Rooster Teeth Goes to the Dark Side

How Star Wars superfan Blaine Gibson got pranked

Rooster Teeth's Star Wars superfan Blaine Gibson
It's May the Fourth, aka Star Wars day, and Rooster Teeth's Blaine Gibson was one of the Austin creatives to share what the epic franchise has meant to him in this week's issue. But he also also shared a not-so-sweet memory about what he called “the world’s cruelest prank."

"I remember (RT co-founder Burnie Burns) pulling me into his office for a phone call with Lucasfilm. The so-called PR guy told me I could get into an early screening of The Force Awakens if I submitted an audition tape of my best Star Wars impersonations, they also instructed me to tweet videos of my preparations for the screening. I didn't sleep the night before the event out of excitement, little did I know it would be one of the greatest betrayals since the assassination of Julius Caesar."

Instead of that special first look, the evil geniuses of Rooster Teeth's editing department had taken all that footage and, well ... let's let Gibson explain.

"When the credits started rolling, tears began welling up in my eyes... and then they dropped the bomb on me. Even after the prank had gone down I was still holding out hope that I'd be going to an early screening of Star Wars; then the realization kicked in and I was too deflated to unleash the Dark Side on my coworkers."

For more stories about how Star Wars influenced Austin's filmmakers, writers, and more, read "Star Wars Memories," May 4.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Star Wars
<i>Chronicle</i> Recommends: <i>Star Wars</i> Actors in Non-<i>Star Wars</i> Films
Star Wars Actors in Non-Star Wars Films
Celebrate May the Fourth away from a galaxy far, far away

Chronicle Film Staff, May 3, 2018

Austin Says Farewell to Carrie Fisher
Austin Says Farewell to Carrie Fisher
Goodbyes fit for a princess, senator, general, and writer

Richard Whittaker, Dec. 28, 2016

More Rooster Teeth
Rooster Teeth Goes Big With the Extra Life Fundraiser
Rooster Teeth Goes Big With the Extra Life Fundraiser
Streaming event for children's hospitals goes 24 hours this weekend

Richard Whittaker, Nov. 10, 2023

Massive Shakeup in Top Management at Rooster Teeth
Massive Shakeup in Top Management at Rooster Teeth
New roles for longtime RT personalities as Jordan Levin becomes GM

Richard Whittaker, Sept. 24, 2019

More by Richard Whittaker
Wrecking Mansions and Perfecting Accents With <i>Abigail</i>’s Directors
Wrecking Mansions and Perfecting Accents With Abigail’s Directors
Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin take a bite out of vampires

April 20, 2024

Earth Day, Record Store Day, and More Recommended Events
Earth Day, Record Store Day, and More Recommended Events
Go green in a number of ways this week

April 19, 2024

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Blaine Gibson, Rooster Teeth, Star Wars, The Force Awakens

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle