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We all need a good vacation from time to time. There’s nothing like a relaxing retreat to melt away the stress of life for a moment. For some of us, that perfect getaway is a long weekend at the beach. For others, it’s reconnecting with nature in the mountains. What if I told you there’s one camping trip out there that’s right up our nerdy alley? Millbrooke Realmquest fuses tabletop gaming with live-action role-play in a daring new experience that let’s you take a real-life Dungeons & Dragons vacation.

Saddle Snaps

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment. The pitter-patter of hooves as you embark on a quest upon horseback. You sniff out a mysterious incident at a royal wedding tournament. Back at camp, fellow travelers gather around a fire to share their findings. This is what’s waiting for you at camp. Millbrooke Realmquest’s live-action D&D experience is a weekend-long getaway where players can play through a real-life campaign. It’s a vacation like no other.

The experience fuses elements of tabletop gameplay with live-action role-play. Activities include camping, rituals, tournaments, archery competitions, tarot card readings, and escape room-style puzzles. Expert DMs host each activity. Campers can also visit an on-site tavern to grab a pint—and maybe even a quest from the barkeep. The experience seems to blend the beauty of a Ren Faire with the magic of D&D. What a delightful combo.

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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Could Help Ease Your Anxiety

The weekend-long event takes place from May 1 to 3 at Millbrook Trails in Newark, Illinois. Tickets are $500 and include two horseback quests. If you feel called to quest on your own two feet, rather than by horse, you can purchase a ticket for $400 without any riding. Millbrooke Realmquest scatters player across three camps, each with their own unique lore. All meals are included with the ticket. Tents are available to rent for $50, though adventurers are encouraged to bring their own camping gear.

Millbrook Trail Rides

For avid D&D players, it’s easy to get totally absorbed in a good campaign. So much so that it feels real. This unique camping experience truly does blur those lines between reality and role-playing adventure. It’s a vacation all of us who yearn to quest can stand by. You can sign up for your D&D-inspired vacation at the Saddle Snaps website.

The post This D&D-Themed Vacation Lets You Quest on Horseback appeared first on Nerdist.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already breaking box office records left and right. Fans of the animated Nintendo adaptation, both young and old, are flocking to movie theaters. One reason the first movie became so popular is that Jack Black’s song “Peaches,” which he performed as Bowser, became a viral hit in 2023. Now, Jack Black has debuted a new Super Mario song, only it’s not in the actual Super Mario Galaxy Movie movie. Wait, what?? Via the folks at IGN, we learned that Jack Black performed this new Mario song on The Tonight Show. And he did it playing a guitar in King Koopa garb (of course). You can watch the clip of the new song right here:

Jack Black’s silly little ditty has backing vocals, if we can call them that. They’re performed by co-stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Brie Larson, Charlie Day, and Donald Glover. Below are the lyrics to Jack Black’s new Super Mario song. We imagine there’s got to be some of you out there who wish to perform it at karaoke or something.

There once was a man named Mario, yes you know who I mean/He had a brother, Luigi, who was always wearing green/ There was also Princess Peach, who made my heart explode/But they defeated me with the help of a tiny little mushroom man named Toad/They locked me up and shrunk me down/ oh Bowser he was done/ But now they’re facing Bowser Jr., and he is my son/ Oh, Mario and Luigi are now in outer space/And Peach and Toad and Rosalina are all up in my face/ But me and Bowser Jr. will get Mario once more, but Yoshi is now in their crew/he’s a cool little freaky dinosaur/ It’s Super Mario/ in the Star-io/ He’ll be going far-io/ In reality, all his pals and he, they will bow to me, in the galaxy.

NBC

It’s hard to believe they couldn’t find a way to fit this new Jack Black song into The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Not even in the credits? Especially after “Peaches” became such a breakout hit. But at least thisb bop lives on late-night television and on the internet. Maybe we’ll just have to wait for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Special Edition to hear it in the movie.

