William Shatner Replies 750
1) your reputation
by tps12
I happened to have seen both of your Twilight Zone episodes (the famous "something on the wing of the airplane" one and the less-famous-but-no-less-interesting one where you are obsessed with a prophecy-dispensing toy in a diner) recently. I have to say that in both episodes I was taken aback at the unexpected quality of your portrayal. Even though everyone associates your face with Captain Kirk, the characters in the TZ episodes came through loud and clear, drowning out my preconceptions.
For this reason, I'd like to ask what you think of your humorous reputation for bad acting. Would you blame some of the egregious hamminess of some of ST on the perception that TV (or SF) wasn't "real" acting or was it directing? Or some other thing?
Bill:
Of course, I don't hear the bad reviews or see them. All I know is the glowing notices that people read to me that some reviewer thinks I'm wonderful. So I've slowly come to think that I'm wonderful.
2) Favourite Parody
by hero
Star Trek has been parodied many times in many different formats; other television shows, movies, comics and so on. You yourself have probably been parodied as much or more in people's "Captain Kirk Impression" stand up skits and the like. My question is, do you recall a favourite parody for its comedy or cleverness of either yourself or the series?
Bill:
I think John Belushi probably did the best.
3) First Interracial Kiss
by Irvu
What was it like to do the first on-screen interracial kiss? How much effort did it take to make the studio go along with it, and how much of an effect did it have on you and the show as a whole?
Bill:
I think the whole interracial kiss thing has been overrated. Nichelle Nichols was a beautiful woman and her lips were full. I merely sought to make an impression.
4) Saturday Night Live
by billmaly
Years ago, when you hosted SNL, you participated in the now classic Trekkie sketch (actually, one of my all time favorite SNL sketches).
Was that sketch a catharsis for you, a means of finally casting off some chains and letting the world know what you think and feel, or was it just a sketch? I am not dissing you, your work, or Trek fans, but, let's be honest here, some people do need to, in your words, "Get a life!". Do you/did you feel that way, or was it just an act? Come on, be honest..... :)
Bill:
Ok, I'll be honest. It was a laugh. Pure & simple. You should have at least been mildly amused. It seems to me that you need to get a life.
5) MPAA
by jhines0042
Concerning the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Do you consider them to be a boon or a bane to actors and actressess?
Bill:
Actually, I don't think that actors think much about MPAA. They're more concerned about AARP.
6) Galaxy Quest
by vrone
I will preface this by saying I am a mild trekkie and as such, I immensely enjoyed the 1999 film Galaxy Quest.
I think everyone who has seen Galaxy Quest will agree that the show that it is based upon is, in essence, "Star Trek". It follows that Tim Allen's Character was essentially meant to be you.
So my two part question is this: Did you enjoy the show, and, how accurate was their portrayal of life after Trek?
Bill:
Yes, I enjoyed it. I think Tim Allen was very funny. As for accuracy, not at all.
7) Time at McGill
by peg0cjs
It's fairly well known (at least here in Canada) that you attended McGill University for some time. They even went so far as to rename the Student Union building the Shatner Building.
I've heard that you were invited to the renaming ceremony, but refused to attend. I've also heard that you generally speak very poorly of your time at McGill. What was it about McGill that was so dreadful/horrible/annoying/etc that has made you so sour on the subject?
Bill:
Oh Contrare. That's French, in case you need it, for 'to the contrary.' I had a great time at McGill. I did go to a ceremony at the student union building and my feeling about McGill is that it's a great university and it produced many great students. Unfortunately, I was not one of them.
8) Nerine Shatner Memorial Fund
by Tsar
After the tragic and untimely death of your wife Nerine, a recovering alcoholic, you took the courageous step of establishing a fund in her name to benefit Friendly House, an organization for recovering alcoholics. How is that work progressing, and has your involvement with this effort helped you work through this loss?
I know that this subject must be painful for you, but I'm sure there are many in the slashdot community who would benefit from your experience and insights here.
Bill:
Thank you for asking about Nerine's fund. It benefits a rehabilitation place called Friendly House. They do wonderful work. Nerine has a rehabilitation home with her name on it and my hope and sympathy is for these recovering women.
9) Seriously...are we cool?
by CleverNickName
Hey Bill,
Are we cool, or what? I mean, I always thought you didn't like me, but I had a good time with you at Weakest Link watching the World Series.
So are we cool, or was that just pre-game strategy?
Wil
Bill:
Dear Will,
We are so cool, we're beyond cool. We are in orbit man. I don't do pre-game strategy.
I look forward to some personal time with you.
10) The balance between Hollywood and Real Life
by Geek In Training
As a normal everyday guy from Canada, it seems hard for "the public" to grasp the diparity between "Bill Shatner, age 61, three adult children, loves horses" and "Actor/Singer/Producer/Writer William Shatner blah blah blah fourth wife ... blah blah blah personal tragedy .... blah blah blah inside scoop" that Hollywood and the Tabloid press seem to turn everyone's life into.
At the end of the day, has the fame been worth the price? Is knowing that you've raised three daughters and entertained people for several decades worth the cost of your privacy? Do you feel that overall, you've gotten a fair shake, even after all the public airings of your alleged failings as a person? Are you going to continue to live in the limelight during your golden years, or settle in and call it good, letting the cards land where they may?
Do you feel you've finished your professional legacy and are ready to leave it for media history, or do you fret over whether or not that legacy is "good enough?" And the same regarding your personal legacy as a man, a husband, a father, a son? What advice can you give to others so that they don't have any regrets?
