" is,  *




From 1e D&D unearthed arcana, after getting specialization which gives better attack rate and +1 to hit and +2 to damage you can spend a second proficiency and increase the bonuses to +3 +3

The fallen drow ranger who turned into a fighter in my longterm campaign had this in short swords, the transition to 3.0 affected him a bunch.


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## Magic Slim (Aug 25, 2003)

There was another thread, started by me, that was moved to TV/Movies/Sci-Fi etc. when people started talking about everyone famous that plays D&D.

Slim


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## DragonLancer (Aug 25, 2003)

Not sure that he was (seemingly) apologising for it, more like here he was on TV in front of hundreds (millions at home) of people and saying that he played D&D. If anything I think Conan was taking the mickey on it more than anything else.


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## Psion (Aug 25, 2003)

No time to trasncript it, but let's put in this way:

Conan O'Brien
A Chance to poke fun at something

You do the math.


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## Psion (Aug 25, 2003)

(Consolation: At least he pronounced Drow correctly.  )


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## Magic Slim (Aug 25, 2003)

Sidetracking this for a bit:

Vin Diesel's character was named "Melkor".

There is a poster here by the very same name.

Said poster does not wish to receive email.

Said poster has kept relatively quiet following the many mentionnings of his name.

It's time to reveal yourself, Mr. Diesel.

 

Slim


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## Aaron L (Aug 25, 2003)

Melkor is the fallen Vala from Tolkein, who became known as Morgoth, and was the master of Sauron.

The poster's avatar is a Tolkein symbol.


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## Psion (Aug 25, 2003)

Melkor just started a thread about DMing. Does VinDeisel actually have time to DM a game?

I need the NKL "Hmmm" smiley.


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## Holy Bovine (Aug 25, 2003)

Aaron L said:
			
		

> *It seemed to me that Vin was kinda apologizing for playing. *




I didn't get that impression at all.  He matter-of-factly states that he's played for 24 years and even had his characters name tattooed (for his movie XXX) on his 'lower' stomach.  He was a little embarrassed by that but I think that was more because of where the tattoo was.

The fact that he even says he has a drow witchhunter character on a national network is probably more TV exposure than D&D has had in 10 years (aside from every D&D player who ever committed suicide and appears on the news as 'proof' of the dangers of role playing   )


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## Rel (Aug 25, 2003)

Holy Bovine said:
			
		

> *He matter-of-factly states that he's played for 24 years and even had his characters name tattooed (for his movie XXX) on his 'lower' stomach.   *




 

 

So, to summarize:

The fact that a "cool" celebrity like Vin Diesel plays D&D - Good exposure for the hobby.

The fact that he has apparently named "little Vin" after one of his characters - Bad exposure for the hobby.


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## der_kluge (Aug 25, 2003)

Joshua, just because I love you.  Here is the transcript:

Conan: You have this image right now, of an action star, tough guy, but there is, for lack of a better term, maybe a slightly nerdy side to Vin Diesel, is that fair to say?
audience: *laughs*
Conan: Please don't rip my head off, reach into my neck, and pull my heart out, but...  You can do that later, but.., let's just say a side of you that people might not expect.
Vin: I spent a lot of years playing a game called Dungeons and Dragons.
audience: *laughs*
Vin: Very few people know that I was rolling 20-sided dice and talking like a half-orc
Conan: You would talk in the voice when you played the game?
Vin: Oh, we completely role-played, yea.
Conan: *laughs* you're kidding?!
Vin: (in the voice of a half-orc) "How dare you!?"
Conan: That's amazing!  (in a nerdy voice) "Fear not, Gandalf is on the way!"
audience: *laughs*
Conan: That's what I would be, if I was playing with you.  You would not let me play with you, probably.  You'd be like "that guy's too nerdy, he's gotta go."
audience: *laughs*
Conan: So you played this for like how long?
Vin: For like 24 years.
Conan: For 24 years?! *laughs* I know... 
audience: *laughs*
Vin: Now I call it the training ground for imagination.  
Conan: Right, well that's very... <interrupted>
Vin: But this was before video games.  I started playing in the 70s.  And, this was, I mean, I could have played Risk, Monopoly, or D&D.
Conan: Right, which was probably the cooler of those games.
Vin: I think, yea.
Conan: And you created a character for youself, didn't you?
Vin: I created a character... No one knows this, but in Triple-X, one of the tattoos, right above my belly-button, or below my belly button, I don't know why I'm saying this *hoots from audience*, was the name Melkor.  And that came from a character that I had, uh..
Conan: That you created in Dungeons and Dragons?
Vin: that I created.  That was a Drow witch-hunter.  Double-specialized witch-hunter.  but this is all <unintelligable from the laughter>
Conan: There are so many nerds watching right now who are just thrilled.  Cause you're making them cool, suddenly.  All these guys are watching going "Go, Vin Diesel, Go!  Go!"  All hail, Melkor, you know?
audience: *applause and laughter*
Conan: I think that's neat though.  See that you did, see that you'll talk about it.