The post Jack Black Sings New SUPER MARIO Song (That’s NOT in the Movie) appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s almost time. Soon, NASA’s Artemis II moon mission will enter its Lunar Flyby phase, where we’ll actually be able to see the moon. During the Lunar Flyby, NASA’s Artemis II moon mission will officially take its astronauts farther into space than any other humans have ever been. NASA shares, “On Monday, April 6, the four astronauts of Artemis II will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history—breaking the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. They’ll sail around the far side of the Moon, photographing lunar features never before seen by human eyes. At their closest point, they’ll pass roughly 4,000 miles above the lunar surface.” And unlike in the days of yore, we can be there for every small step and giant leap. Tune into the official YouTube live stream below and join these astronauts and thousands all over the world, as we get glimpses of the moon and space that we’ve never seen before.

Just thinking about the scope of this moon mission is awe-inspiring. Those participating in this adventure will see visions literally never seen before by human eyes. And thanks to the live stream, we can journey to the deepest depths of space and glimpse the moon ourselves. As NASA shares, the Artemis II’s trip will include a look at the dark side of the moon and lunar features that human eyes have never witnessed. Potentially, this mission sets the stage for another moon landing in the near future.

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NASA shares highlights of the moon mission/lunar flyby live stream include:

• 1:56 p.m. EDT (1756 UTC): Artemis II crew surpasses the Apollo 13 distance record
• 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 UTC): Lunar observation period begins
• 6:47 p.m. EDT (2247 UTC): Predicted loss of communications as Artemis II heads behind the moon (roughly 40 minutes)
• 7:02 p.m. EDT (2302 UTC): Artemis II’s closest approach to the Moon
• 7:05 p.m. EDT (2305 UTC): Artemis II reaches its furthest distance from Earth

NASA

I feel shivers just thinking about it! You can also watch NASA’s constant Artemis II moon mission live stream here.

The post Live Stream NASA’s Lunar Flyby as Moon Mission Goes Deeper Into Space Than Ever Before appeared first on Nerdist.

Nominate your startup, or one you know that deserves the spotlight, and finish the process by applying. Selected 200 have a chance at VC access, TechCrunch coverage, and $100K for Startup Battlefield 200. Applications close on May 27.

Learn how to use Spotify, Canva, Figma, Expedia, and other apps directly in ChatGPT.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 7:30 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 7:30 a.m. on April 6

• A lane on westbound SR-152 at Clifford Drive/Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville and Pajaro is closed for asphalt paving. The closure is expected to last until July 3.
   
• A vehicle was partially blocking the road at Brommer St. and 7th Ave. in Eastside / Live Oak, causing a traffic hazard. CHP helped move the vehicle, but it was still partly in the way. A tow truck was requested and is expected to arrive in about 90 minutes. The incident was reported today.
   
• A red Toyota sedan and a white Mercedes SUV were involved in a collision at Corralitos Rd and Varni Rd at 7:10 a.m. today. No injuries were reported.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Monday morning traffic: Lane closed on WB SR-152; crash at Corralitos & Varni appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Starting today, you have 5 days to save nearly $500 on your ticket to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. This offer disappears Friday, April 10, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Register here to secure these low rates.

The pcTattletale founder escapes a custodial sentence following the first successful prosecution of a spyware maker in the U.S. in over a decade.

The Watsonville City Council meets in June 2024. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo — Santa Cruz Local file)

Editor’s note: This story first appeared as an episode of Noticias Watsonville. Listen to the Spanish podcast here. 

WATSONVILLE >> The Watsonville City Council proposed rate increases for water, trash and sewer services at its March 24 meeting. The average household in Watsonville would see their bill go up about $14 starting July 1. The rates would increase each year through 2031. 

The proposed rate hikes include:

• 5% annually for water.
• 2% annually for trash.
• 16% in 2027, 12% in 2028 and 6% each year from 2029 to 2031 for sewer.

