For those of you who are tracking Randy Pausch’s treatment for pancreatic cancer. There is nothing new to report since May 13, but I did find this interesting item online. You may remember from Professor Pausch’s Last Lecture that he is a Captain Kirk and Star Trek Fan. Well, the director of the new Star Trek movie, J.J. Abrams, contacted the professor and offered him a part in the movie. Here’s the email Abrams sent Pausch:
Dear Randy –
Hi there — I’m JJ Abrams, director of the new Star Trek movie. I read about you and your condition, and ALSO your affinity for things Trek.
So, I just wanted to put the invitation out there — that if you had any desire to be in the film (can’t promise you role as CAPTAIN, but… we could do SOMETHING!), it would be my honor and pleasure.
The last thing I want to do is intrude, so feel free not to reply — but I wanted to make sure you knew that, if you are willing and able, the door is wide open.
I hope that your treatments are going well and that we get to meet one day.
Best,
JJ
Very cool. The good professor accepted the invitation and will indeed appear in the movie. Here’s what he had to say about the experience:
Jai & I hopped a plane to LA, where I got a custom-made Star Trek uniform and my own station on the bridge, where I had lots of buttons and controls. I even got a LINE!!!!
Very cool. You can visit Randy’s website for more interesting Pausch facts.
The South Side of the Moon 
lie about dying from pancreatic cancer and get a speaking part in a movie? not a bad deal. The great news is that Randy will still be alive when the movie is released so he can go watch himself on screen. I’m sure he will love it, buy the DVD when it comes out, and replay it several thousand times over the course of the next 10 years.
Selby..I would agree with you if it you’re talking about some other person. Forget about his illness. He has done great deal to the progress of science. The Alice project itself should deserve him a part in the movie.. I guess it is not exactly nice or ethical to heap contempt to a man’s attempt to leave something valuable to the generations to come.. Please read the book- it will enlighten you a lot on some aspects of life you don’t take seriously…but which you should…However, there should be a certain amount of humility on part of the reader to properly comprehend the message he tries to convey…good luck with that…
thnx
“some aspects of life” I don’t take seriously? “Please read the book”? “There should be a certain amount of humilty”?
What language is that gibberish is? Sachith, I have watched his videos (several of them) and from those I have learned all that I need to know about Randy Pausch. My friends and family are VERY clear on my feelings about what Randy has done. Not only will I NEVER buy or read his book, but his book is NOT allowed to EVER be brought into my house.
Ok…I think you know something I don’t… What part of the whole story made you NOT at least bring the book home..??
The part about him choosing to profit from lying about dying from an illness that devastates those that truly have it. Randy will not die from pancreatic cancer (because he never had it) but he has profited $7M by saying that he is “dying in a few months” from it over and over in his “Boo-hoo” speech.
I find it truly appalling that anyone could be so inhumane and heartless to the plight of another and his family. However, if you have said proof that a man, who was already financially very well off before his diagnosis, is truly lying, why then don’t you go on Oprah and ABC and dispute him? You’re proof there is truly evil in the world and make it hard for this christian to feel pity on you, but in the end, there will be judgement for all of us.
gay,
There is only one “e” in judgment. I’ll bet that if you devoted more time to reading then you wouldn’t author such emotional comments with typographical errors. Let me give you a clue: It is not inhumane to say that someone is lying if they are lying. Randy Pausch is a liar and he is not dying. You seem to be trying speak with authority on Randy’s actual diagnosis. Let’s see….. so that means you have seen the written diagnosis from a licensed medical professional stating that Randy was diagnosed with ductal adenocarcinoma? Nah. I’m not buying it because I know that Randy has NEVER been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. The worst his diagnosis would have been is nonmalignant cystic neoplasm; you are just to clueless to realize that. And as far as his “plight” goes I’m afraid you are losing me there. Exactly how much “plight” should I exhibit sympathy for when Randy has purposefully stated over and over “I’m dying in a few months” when he knew that he was lying? Randy has profited millions of dollars by manipulating the women in those audiences (1st speech and reprise) and I find that disgraceful and I object to him doing that.
Oh, and thanks for the comment about your “christianity” but let me go ahead and reject any “pity” that you feel that you are in a position to extend. Anyone as lost as you are needs to worry about (and pity) yourself and try to get yourself in order before thinking about others. From your posting it seems that would be a full time job for you. I assure you that I see the Randy Pausch story far more clearly than you do. I know what Randy has done; maybe a few years from now, when you realize Randy is still alive, even you will be able to see what Randy has done.
Randy Pausch is NOT dying and he never was dying.
