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Ask William Shatner Whatever You'd Like
He's Canadian, he's proven himself a successful comedic actor and writer, filmmaker, and musician, but (no matter what else he does) in many people's minds he will always be James Tiberius Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise. Now, William Shatner has agreed to answer your questions. We'll pass on to him a selection of the best reader questions; you might want to read up on Shatner's official home page (and the Wikipedia link above) to knock out some of the most obvious ones. We'll pass on to him a selection of the best questions. Note: it's tempting to pile them on, but please try to follow the interview question guidelines by posting one question per post — ask as many questions as you'd like, though. Shatner is on vacation right now, but will work on answering your questions when he gets back.
In your early days, there were only a few major television networks, and it was much more difficult to move back and forth between television and movies. Today, with so many cable shows, the internet, and with actors moving much more freely between movies and television, do you think young actors have it easier? Or do you think that the proliferation of reality television and the "noise" of so many channels/series has actually made things harder for scripted actors?
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
How bad do the fans actually get? What's your most bizarre anecdote about annoying Trek fans?
Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.
For good or bad, your professional image is forever stamped by your brief portrayal of Kirk. If you could go back and remake your career into that of an actor who has a successful career in smaller, more varied roles, would you?
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
What single moment do you look back upon with the greatest pride/satisfaction? And which one do you wish never happened?
How did you become interested in it, and what is your favorite track? [ I saw you do the "celebrity race" in Washington D.C. during the ALMS weekend a while ago. ]
Mr. Shatner: I recently watched my way through The Original Series and you were constantly pulling your uniform shirt down. I've also heard that the red uniforms from the movies were quite cumbersome to design and wear. Which was more uncomfortable to you, the uniforms from the original television episodes or the red command uniforms from the movies?
Outside of the Star Trek series, you've had a large number of regular, one-off and recurring roles. What would be your favourite role prior to the beginnings of Star Trek and after the original ST series run? If different, what was your favourite one-off?
In the late 80s/early 90s you penned the TekWar series of novels that spun off a few different franchises. Did you consider this a success and do you intend to do any more sci-fi writing in the future?
Given your rather unique history in show business, and the myriad of projects that you've worked on (who can forget Incubus?), is there any project in your past where, even now, you look back even now and say, "What was I thinking?"
Thanks, Captain.
"Enough of this wretched, whining monkey life." -- Marcus Aurelius, _Meditations_, Book 9, 37
Mr. Shatner, as we all know, you've been typecast due to the campy acting on Star Trek, TOS. I've read that you trained a classical shakespearean actor, and having seen some of your earlier work (including the somewhat campy Twilight Zone episodes you starred in) it is obvious you are a competent actor. As a casual Trek fan I enjoy your work - even, as, campy as, you had to play, your role as, Kirk. ;)
My question is this: Was it a struggle for you to be typcast in that manner and being the brunt of jokes, and as result did you struggle then begrudgingly take on roles which parody the acting style on ST:TOS, or did you immediately see it as an opportunity to capitalize on - and expanding upon your answer, do you ever regret having done so, and if so in hindsight, what would you have done differently?
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
Mr Shatner, you have had some amazing successes. Few actors are able to have so many successful runs on tv series in North America. Your recent attempt, Shit my Dad Says, did not work out. How did you react to that cancellation? Were you able to put it in perspective given your other experiences and is that likely your final shot at TV?
It seems like you two have been fighting for quite a while now and I was curious how it started, how long it has been going on, and, as a follow up, what did you think of his bit at your Comedy Central roast?
Bryan R.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
Do you enjoy doing voice over work for animated series more than live acting or vise versa? If so then why is one better than the other?
When you told Jon Stewart the pauses in your delivery were due to "...forgetting [your] lines", was this an actually true answer or was it a way to avoid the question; if avoidance, could you give the real answer now?
(back in 1995 or so you were still noted as an archer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/longterm/archery/archfact.htm and had been for quite a while -- photo here: http://www.archeryhistory.com/archers/pics/shatner.jpg )
If so, how often, using what equipment? Still using a compound or have you gone back to using a recurve or longbow?
If you do still shoot, do you travel w/ your archery gear? Any issues in doing so? Or amusing anecdotes?
William
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
You seemed to have a great relationship with Mr. Spader - was that all fantastic acting, or did you become friends - as in you still see/speak with him even after the show ended?
excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
I frequently see classically trained TV and film actors continue to perform on stage, even when they've "made it big" and no longer need to financially. For example, Patrick Stewart and David Tennant recently co-starred in a production of Hamlet. Have you considered going back to perform at Broadway, Stratford or the like?
What are the biggest differences between William Shatner (the man) and William Shatner (the character)? Do you always do interviews as William Shatner (the character), or do we see some of the real man behind him?
If [insert whoever owns the rights to Star Trek] called you on the phone and said;
"We're starting a new Star Trek series, centred on the later years of Captain Kirk and we want you to resume the role"
Would you? I realise that this would contradict the story line of the movies... but nonetheless, would you jump at the role of playing the character again? If he offered plenty of passionate scenes with 7 of 9 would it change your mind?