The proposed increase to sewer fees are needed to pay for replacements to aging facilities at the wastewater treatment plant, which could cost $57 million. The facility was built in 1961 and the last major upgrade was in 1986, said Danielle Green, assistant director of public works. 

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The equipment that needs to be replaced is “the area where all of the sewage in the city comes to the plant, so it’s a very important component of the plant,” Green said. “The structure’s in really bad shape. We’ve had to close off some areas of it because it’s not safe for our staff to access.”

Increases to water rates are needed in part to pay for water filtration upgrades to remove chromium six from groundwater wells that feed the city’s water supply. The chemical can cause health harms but is not at a dangerous level, Green said. New state regulations require the city to bring chromium six levels lower.

Increases to trash fees are due in part to new state regulations that require biodegradable materials to be separated from trash, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The proposal is set to be considered by the Watsonville City Council on May 26. Ratepayers can submit a protest in writing, stating evidence why the proposal is not in line with Proposition 218. That law, among other requirements, dictates that utilities fees must only cover the costs of delivering services. In other words, the additional revenue from the fee increases can only be used to continue providing utilities services. 

A webinar to answer questions about the proposal is planned for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29.

Questions or comments? Email info@santacruzlocal.org. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.

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The post Watsonville utilities rates could go up July 1 appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

The company is also announcing a deal with L3Harris to build the sensors for Xoople's spacecraft.

Amid declining enrollment and shrinking state and federal funding, several Santa Cruz County school districts approved significant layoffs this year to maintain long-term financial stability. Districts including Pajaro Valley Unified, Soquel Union Elementary, Live Oak, Scotts Valley Unified and Santa Cruz City Schools proposed cuts affecting dozens of positions, though officials say some reductions could be avoided through attrition or other savings measures.

The post The Santa Cruz County school districts that approved layoffs this year appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Clay Hausmann, a local comedian, is taking the stage once again to perform his comedy routine, “Empty Nest and All the Rest,” focusing on parents whose kids are growing up and soaring off into adulthood.

The post Feathering the nest: Clay Hausmann returns with his one-man comedy show appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission on Thursday approved its proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, which is similar to the current year’s budget. It also approved agreements in the process of becoming the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line’s operator.

The post Carmageddon: RTC approves ’26-27 budget, next steps in operating rail line appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Glue and paper wouldn't have cared about discoverability

Bork!Bork!Bork!  Today's entry in the pantheon of public whoopsies is not so much Windows falling over as someone sticking a network connection where it possibly doesn't belong.…

Candidates for the Santa Cruz mayoral and city council races presented their visions for the city as they seek endorsement from the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County (DWC) during a forum over the weekend in Capitola. 

The forum covered all of the contested races in the county: Santa Cruz mayor, city council Districts 4 and 6, and District 4 county supervisor. 

ELECTION 2026: Read more Lookout news and Community Voices opinion coverage here

However, candidates for the District 4 county supervisor race — incumbent Felipe Hernandez and challenger Elias Gonzales — did not participate. The third candidate for the supervisorial race, Tony Nuñez, was not considered for an endorsement because he did not state a party preference. 

A candidate must receive 50% plus one — a simple majority — from voting members present at the forum and those who tuned in via Zoom. There appeared to be about 30 in-person attendees, but it’s unclear how many attended on Zoom.

Results of the vote have not been shared with the public. 

In the crowded Santa Cruz mayoral race, those hoping to replace Fred Keeley, who is not seeking reelection, are: former supervisorial candidate and Get The Flock Out co-founder Ami Chen Mills; activist and former mayoral and city council candidate Joy Schendledecker; former city councilmember and mayor Chris Krohn; environmental advocate Gillian Greensite; and former mayor, city councilmember and county supervisor Ryan Coonerty. 