Selby,
If you are going to correct another’s grammar, please correct your own so I don’t have to fumble through it. “You are just to clueless to realize that”… I think you meant “too” cluelss, and if you didn’t, then you’re too dumb to be writing a blog.
“The Big Guy”,
The fact that you chose that id for yourself already has me laughing (at you). Good job catching the spelling error. Lets see, I wrote that posting a couple of weeks ago. Did it take you that long to master your Hooked-on-Phonics set enough to catch the error? Regardless, I’m proud of you; for you, it had to be a major achievement.
Not to nit-pick since you are so proud of finding the misspelled word but you misspelled “clueless” above; it is not spelled “cluelss”. Don’t let it get you down; I’m sure it wasn’t one of your “Phonics” words so it is understandable for you to misspell it. Keep practicing your reading; you are doing great. In as few as 20-25 years I’ll bet you will be ready to finish that GED and get that job you always wanted down at the 7-11. Good luck and I’m rooting for you!
PS – Randy Pausch is NOT dying and he NEVER was. He has lied about his true condition since this story began.
Selby,
Thanks for pointing out my typo. But LET’S be clear–THERE’S a difference between a typo and a complete lack of understanding of the English language. For instance, I think in your response you meant “let’s” see, not “lets” see. IT’S a contraction for “let us.” And my point is only this: I’VE read a lot of your posts, and you make an interesting argument. I’M not quite ready to agree with you, but I have found myself wondering about the diagnosis, since Randy is still alive. I’M hoping IT’S a miracle. (I bought and read the book, btw, and I enjoyed it very much). But b/c you make an interesting point, I wanted to read more of your thoughts. But your writing is riddled with such rancid grammatical errors that I find myself distracted more by your absolute lack of understanding the English language than moved by your message.
But keep writing, I’m interested in how this whole thing turns out and whether YOU’RE right or wrong. But please, do your writing with a dictionary by your side so that I can concentrate on the meaning of your passages, and not your stupidity.
Big Guy
TBG,
There you go with the humor again. I want you to know that no matter how much the rest of the world gives up on you de Selby is pulling for you. In fact, I’m certain that your incredible skills at stand up comedy has a stage begging your attendance right now.
The reason that I correct your spelling The Big Guy, is because I assure you I am both the most educated and intelligent person you will ever argue with online. I’m certain of that or you are arguing with some very educated people. Anyway I correct yours and the other feral visitors of these blogs but no one corrects mine. You idiots aren’t qualified EVEN if I misspell a word you are not qualified to correct anything I do. Let me give you an example:
Thz queck brawn fax jimped ovar tha lizy dag.
Comments? In one ear and out the other.
PS – GREAT WORK with your reading TBG. I’ll bet in 6 or 7 years you will be able to read words wtih 2 syllables. Keeeep upp thi grate wurk wiff yur readin and what all.
Is this thread a joke? Big Guy, you really are a sad individual. I truly am sad for someone so small and self-absorbed. The man is dying and human suffering of any kind is a tragedy. This man has a wife and small children. Someone has clearly done something to you at some point in your life for you to have such a trivial existence. I will pray for you.
Carrie,
Your posting is almost too embarassing to respond to. Big Guy has not said anything negative about Randy; after taking your medication for Attention Deficit Disorder please re-read the postings. Big Guy thinks Randy is great; de Selby thinks Randy is a liar.
Randy is not dying. He will not be dead 10 years from now.
Clearly a mistake. I was so apalled at the childish sniping back and forth, i lost track of who was the bigger ass. You win. de Selby. You strike me as someone perhaps living in his mom’s basement , mad at the world because you got beat up in high school. Big Guy, my apologies. I can see why you could get caught up in such petty dialogue with de Selby. The idea that anyone would think Randy would fake his illness is so disturbing it would push anyone to defend themselves unnecessarily. de Selby, I feel sorry for you. Big Guy, move on. This idiot isn’t worth it. If Randy has taught anyone anything it is that life is to short to worry about such petty people.
Carrie,
Personally I’m amazed that sycophantic “geniuses” such as your self are even able to assemble sentences. Regarding living at home with mom: I may be just a smidge older than you think I am Carrie. It’s not surprising because you don’t strike me as being the brightest person in the world. And don’t feel sorry for me Carrie. I actually feel sorry for you and all of the other “geniuses” that can not see what Randy has done.
Randy Pausch is not dying and he knows it. If he had any character at all he would be ashamed of himself for what he has done.
I wish you were wrong. I really do. I can’t help you and would not attempt to . I can just pray for Randy and those close to him. That is where I prefer to put my energy. I am finished with this. You are clearly disturbed and I do pity you.
