Happy 80th Birthday, William Shatner! 226
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."
Live Long and Please End Raw Nerve (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
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For his birthday party, we're going to play his rendition of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds on repeat.
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How about some Rocket Man while we are at it? What, you can't get behind that, can you?
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For his birthday party, we're going to play his rendition of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds on repeat.
No, no, no; he'd enjoy hearing his own voice too much (however pathetic the actual words and lack of melody). Make him repeatedly watch and listen to Leonard Nimoy singing "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" [youtube.com]. Of course, Shatner might not reach 81 this way...
Re:Live Long and Please End Raw Nerve (Score:5, Funny)
Still, got to give the guy props for a great performance in Star Trek 2.
As Futurama put it:
Leonard Nimoy: Melllvar, you have to respect your actors. When I directed Star Trek IV, I got a magnificent performance out of Bill because I respected him so much.
William Shatner: And when I directed Star Trek V, I got a magnificent performance out of me, because I respected me so much!
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Actually, I just caught Raw Nerve for the first time a few days ago, and really enjoyed it. That goofy chair has got to go, though.
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We will forever be indebted to Shatner for raising the theatrical craft known as "chewing the scenery" to new heights. To celebrate, we should all eat ham tonight.
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Even Cybil Sheppard never quite matched his uncanny skill at pushing other actors out of the way to remain in the foreground.
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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."
I've heard this said a lot, and I want to agree with it, but honestly, who is the bigger douche: the person who (badly) rationalizes his behavior decades ago, or the person who is still offended over it ~30 years later? It's just so vain either way you spin it.
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In Koenig's defense, he was actually remarkably relaxed about it. He didn't choke or punch Shatner even once.
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Actually, in the film industry that's a really big deal. It's tough enough to make the jump from supporting actor to lead or bigger parts without somebody stealing lines. Depending upon ones luck, that can very easily kill a career.
Denny Crane! (Score:3)
Re:Live Long and Please End Raw Nerve (Score:5, Funny)
I read that as "I'm... SORRY... that... you... PERCEIVED... me? as... BEING... selfish... or... hostile? to... YOU... back then."
Nicholas Meyer (Score:2)
Sorry if this is a little off-topic, but since you mentioned him, I have to ask: does anyone remember that show with him and Tom Davis, called "Trailer Park"? Davis would show trailers from various science fiction movies and talk about them, afterwards. At the end of the show, Meyer would always do a deep, philosophical commentary about one of the films.
The show didn't last long, but I still miss it.
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Raw Nerve is hard to watch. But we watched it because of Shatner!
He is an institution to himself and can play that up until the day he dies for all I care. And so he can be forgiven for his many foibles - nay I say they are the bulk of why we love him. Can you say TJ Hooker and not smile? CAN YOU???
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You're a nerd, not a psychiatrist (Score:2)
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Are you suggesting he's spent the last 50 years just pretending to be an egostical himbo, as some sort of elaborate bit of performance art? Wow, that puts even Andy Kaufman to shame. Good on him.
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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.
That commentary track is really cool. If I remember, only the director is talking for the entire track. He also brings up Khan's one remaining glove... I have to say I had never thought about it until then. It's recommended listening if you have not done so already.
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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.
It's strange that the somewhat fan-maligned Star Trek: The Motion Picture (i.e. the original film) doesn't get more credit for the scenes where Bones (or whoever it was) basically attacks pompous-hero-Kirk (and by proxy Shatner?) for somewhat similar behaviour and personality traits when he's taking over command from Decker. Personally, I thought that was quite an interesting choice on the part of the film-makers.
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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.
This is a somewhat infamous clip [escapedgoat.com] of Shatner really taking the piss out of a producer trying to tell him how to act. I think it was from something in the mid-90s.
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This is a somewhat infamous clip of Shatner really taking the piss out of a producer trying to tell him how to act. I think it was from something in the mid-90s.
Oops, something took the spaces out of the URL.