Santa Cruz City Council District 4 sees incumbent Scott Newsome defending his seat against community activist Hector Marin, who also ran against Newsome in 2022. District 6 has incumbent Renee Golder facing off with graduating UC Santa Cruz senior Gabriella Noack. 

Santa Cruz mayoral race 

Candidates for all three races were given two minutes for introductions and to discuss some of their priorities if elected, followed by questions from DWC president Peggy Flynn and the audience. 

Coonerty was the only mayoral candidate who was not present Saturday morning. Audience members were mostly concerned about housing and development — primarily in the downtown area of Santa Cruz. 

Schendledecker said she believes there’s a housing shortage and that Santa Cruz has been “underbuilt for so long.” She said the city is stuck between community preference for less building and state housing laws, which call for more housing to be built. Schendledecker said she has concerns about the empty commercial spaces in many of the newer housing developments. 

APRIL 15: Hear from District 4 county supervisor candidates in an election forum moderated by Lookout

Chen Mills echoed her opponent’s comment about an ongoing housing shortage. She said local officials need to educate the public about the efforts to meet state housing numbers. She added that the city needs to have objective standards when it comes to housing and lay out what types of buildings it would like to see. 

Krohn said that rather than a housing crisis, there’s an affordability crisis in Santa Cruz. He criticized the lack of affordable units in some of the new apartments being built downtown. 

Greensite said that by approving so many projects, the city is causing overdevelopment. She said median incomes need to increase because more affluent people are snapping up these units. She added that it might be time for the city “to take a pause” in approving housing developments. 

Santa Cruz City Council

Candidates from both races participated in the second forum. District 4 candidate Marin was the only one absent. Members of the audience and Flynn asked candidates what projects or issues they would like to address and how they’d plan to push back against the federal government on issues such as immigration and offshore oil drilling.

All three candidates said they are supportive of policies prohibiting federal immigration officials from using city properties for enforcement purposes, such as those recently passed at the county level and in Watsonville. Golder mentioned that some of her colleagues on the city council are beginning to work on legislation related to immigration. 

From left to right: Santa Cruz City Council District 6 incumbent Renee Golder, District 4 incumbent Scott Newsome and District 6 challenger Gabriella Noack. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz

Noack said she wants to prioritize creating a sustainable, long-term local economy, in addition to helping streamline the permitting process for local business owners seeking to open brick-and-mortar stores. She said one of the reasons there might be empty spaces in the new developments is that the permitting process is too lengthy and complicated. 

Golder said she would continue to focus on workforce housing, and would like to see more such projects in the community. She said she’d also like to look into converting older buildings into condos to create opportunities for residents to have homeownership. 

Newsome also said he would like to continue pushing for more affordable housing, and would like to invest more attention on local infrastructure to make roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post Candidates for Santa Cruz mayor, city council races vie for endorsement from Democratic Women’s Club in weekend forum appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

Two years ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a strategy to save declining salmon — spotlighting a historic partnership with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe to reintroduce endangered winter-run Chinook to the vital, cold waters upstream of Lake Shasta in far northern California. 

Now, tribe officials say the state is ending its support, potentially causing salmon restoration efforts on the McCloud River to die mid-stream. The tribe is now grappling with the sudden loss of jobs, along with the dimming of hope that the culturally sacred fish will be restored to their ancestral waters. 

“It makes me feel betrayed. It makes the tribe feel betrayed,” said Gary Mulcahy, government liaison for the tribe. “It’s like they just gave up.” 

State officials say the one-time funds were tied to the state’s drought response and have now been used up. 

“The pilot was designed to take urgent action during severe drought conditions while testing key tools and approaches needed for potential long-term reintroduction,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Stephen Gonzalez said in an email.

Racing against warm water

Federal scientists call the Sacramento River’s winter-run Chinook salmon “one of the most at-risk endangered species.” 

