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Happy 80th Birthday, William Shatner!
gregg writes "Today another geek legend celebrates a birthday. Best known for portraying Captain James T. Kirk, William Shatner has cemented himself into geek science fiction lore forever. Today he begins his ninth decade on this planet — yes, Captain Kirk is now 80 years old."
Seems like a nice enough guy, but man is that show painful to watch. I don't toss around the word "himbo" outside of a tanning salon very often, but it's pretty bad when Valerie Bertinelli has to talk down to you.
I guess at least his infamous ego seems to have ebbed a bit in his advanced years. But he still can't appreciate why Walter Koenig and others hated him in the Star Trek days. In his appearance on the show, Koenig looked like it was all he could do to keep from grabbing him and yelling "YOU STOLE ALL OUR LINES, MOTHERFUCKER!" It probably didn't help that Shatner kept saying stuff like "I'm sorry that you *perceived* me as being selfish or hostile to you back then."
Still, got to give the guy props for a great performance in Star Trek 2. I always wondered how Nicholas Meyer got it out of him. On the DVD commentary track I finally learned how he did it. He would do so about 10 throwaway takes. After about 10 takes, Shanter would get tired and stop trying to be Shatner (i.e. the pompous hero) and he would start to play around with the lines and actually act. Shatner didn't realize what a favor Meyer was doing to him at the time.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Looks like he's doing well on both the living long and the prospering parts...hope there are many years to go. Anyone else think that Raw Nerve is the best thing Shatner has ever done? I love Captain Kirk and Denny Crane but raw nerve is a damn entertaining format, rarely do you see an interview type show where by the end of it you feel like you actually got to know the person a little bit...Raw Nerve does that just about every time, its more like listening in on a conversation at another table more than watching an interview and I really appreciate that.
DeForest Kelly. Now *there* was the Star Trek actor who made the show. Great actor playing a great character.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
May the force be with you!
Why is it every time there's an article posted in connection with some soap opera in space, so many /. denizens are all over it with 100's of posts. Yet whenever there's an article on the real thing (space probes, man in space, deep space observation, etc.), either there are only a few tens of posts (many frivolous), and/or there's actual opposition (waste of money, rich bastards in space, etc.).
Fun and entertaining as he is (and indeed, happy birthday to the man), Shatner is an actor. Neil Armstrong, Wernher von Braun, Burt Rutan, Carl Sagan are/were the real deal - scientists, engineers, astronauts.
Of course, I might be jumping the gun. Perhaps this article will garner few posts.
Why is my karma going up in smoke? :-)
Also, his toupee turns 50 next Friday.
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
When he was 1 second old he was in his first year and his first decade. Exactly 10 years later he was nine years old and in his second decade.
One year later he is one year and one second old.
Two years later he is two years and one second old.
Three years later he is three years and one second old.
Four years later he is four years and one second old.
Five years later he is five years and one second old.
Six years later he is six years and one second old.
Seven years later he is seven years and one second old.
Eight years later he is eight years and one second old.
Nine years later he is nine years and one second old.
Ten years later he is ten years and one second old.
How does it feel to flunk first grade math?
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan gratulations.