<end of mp3>


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## Psion (Aug 25, 2003)

> Conan: But this was before video games. I started playing in the 70s. And, this was, I mean, I could have played Risk, Monopoly, or D&D.




That was Vin.


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## Aaron L (Aug 25, 2003)

I don't think the tattoo was real, just makeup for the movie.  And seeming embarrassed is closer than apologizing.


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## der_kluge (Aug 25, 2003)

Psion said:
			
		

> *
> 
> That was Vin.  *




You're right. I fixed it.  thanks


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## der_kluge (Aug 25, 2003)

Aaron L said:
			
		

> *I don't think the tattoo was real, just makeup for the movie.  And seeming embarrassed is closer than apologizing. *




Must have been painted on, since he wasn't exactly sure where it was.  I'm pretty sure if he had the real tattoo, he would know exactly where it was!  At least I'd hope so!


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## Desdichado (Aug 25, 2003)

die_kluge, I love you too, man!


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## Rashak Mani (Aug 25, 2003)

I thought Vin Diesel was pretty nice about D&D... but Conan for sure was poking fun at D&D all the time... didnt like the way he did it.  Vin was just "cool" about it. Since he does remember the details and actually used the Melkor name on a fake tattoo means he really liked the game.

    I must say thou... north americans are a bit obsessed with this being "cool" or not being "cool" thing.


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## ES2 (Aug 25, 2003)

all I know is now nerds like me who play this game are much cooler now then we used to be.  

And to think it only takes one popular movie star to admit actually playing the game.


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## Rel (Aug 25, 2003)

Rashak Mani said:
			
		

> *    I must say thou... north americans are a bit obsessed with this being "cool" or not being "cool" thing. *




It's because we're all so cool.  Well, those of us who don't play D&D are cool anyway.

The D&D players are the cool people's employers.


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 25, 2003)

The other link was moved to TV forum.  Where this one will end up.  

Conan repeats on Comedy Central at 6 PM, this should be in the next few minutes and it should be Friday's show.  Not saying it will be BUT...


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## kreynolds (Aug 25, 2003)

Man. I found the interview entertaining and funny as hell. How was that not funny to you guys?


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## kenjib (Aug 25, 2003)

I think it was funny too and it all seemed in good fun.  I bet Conan played when he was younger too.  He reeks of D&D.


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## BiggusGeekus (Aug 25, 2003)

kreynolds said:
			
		

> *Man. I found the interview entertaining and funny as hell. How was that not funny to you guys? *




I loved it!

ALL HAIL MELKOR!!

(bet Vin feels cool now!)


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## Sanackranib (Aug 26, 2003)

what I found amusing was that Vin says he had played for over 20 years and isnt now just jumping on the bandwagon.


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## kreynolds (Aug 26, 2003)

Huh?


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## The Blue Elf (Aug 26, 2003)

Well from what I understand D&D was in development noticing I was looking at the Acaeum see how Dragon Magazine evoled in years . To find out the orginal Magazine Title was "Strategic Review" the First issue seeing the Year was 1975 I guess Been was kind of around that time D&D kind of started out.


http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/Periodicals/Dragon.html


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## ColonelHardisson (Aug 26, 2003)

The Blue Elf said:
			
		

> *Well from what I understand D&D was in development noticing I was looking at the Acaeum see how Dragon Magazine evoled in years . To find out the orginal Magazine Title was "Strategic Review" the First issue seeing the Year was 1975 I guess Been was kind of around that time D&D kind of started out.
> 
> 
> http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/Periodicals/Dragon.html *




D&D was first published in very limited form in 1973. Gygax has detailed all this on these boards from time to time. I mean, heck, by the time I got started in 1979 (24 years ago now, yikes!), the game had already gone through several printings and AD&D had already hit the stores.


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## ColonelHardisson (Aug 26, 2003)

By the way, the Dragon Magazine Archive CD-ROM contains all the Strategic Review issues.


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## The Blue Elf (Aug 26, 2003)

ColonelHardisson said:
			
		

> *By the way, the Dragon Magazine Archive CD-ROM contains all the Strategic Review issues. *




Hey, Gary also did make Chainmail look good back in the 70's


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## ColonelHardisson (Aug 26, 2003)

Yeah, D&D grew out of Chainmail.


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