Try this instead [escapedgoat.com]
Live Long and Prosper! (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
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"I have an erection. That's a good sign. I'm ready to go to trial. Lock and load." legend..
wait for it
...ary!
May he find... (Score:3)
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Let's hope he finds a nice blue pill then too. The guy is 80 after all.
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That remains to be seen...
I wonder if Hugh Hefner needs those blue pills...
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at the gossip sites my wife reads
Yeah. Right. Your WIFE was reading them....
Happy birthday, Bill. (Score:2)
I can get behind that.
Shatner's birthday? (Score:4, Funny)
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That's not old. (Score:2)
Doesn't he live to like 143 or something?
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That depends on which side of the nexus you are in.
Honored... (Score:2)
...to share a birthday with Mr Shatner.
Happy Birthday, Bill.
-m
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Happy Birthday, mykey2k!
Ok. Are we done now? I've got errands to run.
As captain Kirk would say it. (Score:2, Redundant)
Happy Birthday.... to... you.
Happy Birthday.... to... you.
Happy Birthday... William.... Shatnerhappy.... Birthday... to you.
OK, so I can't imitate his speaking style.
Obligatory... (Score:5, Funny)
May the force be with you!
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If it weren't for the Alzheimer's, he'd probably be pretty pissed at you right now.
OK, maybe I'm a bit grumpy today. (Score:5, Interesting)
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? :-)
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Not sure what alternate universe /. you're reading. But on the one I'm reading, I would say the ratio of real science and tech articles to pop culture articles is at least 5 to 1.
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I wish we could just stage a battle. (Score:2)
ST fans vs SW fans. To the death.
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Are you talking about the Star Trek Wars, or the Star Wars Trek?
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Re:OK, maybe I'm a bit grumpy today. (Score:5, Insightful)
On a personal note, it's cause I can rarely say anything meaningful on articles involving actual science, and it doesn't feel right to post humorous comments on them either. On the other hand, I feel perfectly fine throwing in a meaningless comment about Kirk, Vader, Adama, Dr. Who, etc cause they're fictional characters. It doesn't matter if I don't respect them, or something.
Re:OK, maybe I'm a bit grumpy today. (Score:4, Insightful)
Because you can't make fun of Neil Armstrong, von Braun or Rutan. Except, of course, for their hair cuts. They are engineers after all.
Look at all of these 100's of posts you're talking about. The ones rated at +2 are all jokes, or jokes of old jokes. Or requests to end his TV show. The man can literally be made fun of thousands of different ways, time and time again, and people will eat it up.
What are you going to say about Neil Armstrong that is funny, or honestly hasn't been said before?
And yes, you appear to be in a worse mood than myself, which is saying a lot.
Because many of us wanted to be Kirk (Score:3)
or another member of that famous story? Star Trek inspired many of us in ways and continues to do so for those new to the story. For some of us it takes us back to the magical days of our childhood where such worlds could be possible, Yes Shatner is an actor, he is a good one at that, the best adapt and become more than merely the person.
While I do not disagree there are stories about him that don't hold to everyone's standards the simple fact is, he was Kirk and Kirk is what many think of when they think o
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Favorite Kirk Quote (Score:2)
"Kif, I have made it with a woman. Inform the men."
At least I think that was Kirk, it all kind of blurs together...
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"Captain's journal. Stardate: uhhh... April 13... point two."
That's not possible (Score:4, Insightful)
William Shatner can't be 80 - that would mean I'm no longer young.
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William Shatner can't be 80 - that would mean I'm no longer young.
You're not alone. Ane you're no longer young.
Little known fact (Score:5, Funny)
Has Been (Score:2)
Has been was
Has been might again
Live long and prosper Bill!
Let Me Be The First To Say... (Score:2)
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That's nothing, we're all doing a great job of forgetting TJ Hooker.
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Ahh, that's just the mad cow talking....
I really enjoyed that show - Shatner was playing a serious character, and also playing a caricature of Shatner, and was doing just fine at both.