Bill:
Regret is the worst of human emotions. There is no going back with regret. There is no future with regret. Regret is not something I live with. If there is something I wished I hadn't done, I don't do it anymore or I forgive myself and try better.
My life is my statement and I try to be true to myself and thusly to other people. Whatever my failings are, they are human and I try to perfect it each day.
Wow -- (Score:2, Interesting)
News Flash: Shatner blows off Slashdot (Score:4, Interesting)
At least he isn't as bitter as Alec.
That quote about regret was nice through...
~dlb
typical shatner responses.. (Score:3, Interesting)
I really wish people would have asked about his writing and if he would like to do television writing again.
Oh please you complaining sissies. (Score:3, Interesting)
Have you guys actually heard or listened to any of those recently? Actors/Politicians/Jerks are trained to give as short a response as possible. They know the average attention span of the American person is right around 2.32 seconds.
What you guys think Slashdot deserved some indepth answers to such bland and tedious questions? I mean come the fuck on, the queries weren't even original.
Move over Shatner, bring on Nimoy (Score:5, Interesting)
Or maybe Wil could suggest some other good interviewees from amongst the Trek casts.
- Brent Spiner?
- James Doohan? Get him before he's gone. I bet he'd have tons to say about fun stuff like inventing the first Klingon words.
Is it any wonder? (Score:4, Interesting)
Quite honestly, I think he probably read about the first dozen or so questions and then got to the point where he just got fed up with us asking stupid, insensitive, and downright hurtful questions. I'm amazed that some of you had the gall to call him a murderer, a pervert, and an egomaniac all in the same breath.
End of page quote (Score:1, Interesting)
Can it be a coincidence that the quote at the end of the page is currently "He's dead, Jim."?
Wil Wheaton's cooler (Score:4, Interesting)
Not that I scheduled my week around this, but Shatner's interview could have been worth the two minutes it took us to read it.
Re:Hey (Score:3, Interesting)
But...cuttheguy...some SLACK!
Pause after conjunctions and names (or substitutes like "the guy"). Speed up for a few words after the pause. Overemphasize something toward the end.
Shatner once explained that the (much parodied) delivery was often the result of trying to remember his lines. So (for example), he knows he's supposed to be talking to Spock, forgets what he says next, tries to make up for it by talking fast for a moment, then adds some (melo)drama:
"Spock...runthatscanagain and tell me where...Those...KLINGONS are!"
Re:Short Replies (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, I don't know who was "bagging babes", but I can contribute a data point in the general direction. I'm friends with a female convention staffer and she said that George Takei (Sulu) has a reputation for partying at the hotel when he gets off duty at the Con.
Note: I'm NOT saying anything about sex. I have no idea how the parties actually go. Just saying that he seems to be a party-type-guy that enjoys hanging out with fans.
The same friend also told me Armin Shimerman (Quark) let her and a friend of her's crash out in his hotel suite because he wasn't staying there that night. He had one rule though - check out the costume if you like, just don't touch the teeth.
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Re:In Soviet Russia... (Score:2, Interesting)
Here Goes My Karma... (Score:5, Interesting)
He probably thought the interview was some form of comedy relief here for
I think its funny that
Had all the questions been like the one asking about his late wife, we would all be saying man that was great. Instead we are shrugging wondering more about the man than we did before. Get out of your box or cubical and look around before you mod foolish questions in the future.
Other captain? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:These are awefully short answers... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:You guys are SO charitable (Score:4, Interesting)
Oh give the man a break. Take a look at the questions the slashdotters asked him
(Question 1) Gee Mr. Shatner, what do you think about the fact that you have a reputation as a bad actor?
Star trek parodies, the legendary kiss, the SNL sketch - how many times do you think he's had to go through this? Most of the slashdot questions sounded like guys in that SNL sketch, for chrissake! And you expect deep, thought-out answers to this cruft?
If that was the way fandom approached me for decade on decade, I think I'd try to milk it for all it was worth, too. Otherwise it couldn't possibly be worth it.
Re:You guys are SO charitable (Score:3, Interesting)
But neither were the Q's insulting, and nothing stops one from digressing a bit to flesh things out, or even make up for an amateur interviewer. I mean, they ask pretty dumb questions on The Tonight Show etc. but that doesn't stop the celebrities from doing their darndest to be entertaining, because it reflects on them. They know people expect something when they show up to listen to you. I also know from what I've seen that Shatner can do better -- though for him it always seems like an act.
To show I'm not an implacable meany, here [paradise.net.nz] is an online interview with Jeri Ryan I enjoyed. I thought she did a nice job, provided some insight to the kind of person she is, and was funny. The questions are not generally "Barbara Walters" deep thought questions.
Missing the point, I think! (Score:1, Interesting)
I doubt that he would have even done the interview if he didn't feel like it. Lighten up, and get a life!
Re:Hey (Score:2, Interesting)
The show was pretty cool. A camera crew followed him around while he went back to his childhood neighborhood (for the first time in years). He knocked on the door of the house he grew up in and basically invited himself in to look around. The family that lives there now was somewhat nonplussed to see a camera crew and vaguely familiar person show up and go walking through all their rooms, but they were awfully nice about it. Apparently, he was quite the troublemaker as a kid. The best part was when he told how he got a toolkit for Christmas one year and proceeded to saw the legs off the dining room table, then set it all back up very carefully, so it all collapsed when they sat down to dinner. He also used to get beat up all the time for being the only Jew in the neighborhood.
These somewhat-interesting facts are brought to you at no charge whatsoever.
Re:French approximation :-) (Score:5, Interesting)
- Robin