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
You were in "$%&! my dad says" (I probably misspelled that) and now it seems to have gone away. What do you feel caused it to fail, and why did you chose to do that?
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
Mr. Shatner,
What was your reaction when you saw Galaxy Quest for the first time?
"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
Growing up, Star Trek was one of the things that got me interested in engineering and the sciences. It made me want to see the future, or create it myself. What do you think should be done to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers?
Do you have any insights from your interviews with the other Captions from the documentary "The Captains" that didn't make the cut? Please share, if so. I found that documentary fascinating and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
What's the biggest flub or improv moment during the making of Star Trek that made it onto TV?
You worked on one of the few films performed entirely in Esperanto: "Incubus" in 1966. Are you still interested in constructed human languages?
Mr Shatner -
Recently I saw you in the Raymond Kurzweil documentary (Transcendant Man) where you emphatically said that you do not want to die.
This year, you have exceeded the average life expectancy of a male for ANY country in the world. Iceland is highest at 80.2 years; you are now 80.5 years.
So my question(s): Are you still fighting the battle for physical/mental immortality? If so, how? If not, can you describe the process you have gone through to accept your mortality and ultimately death?
Thanks very much for your insights.
BTW I loved your work in Star Trek as a youngster, and your cover of Pulp's "Common People" just a few years back.
When I was a kid, your commercial for the Commodore VIC-20 convinced me that I had to have one (because Captain Kirk was advertising it!). I used it to learn some programming (both BASIC and assembler) and it was the early foundation for what I do today. The question: Did you actually use one of them day to day or was it just something they hired you to advertise and they gave you one and it sat in the corner?
Mr Shatner, It's an honor to at least have the chance of asking you something. Thank you for your time. And for everything. Have you considered touring, as a stand-up comedian or whatever, specially outside US and Canada? You know, you have a gigantic fanbase in, ehem, Argentina.
Buanzo Consulting - 15 Years of GNU/Linux experience, for you.
So what's your secret to looking so young? You made an appearance in the documentary, "Transcendent Man". For those of you who haven't seen it, it is a documentary about Ray Kurzweil's continuing quest to take enough supplements and pursue enough radical life-extension techniques to survive long enough to see the technological singularity and thus live forever. Are you pursuing similar supplement regimes and/or life extension techniques to keep you looking young? If so, what works and what doesn't?
TV and movie productions have become more technically elaborate over the years, evolving from what were essentially filmed theatrical productions, to elaborate and technically demanding productions that require a large industry of people to support it. In your view, how has technology changed the role and experience of acting since you started?
Bill, you're well known in the Esperanto world as the star of the pre-Star Trek thriller "Incubus", written and performed in Esperanto.
Cxu vi ankoraux regas vian Esperanto-kapablon de tiu filmo?
(Have you still retained your Esperanto ability from that movie?)
Cxu vi uzis gxin iel ajn poste?
(Have you used it an any way afterwards?)
[Sorry, folks -- I'm using the X-system here instead of actual Esperanto characters, because Slashdot doesn't seem to like Esperanto.]
Thanks!
Amike kaj dankeme,
Scott S.
Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
You've jested about this in the past, but do you have any thoughts on running for a political seat in the Canadian government? We'd love to have you (but hey, anyone can do better than the current guy in the top seat).
Slartibartfast:"Is that your robot?"
Marvin:"No, I'm mine."
Mr Shatner,
Can you share what your thoughts were when you found out that NASA decided to name the 1st shuttle as The Enterprise? Can you offer any insights into the general thoughts of the rest of the cast or Gene himself? How was it for you, knowing that part of the show had such an influence on that segment of the world, meaning the fans and the space community, that they actually honored the show by naming a real spacecraft after it?
BTW, thank you for Kirk. You rock Bill.
Also, how the hell did you get mixed up with the Charlie Sheen roast? You're the last guy I expected to see... but your "who's the warlock now? Bitch" was indeed the highlight of the night. Along with "Steve-o. WTF? " :-)
Huh?
In all of Shakespeare's works, which character would you most enjoy playing, and why?
-- IANAL, this isn't legal advice, and definitely isn't legal advice for you. Also, Squee!
Mr. Shatner:
At one point in your career, work was scarce and you lived out of a truck camper. In your opinion and based on your experience, what is the best way to psychologically deal with particularly trying times (as many people face today)?
out there now. When you were playing Kirk, kids could get a real chemistry set, for example. Now it's a lot different, and that desire to "boldly go where no man has gone before" seems blunted, constrained and discouraged. Much better to play in the sand box with the other kids.
When you were playing Kirk, I was a free range kid doing all manner of things, and yes that includes blowing stuff up. Now free range kids are increasingly rare as we consider that bad parenting, or they are "at risk", or some other fear based thing.
Have you noticed these changes? What do you think about them?
***And you kick a lot of ass Mr Shatner. I enjoy watching your antics. When I see or hear about you, I generally associate that with good times.
Blogging because I can...
Henry Rollins tells a great and funny story about working with you on a musical project (here and here)
What is your perspective on the story?
-- MrMud