Adam Baldwin Is The Man Behind The #GamerGate Hashtag

"Small beans.” In two words, Adam Baldwin summarily dismisses the fact that a group of Australian citizens took up e-arms against the actor — whose infamy rose as the man credited with coining the controversial hashtag #GamerGate, the history and complexities of which are too great to detail here — by igniting a petition to block his upcoming visit for Supanova Pop Culture Convention. In the face of considerable backlash, the con stood by its guest and, in kind, Baldwin is standing by Supanova. “I think that Supanova is a wonderful pop culture event, and no place for politics or controversy,” he elaborates. “It’s for fun and people should go and relax and just have a good time. I was there before a couple of years ago, and that’s all that was.”

Fair enough, but even if he really believes that, does he think that dyed-in-the-wool supporters will be able to make the same distinction for which he is calling and keep the con kosher? “I’m confident they will,” Baldwin says succinctly. In fact, he seems surprised that much of anything he fires off on Twitter has any real staying power. “The thing about Twitter is, it… decomposes quickly. So, you know, I hashtagged the #TwitterInquisition — that can happen if you put something that’s provocative, and… you know — but it decomposes and people move on with their lives; those that sort of stick around with that? That’s their problem, not mine.”

Indeed, away from matters of a controversial nature, Baldwin paints a diplomatic, considered and likeable picture of himself over the course of today’s exchange, freely discussing Firefly’s legacy (“I obviously wish there’d been a couple more films — we had nice sequel arrangements,” but even one movie was “a blessing”), the “hilarious”, nostalgic experience of revisiting the show’s universe for upcoming game Firefly Online with fellow alumni Nathan Fillion, and even offering a box-set-worthy summation of his new role as Executive Officer Slattery in The Last Ship: “It’s an apocalyptic action-adventure set aboard a navy guided missile destroyer in the near future, where a pandemic virus has wiped out 80% of the population and we have to stay alive, find the cure, save the world. That’s our mission.”

Still, that petition — is it like the “Johnny Depp’s dogs” saga, another case of nanny state fever that ultimately makes Australia a less appealing prospect for celebrity visitors? “Well, I’m a big believer in the rule of law, and I think it should apply equally to those across the board,” Baldwin says, alluding to the Depp dog saga. “I’m in no position to comment on Australian rules... Except the football. That’s a bang-up sport.”