Cut off from historic higher elevation cold-water spawning grounds by the Shasta and Keswick dams, the fish have been stranded for decades in the Sacramento River — where warm water routinely cooks their eggs. Keeping that water cold enough for salmon puts limits on how much water federal managers can deliver from Lake Shasta — a vital irrigation supply for Central Valley farmers.

“We are forcing the fish to be in places where they never were historically,” said Carson Jeffres, a senior researcher at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “When we have all those eggs in one basket, you are one really warm event from losing that cohort of fish.” 

Cassandra Curl (right), with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, and Justin Call, environmental scientist, work on the California Department of Water Resources’ Juvenile Salmonid Collection System Pilot Project in the upper McCloud Arm of Lake Shasta in Shasta County on Nov. 20, 2025.
Credit: Xavier Mascareñas / California Department of Water Resources via CalMatters

The drought years of the early 2020s decimated the eggs, which prompted emergency action even before Newsom announced his salmon plan. “It was our wake-up call,” Jeffres said. 

In 2022, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife joined with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and federal fisheries agencies to relocate endangered salmon eggs from the hatchery below Lake Shasta to the cold, spring-fed McCloud River upstream. 

For the first time in more than 80 years, the fish swam in their ancestral river, where they had once been abundant. 

State and federal agencies finalized the partnership the next year, naming the Winnemem Wintu Tribe as a “co-equal decision-maker” in agreements to work on restoring salmon to the McCloud River. 

“The goal is ecological and cultural restoration, which will one day renew fishing opportunities for the tribe that depended on the once-plentiful salmon for food and much more,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in the media release three years ago. 

Newsom touted the effort in his 2024 salmon strategy, which featured a smiling photograph of Winnemem Wintu Chief and spiritual leader Caleen Sisk next to Chuck Bonham, then-director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. They stood in front of the McCloud River. 

“Partnerships with Tribal Nations,” the strategy said, “can propel our mission forward.”

Funding ends as fish return

The McCloud’s salmon, trucked around Lake Shasta to complete their ocean migration, have started to come back. Last year, a couple of 2-year-old males returned to swim up the Sacramento River. 

The eggs they fertilized hatched in incubation tanks on the banks of the McCloud, according to Rebekah Olstad, project manager for the Winnemem Wintu’s salmon restoration efforts. 

But this year, the state, tribal and federal scientists involved have no plans to transport fertilized eggs above the dams, Olstad said. The tribe expects its state funding will be gone by the end of June, and is already laying off personnel from work tribal leaders hoped would help employ tribal members long term. 

Olstad, who is not a tribal member, is also losing her job. She says that the tribe has received a little over $6 million for the McCloud projects since 2023, with the grant set to end this year. 

“The tribe was aware that the current grant contract would end,” Olstad said. “However, under the co-management framework, the tribe has been expecting that there would be partnership to secure the next round of funding … so that there would be capacity to actually continue the work.”

The grant also supported an ambitious effort to bring the wild descendants of McCloud salmon back to California from New Zealand. Exported more than a century ago, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe hopes these salmon will revive the genetic diversity of the few remaining endangered salmon in the Sacramento River. But this work, too, Sisk said, risks grinding to a halt. 

“We’re down to bare-bones staff,” Sisk said. “It pretty much shuts down all of our efforts.” 

Science — and trust — interrupted

Sisk and Mulcahy said they communicated their concerns to California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and to Bonham. Both, Sisk said, indicated that they would try to find additional funding.  

Tribal leaders also met with current Fish and Wildlife Director Meghan Hertel, Sisk said.  

“They all say it’s an important program,” Sisk said. “If it’s good, then where’s the funding?”

Gonzalez, the department spokesperson, emphasized that the program was a pilot. “While this initial phase of on-the-ground pilot work is ending, it has successfully established the scientific, operational and partnership foundation needed to inform next steps,” he said. 

Jeffres, the UC Davis scientist, has been studying conditions and monitoring salmon in the McCloud under a separate state grant – one he said has also recently ended. 

