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Tag: William Shatner

  • Blue Origin Announces Plans for Commercial Space Station

    Blue Origin Announces Plans for Commercial Space Station

    Blue Origin, along with Sierra Space, has announced plans for a commercial space station called Orbital Reef.

    The space race is heating up, with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic some of the leading commercial companies involved. Blue Origin was recently in the headlines for a flight that included William Shatner, the oldest person to go to space.

    The company, along with Sierra Space, is now setting its sights on launching a commercial space station, one that will be “mixed use business park” in space.

    Designed to open multiple new markets in space, Orbital Reef will provide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit. This unique destination will offer research, industrial, international, and commercial customers the cost competitive end-to-end services they need including space transportation and logistics, space habitation, equipment accommodation, and operations including onboard crew. The station will start operating in the second half of this decade.

    The project already has the backing of Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University.

    “For over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade,” said Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin. “We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness.”

    “Sierra Space is thrilled to partner with Blue Origin and provide the Dream Chaser spaceplane, the LIFE module and additional space technologies to open up space for commercial research, manufacturing, and tourism. As a former NASA astronaut, I’ve been waiting for the moment where working and living in space is accessible to more people worldwide, and that moment has arrived,” said Dr. Janet Kavandi, former three time NASA astronaut and Sierra Space president.

  • Shatner Returns to Earth After Successful Blue Origin Flight

    Shatner Returns to Earth After Successful Blue Origin Flight

    Blue Origin’s record-breaking flight was a resounding success as the crew, including William Shatner, have returned to Earth.

    William Shatner, at 90 years-old, is now officially the oldest person to go to space. Shatner is well-known for portraying Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, one of the most iconic sci-fi characters in history.

    Going to space was a dream come true for the actor, and he was visibly moved by the experience.

    “In a way, it’s indescribable,” Shatner told the Jeff Bezos, according to International Business Times.

    “Everybody in the world needs to do this. Everybody in the world needs to see it,” Shatner continued.

    “It was unbelievable. The little things – the weightless – but to see the blue color (of the sky) whip by you and now you’re staring into blackness. … And then it’s gone. It was so moving. This experience did something unbelievable.”

  • William Shatner Will ‘Boldly Go’ to Space on the Next Blue Origin Flight

    William Shatner is slated to go to space on Blue Origin’s next flight, ‘boldly going’ where his Captain Kirk character has gone since 1966.

    William Shatner is an icon, largely for his portray of Star Trek’sCaptain Kirk. Since 1966, Shatner has portrayed the character in the original series, as well as seven movies. He’s been a constant feature in the Star Trek community ever since. In addition, Shatner is an accomplished writer, horseman, recording artist and director.

    Blue Origin’s next flight is scheduled for October 12, and Shatner will be joining Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s Vice President of Mission & Flight Operations, on the flight. At 90 years-old, Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space.

    “I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” said William Shatner.

  • George Takei Talks ‘Star Trek’ Costar William Shatner, Doesn’t Need to Forgive Him

    George Takei and William Shatner starred together in Star Trek, but the two haven’t gotten along in years. For the first time since their rift, George Takei is speaking out about the supposed feud, saying it is over.

    Takei claims William Shatner uses their non-friendship for publicity purposes.

    “It’s not tension, it’s all coming from Bill,” the 78-year-old said in a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine. “Whenever he needs a little publicity for a project, he pumps up the so-called controversy between us.”

    William Shatner made waves in 2008, saying he wasn’t invited to George Takei’s wedding. Takei begs to differ.

    “Two months after my wedding, he went on YouTube and ranted and raved about our not sending him an invitation,” George Takei said. “We had. If he had an issue, he could have easily just phoned us before the wedding, simple as that. But he didn’t. And the reason he raised that fuss two months later is because he was premiering his new talk show Raw Nerve.”

    Takei says Shatner, known for his role as Captain James Kirk, is a great actor, but not a team player.

    “It’s difficult working with someone who is not a team player,” he said. “The rest of the cast all understand what makes a scene work–it’s everybody contributing to it. But Bill is a wonderful actor, and he knows it, and he likes to have the camera on him all the time.”

    Any feud between William Shatner and George Takei is over–at least according to George Takei.

    “I don’t need to forgive him,” Takei said. “I’ve already invited him to the opening night of Allegiance.”

    George Takei is presently working on the Broadway musical.

    Do you think William Shatner will accept the invitation?