This just in: Winner of "Talk Like Shatner Day" (Score:2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOGkDsH0OsI [youtube.com]
Let me say... (Score:5, Funny)
Troy McClure = William Shatner ? (Score:2)
But many happy returns - I couldn't stand T J Hooker, that dreadful show about life in SF after the earthquake ... but some fun was had watching ST.
Best known for... (Score:2)
Old Star Trek episodes are now available with CGI (Score:2)
I just learned of this, though they have been out a while I guess. They reworked the old Star Trek episodes with CGI special effects. This enables them to show Ships, landscapes, explosions, that are much better than the original. I am enjoying them a lot. Both because the sound and presentation are so much better than when they were on TV, but also because the updates are really nicely done.
FYI
Re:Damnit Jim, I'm a doctor not a magician! (Score:5, Insightful)
DeForest Kelly. Now *there* was the Star Trek actor who made the show. Great actor playing a great character.
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He was. Were you as put off as I by the actor in the new ST movie basically acting like Deforest Kelly pretending to be Bones McCoy?
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As soon as he's over 80.0000 years old, even if by a second, he's in his 9th decade.
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As soon as he's over 80.0000 years old, even if by a second, he's in his 9th decade.
Not to belabor the point, but he actually was "in his 9th decade" the second after he turned 79 years old, for the same reason that you are "in your first year" a second after you are born.
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Not to belabor the point, but he actually was "in his 9th decade" the second after he turned 79 years old, for the same reason that you are "in your first year" a second after you are born.
Try again: 1st decade = 0 - 9.99999... years old.
Add 8 decades and 80 years.
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Re:Shatner's 9th decade? (Score:5, Informative)
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?
Re:Shatner's 9th decade? (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm in my seventh decade and only 52 years old! Also second century and second millenium.
I was born late in 1958
my first decade was the fifties
2nd - sixties
3rd - seventies
4th - eighties
5th - nineties
6th - noughts
7th - teens
"In" is not the same as completing, OTHO everyone enters their next decade on the january 1 every ten years greatly simplifying the calculation. Now get off my lawn!
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...Exactly 10 years later he was nine years old,...
You might want to read that back to yourself.
Re:Shatner's 9th decade? (Score:4, Informative)
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Wrong on point 1. Ten years after you are born, you are ten years old. Not sure why you're getting so confused.
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Not quite. True, you're in you're first year the second you're born, but you're also in your first decade. You're not in your second decade until ten years later, which would be 10 years 1 second. So for your ninth decade, it'd be 80 years 1 second. Not 79. It's easy to see if you just consider that you're still in your first decade when you're nine years old.
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Nope, you're born aged 0 and that's when you start your first decade. After 10 years (1 decade) you are 10 years old and starting your second decade. Etc.
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You have to count from zero.
Well, ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_programming_languages_(array) [wikipedia.org]
This subthread also somehow reminds me of the troubles to hit the right column when correcting punch cards back in the days.
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-by-one_error [wikipedia.org]
CC.
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Mr. Shatner won't start his ninth decade until his 81st birthday.
Yeah!! Double dumb ass on you!!
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Normally I would point out that babies aren't born being 1 year old. But in Shatner's case, I'm not so sure.
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Well, there was this slingshot maneuver around the sun, but it involved whales, so we don't like to talk about it.
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Normally I would point out that babies aren't born being 1 year old.
Apparently they are in Korea. [wikipedia.org]
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"Don't tell me how to count my years. It sickens me."
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I'd say neither: both movies are so bad, I just pretend neither existed.
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Nimoy has not aged well at all...well I mean i guess he has aged alright for 80 but he started looking 80 twenty years ago. Shatner I gotta say looks pretty damn good for his age. Now the one who seems to have really been blessed with youth genes are Nichelle Nichols and George Takei. She is still beautiful and he looks like he could easiy pass for 50.
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Mr.Nimoy has done fine considering the alternative.
I thought Vulcans lived longer (Score:3)
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