Even if the state awards more funding for the tribe’s restoration efforts, he said, interruptions to science damage trust and relationships — creating setbacks and inertia that are difficult to recover from. Jeffres said it’s difficult to see the rug pulled out from under the Winnemem Wintu Tribe once again. 

“I would give up any of our research funding to have the program continue with the tribe,” Jeffres said. “I’m looking under every couch cushion.” 

Mulcahy said seeing the state’s funding end has been especially hard after the Newsom administration’s announcement of $10 million for salmon projects three months ago. 

“We were told [the department] was a co-manager — and then all of a sudden, boom. I mean, there’s nothing there,” Mulcahy said. 

The Governor’s Office and Natural Resources Agency did not immediately respond to CalMatters’ requests for comment.

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post Endangered salmon returned to California’s far north — then the money dried up appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Actor Mark Hamill is a national treasure. Not only for his iconic role in the Star Wars saga as Luke Skywalker, but also for his decades of voice roles in animation. And now, Mark Hamill is lending his voice as the LEGO Group’s Junior Executive Director of Information (J.E.D.I.), ready to answer their burning questions about LEGO’s new SMART Play sets.

LEGO’s new SMART Play sets are the first interactive, screen-free sets from the legendary toy company. Mark Hamill will take on the role of fans’ personal guide to the world of LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets, revealing all the cool secrets behind this new technology that lets the galaxy play back. We had the opportunity to chat with Mark Hamill about his new role in the LEGO galaxy, as well as his fifty-year legacy as one of sci-fi’s most iconic heroes.

LEGO

NERDIST: So this month marks 50 years since the original Star Wars started shooting. What do you remember most from those first days when no one knew what was coming? Back when it was just a movie, and not the movie that would change film history?

MARK HAMILL: Well, I always thought when I read the script, I couldn’t believe how original it was, how funny it was. I loved the humor, and just how effortlessly feminist it was. You know, the princess wasn’t a shrinking violet. She mouthed off to Vader, straight to his face. She took over her own rescue, and made Han and Luke look like chumps. I thought it was so original, and the very first day when I went up to Robert Watson’s office, the production manager, he said, What do you think about what we’re about to start? I said, “I think we’re on a winner,” I was always a fan of fantasy and science fiction. Especially with the added humor.

Lucasfilm

The bonus about Star Wars is that it was so loved, and [back then] people couldn’t own it on video. But there were all the toys, there were all the action figures. And now, you’ve got LEGO too. You can own a piece of Star Wars. And the only limits are your imagination. Anything you can think of, you can do with LEGO.

What’s your history with LEGO? Is there a favorite set you bought for your kids, or for yourself even?

The LEGO Group

I bought them for my kids. I’m remembering them not being specifically tied to a certain title. They were generic in the sense that you could build whatever you wanted. And it was interesting because you see the difference between what [Hamill’s oldest son] Nathan wanted to build as opposed to what Griffin wanted to build, or sometimes they’d collaborate and build them together. And that’s the thing. They’re multigenerational, because I was playing with them as they were playing with them. You can play with your grandparents, or you can play with your little brother. There’s no sort of age limit on LEGO. It’s for everyone.

Yeah, certainly a lot of adults love and collect LEGO, I think, more than kids now, even. After playing the Jedi Luke, what can you tell us about playing “Junior Executive Director of Information,” a.k.a. JEDI?

The LEGO Group

What’s that like? Well, I love that they gave me an actual title. [Hamill holds up a desk placard that says “J.E.D.I.”] I’m gonna ask you if I can keep it. Listen, I had to warn them. I said that in a way, the LEGO people know more about Star Wars than I do, the specifics. Because I see the movies when they come out, but I don’t go back and watch them again. So whenever the last one [The Rise of Skywalker] came out, was it in 2019? I haven’t seen it since. But [LEGO] knows its stuff. They started sending material, a package of their concept and the execution of what they’ve made, and I was astonished.