  • Brandi Glanville: ‘RHOBH’ Star Talks Aftermath of Ex-Husband Eddie Cibrian’s Affairs

    Brandi Glanville of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills chatted recently with William Shatner during Brown Bag Wine Tasting about the grief she experienced after each one of her ex-husband, Eddie Cibrian’s affairs. The most famous–and final–of Cibrian’s affairs was, of course, with country singer LeAnn Rimes, to whom he is now married.

    “He had extra girlfriends, I guess you can say,” Glanville said of Cibrian’s affairs. “He had some ladies on the side.”

    In addition to his affair with LeAnn Rimes, Eddie Cibrian also had an affair with Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Marie, who was confronted by Brandi Glanville in an emotional episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills back in 2013.

    Brandi Glanville says even though Eddie Cibrian cheated, she tried to forgive him.

    “I tried,” she admits, “but when I found out there was more than a couple, I decided I was better off on my own.”

    The two split up in 2010 after nine years as husband and wife.

    “It’s almost like a death,” Brandi Glanville explained. “You mourn, you die a little bit. Who you were as a wife and a mother, you’re no longer that person.”

    The cheating scandals had Brandi doubting herself at times.

    “It took me about a year to figure out that it had nothing to do with me,” she said of Eddie Cibrian’s affairs. “But it took a while…I was wondering how I could be any better than I was. Was I not tall enough? Skinny enough? Are my boobs not big enough? Should I have blue eyes? It was all of that.”

    Fortunately for Brandi Glanville, she was able to work through these issues and leave her insecurities behind.

    “It made me a better person to go through that,” she said. “And to figure out that it had nothing to do with me.”

    Actor Eddie Cibrian cheated on Brandi Glanville back in 2009 with his Northern Lights costar LeAnn Rimes. At the time, she was married to Dean Sheremet.

    “He was a good looking guy. I just remember being like, ‘Oh, God, just another one of those Hollywood pretty boys,’” Dean Sheremet recalled of Eddie Cibrian. “If you’re in a room with him, he’s probably one of the most charming people you’ll ever meet. But I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw this f—ing table…He just felt like one of those guys from the beginning. A total schmoozer. Very Hollywood. I never bought his schtick. But I wasn’t worried.”

    How long do you expect it might be before Eddie Cibrian’s wicked ways return to him, and he cheats on LeAnn Rimes?

    Do you expect Brandi Glanville will get any satisfaction if and when that happens, or has she truly moved beyond his antics to a place where it simply doesn’t matter any more?

  • Brandi Glanville of ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Opens Up To William Shatner About Split From Eddie Cibrian

    Brandi Glanville of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills opened up to William Shatner this week, telling the former Star Trek star that she endured a prolonged grieving process after her ex-husband Eddie Cibrian cheated on her with multiple women, including his current spouse, LeAnn Rimes.

    The reality star, 42, appeared on Ora TV’s Brown Bag Wine Tasting with Shatner and answered some rather intimate questions concerning her marriage to Cibrian.

    “He had extra girlfriends, I guess you can say,” Brandi Glanville said of Cibrian’s affairs. “He had some ladies on the side.”

    Brandi Glanville told Shatner she tried to forgive Cibrian and save their marriage despite his indiscretions, but decided enough was enough.

    “I tried,” said Brandi Glanville, “but when I found out there was more than a couple, I decided I was better off on my own.”

    The couple divorced in 2010 after nine years of marriage.

    “It’s almost like a death,” Brandi Glanville told Shatner. “You mourn, you die a little bit. Who you were as a wife and a mother, you’re no longer that person.”

    The ensuing months were difficult, conceded Brandi Glanville.

    “It took me about a year to figure out that it had nothing to do with me,” she said of Cibrian’s affairs. “But it took a while… I was wondering how I could be any better than I was. Was I not tall enough? Skinny enough? Are my boobs not big enough? Should I have blue eyes? It was all of that.”

    Ultimately, Brandi Glanville overcame the pain and says his has made her stronger.

    “It made me a better person to go through that,” Glanville reflected. “And to figure out that it had nothing to do with me.”

  • Leonard Nimoy: ‘Star Trek’s’ Mr. Spock Laid to Rest in L.A. on Sunday

    Leonard Nimoy, best known for his Star Trek role of Mr. Spock, was laid to rest in a private funeral service in L.A. on Sunday. Nimoy died Friday at the age of 83, having suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease–known as COPD.

    Being raised Jewish, Leonard Nimoy would normally have been buried 24 hours following his passing. Since Jewish tradition forbids the practice on Saturdays, he was laid to rest on Sunday instead.