To all of those who are praying for Randy, continue to do so. Pancreatic cancer is a very painful way to go. I watched a friend suffer until he passed over a year ago. His wife told me how comforting it was to know others were thinking of him. Your hearts are in the right place.
Carrie,
You are right about the Randy Pausch story disturbing me. Since I am from a family that has lost several members to cancer I DO FIND IT VERY DISTURBING that someone would lie about having an illness that they NEVER HAD. Randy knows that most people are as stupid as you are and do not know the difference between nonmalignanat cystic neoplasm and ductal adenocarcinoma; unfortunately for Randy de Selby does know that difference. Getting someone like you to believe Randy’s apocryphal story would be one of the easiest tasks on earth because you are not very intelligent.
Do your self a favor and try to read something soon; it would do you a world of good even if it was only the Sunday funnys.
Well, de Selby, since Mr. Pausch died this morning, you can now emulate your namesake, the fictional De Selby, in claiming that death is a myth, merely a symptom of breathing “black air”.
de Selby, oh genius that you are, do you have the courage to post on this thread that you were wrong? Are you man enough to apologize? To admit that all your writing was preposterous, and that you badmouthed a dying man who was trying to wring the last drops of happiness out of life–and did a pretty good job by becoming a millionaire and a bestselling author in the twilight of his life?
Don’t worry, The Big Guy is here for you.
I would like to post an apology to this blog.
When I heard on the news yesterday that Professor Pausch died I was not just shocked; I was floored. Before hearing that he had passed away my brain simply could not believe that he was actually dying. So many people told me that he was dying and that his story was true but I just could not believe it. Most of my life cancer has been in my family. None of my family members with a terminal diagnosis looked like Professor Pausch did when he gave his last lecture. Because of the way he looked, and the book deal that followed his speech, I felt certain that his story was another example of someone exploiting something for money. Because of the pain that cancer has caused in my family it disturbed me to think that his story was not real and that he got a book deal out of it. And if any other blogger disagreed with my comments, I would say that they were stupid for not being able to see what I thought I could see. I now realize that I am the most cynical, bitter, and stupid person that I know. Professor Randy Pausch was a far better man and a better human being than I will ever be.
I deserve any of things that people may now decide to post about me. I will not object to any of it because I assure you that right now I’m saying a lot of those same things to myself. In my stupid mind I was 100% certain that Professor Pausch would not die for many years. That shows how stupid I am. I am a very stupid person. The news of his death yesterday has me literally feeling physically ill. Before his death I felt so certain that I was right about the things I previously wrote but I now know that everything I have written about Professor Pausch was wrong and I am sorry for writing those things.
De Selby,
Don’t beat yourself up too much over this. You believed something strongly and you stood by your position. No fault there. You obviously have some history and experience on which you were basing your opinion. There’s nothing wrong with being wrong, and I am impressed that you apologized to Randy’s family. Buy his book and help his family. It’s quite good, and we can all learn a few things from it.
This is just a brick wall that Randy talks about–you can get over it.
The Big Guy
Hello De Selby,
I guess it is fair for you to had doubts as to the authenticity of Randy Pausch. See, there are so many people who deceive people that it is hard to believe that there are gentleman like Randy Pausch….So De Selby, don’t worry I won’t write anything nasty about you, actually I stopped arguing with you because I thought “what if this guy is right and Randy Is a deceiver?”…….. As I said before, in this world of countless deceivers, it is natural for any sane person to doubt these things…don’t feel too upset about this….let it pass…:)
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Shame on you, De Selby for thinking Randy Pausch would exploit, or pretend to be dying from, Cancer just to make money and be a celebrity. If you read his book, you would know that he said he would give it all back NOT to be sick. He donated his Star Trek stipend to charity (he also said that in his lecture), and he said he did that famous lecture for three people. Dylan, Logan and Chloe, his children, who will barely know their Father, except for a few memories and a screen image. SHAME ON YOU! I never met Randy, though I really wanted to meet this wonderful, inspirational man, but I feel from everything I saw and read that I knew him anyway. Don’t be so quick to judge or condemn just because there is Cancer in your family. I lost both my parents to Cancer 5 years apart – and before I turned 40, and I NEVER FOR ONE MINUTE believer Randy was pretending or exploiting his illness. His dying was a HUGE LOSS for ALL of us. Even YOU.
In De Selby’s defense, he did man-up and apologize. I’m sure Randy himself would take the attitude of “Forgive and forget.”
Pausch was an egomaniac. What a jerk!!!