The LEGO Group

I mean, it’s incredible. They are really well-made. They’re toys that span the generations. And it’s so imaginative too. Back in the day, when we were playing with LEGO, it was up to us, whatever we wanted to build. But, it’s like I haven’t really followed the history of LEGO in that sense, I don’t know whether they’ve done this with other franchises, but I’m sure glad that they hooked up with Star Wars people because they’re just great toys.

Well, Star Wars and LEGO kind of go together like peanut butter and jelly, you know? Since you’re providing the voice of J.E.D.I., so to speak, I have to remind folks, this isn’t your first vocal performance for Star Wars. Aside from Luke, you’ve done a bunch of characters, and you got nominated for a Daytime Emmy for playing Sith Lord Darth Bane. How is it that they have never followed up on that? They’ve never given you more animated roles in Star Wars. There should at least be a Darth Bane animated movie or something.

Yeah, I was nominated for Darth Bane. But I only ever won [a voice acting award] for a show that no one’s ever heard of, Eleanor of Avalon. And one reason I think I won is that it was a character whose head spun around, and he had four different personalities, and they gave me this great song. So I really am grateful to Disney for that. Do you know what’s interesting? Here’s a good bar bet. Say, “Mark Hamill won an Emmy for a voiceover. What did he win it for?” Everyone will say the Joker, right? But I was never nominated for that.

Lucasfilm

Anyway, I’m not into the awards. I think it was all for the money [laughs]. Look, I set my career goals very early. When I started, all I ever wanted to be was a working stiff. You know, supporting characters, TV, movies, cartoons, whatever. I just wanted to be able to make a living, doing what I love, and I was so grateful even before anything happened that made me well known. To be able to go from the year 1970, getting my first job, to getting Star Wars in 1976? And I was really happy in those six years. I got to do so many things.

So this new LEGO SMART Play feature is very, very cool. Did you ever imagine that toys would get to this point of interactive technology?

The LEGO Group

Technology keeps improving and, you know, I keep asking my kids, “When did phones come in? When did computers come in? When was the internet?” Because you lose track of time when you’re as old as I am. And like I say, my concept of LEGO was, you know, all the bricks you need. You could buy specialized sets if you wanted to build a specific thing. But it’s amazing how they have incorporated the most modern technology. Now they have these things called a SMART Brick, that you place into the toy, and… look at what it does. [Several Star Warsy sounds come out of the toy] It’s so cool.

So there’s been like 1,000,000 Luke LEGO minifigures at this point. Do you have any, and do you have a favorite?

Well, I have this. [Holds up a classic A New Hope Tatooine Luke] Classic. Yeah. And look, at least they finally got the hair color right. When I first came out as a Kenner action figure, I had lemon yellow hair.

Lucasfilm/Hasbro/LEGO

I remember, I had one! Yeah, why is that?

They told me, “Well, because that’s the basic color they have, and you’re considered a blonde.” Even though I have brown hair. But I didn’t care. I just loved it. I was probably the most enthusiastic about the merchandise, you know, of all of us. You know, Carrie Fisher thought it was kind of fun.

Yeah, I know Carrie Fisher talked a lot about being a shampoo bottle, and the weirdness of people twisting off their head and stuff coming out, which I always thought was funny.

Yes! [laughs] But Harrison, believe me, he didn’t care. [Does a grumpy-sounding Harrison Ford voice impression] “Whatever.” Because I’d come in and say, “Hey, look, we’re a mask on the back of a cereal box!” And he would just roll his eyes.

—

On Apr. 8 from 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET, fans in the U.S. can call 1-877-80-ASK-MARK to hear the J.E.D.I. give fun facts about LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets. A limited number of callers will also be invited to join a live video chat with Mark, as he guides them to master their creative forces and bring them to life with LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets.

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The post Mark Hamill on LEGO SMART Play and 50 Years of STAR WARS appeared first on Nerdist.

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