    Leonard Nimoy’s costar and dear friend William Shatner was unable to attend his funeral, sending his two daughters to attend in his place. Shatner had a prior charity commitment for the Red Cross in Florida on Saturday night, and couldn’t book a flight that would get him to L.A. in time for the service. The actor known for playing Captain Kirk came under fire for not changing his plans.

    William Shatner reflected on Leonard Nimoy–his career and his friendship–during an interview with a Florida TV station, Local10.com.

    “He did a lot of things. He inspired a lot of people. He was loved by a lot of people and he loved a lot of people,” Shatner said.

    William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy starred together as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock a total of 107 times between the Star Trek’s 1966 TV debut and the 1991 release of Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country.

    William Shatner wasn’t the only one to miss Leonard Nimoy’s funeral. Since the details were kept quiet, plans on behalf of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, who aimed to protest at the location, were foiled. The church gave up, and tweeted to their members that the location couldn’t be found.

    The family posted their heartfelt thanks to fans, friends, and family members via Facebook following Leonard Nimoy’s funeral.

    Post by Leonard Nimoy.

  • Leonard Nimoy’s Funeral: William Shatner Under Fire for Not Attending

    Leonard Nimoy’s funeral was held on Sunday, with William Shatner noticeably absent. Shatner–known for his role as Captain Kirk alongside Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock in Star Trek–made it clear ahead of time he wouldn’t be able to attend. On Saturday, Shatner tweeted his followers, saying he was in Florida doing charity work for the Red Cross, and wouldn’t be able to make it to L.A. in time for Sunday’s funeral.

    Since that post, William Shatner has come under a great deal of fire for not attending Leonard Nimoy’s funeral.

    The New York Daily News even dissed the 83-year-old by running a front page headline, calling him ‘Captain Jerk.’

    William Shatner was bothered by the headline, and urged Twitter followers to talk about it, and about Leonard Nimoy, too.

    At noon on Sunday, William Shatner hosted a Twitter conversation about Leonard Nimoy, and the time the two men spent together on Star Trek–as well as some fun they had behind the scenes, too. He made it very clear that both of his daughters would be attending Leonard Nimoy’s funeral in his absence.

    Some people joined the NY Post in calling Shatner a ‘jerk’ and insisting that he could have found a flight to L.A. following Saturday night’s fundraiser, but that didn’t stop him from fielding lots of legitimate questions about his dear friend via Twitter.

    Can you believe that ‘fans’ of a TV show and movie–as well as its stars–have nothing better to do than to insult an 83-year-old man for not making it to Leonard Nimoy’s funeral? It seems so bizarre that people put such emphasis on the dead and so little thought toward those who are living.

    Do they really expect that Leonard Nimoy’s funeral was less of a celebration of his life because William Shatner wasn’t there?

  • Leonard Nimoy, ‘Star Trek’s’ Spock, Dies at 83

    Leonard Nimoy, ‘Star Trek’s’ Spock, Dies at 83

    Leonard Nimoy, the iconic Mr. Spock in the Star Trek TV show and films, died Friday at the age of 83. He had end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD. His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed the actor’s passing.

    More than just an actor, Leonard Nimoy made a name for himself in the many of the art worlds. He excelled at poetry, photography, and music, too. It was his role as Mr. Spock, however, and the phrase he coined while playing that role that remained his biggest claim to fame.

    “Live long and prosper,” Spock, a ‘cerebral, unflappable, pointy-eared Vulcan,’ said as he bid his fellow Star Trek characters adieu.

    Leonard Nimoy began acting as an eight-year-old boy. Later, he won roles in high school and community college productions. Following the completion of a summer acting course at Boston College, Nimoy headed for Hollywood, where he won small roles in the films Queen for a Day and Rhubarb. Following a stint in the Army, he returned to Hollywood and appeared in small roles on Perry Mason, Wagon Train, and Rawhide. Shortly after that, he became Mr. Spock on Star Trek. The rest, as they say, is history.

    That history included two books for Leonard Nimoy. His first, I Am Not Spock, was published in 1977.

    “In Spock, I finally found the best of both worlds: to be widely accepted in public approval and yet be able to continue to play the insulated alien through the Vulcan character,” he wrote in his first book.

    In 1995, Leonard Nimoy penned I Am Spock.

    William Shatner, Star Trek’s illustrious Captain Kirk, spoke of Leonard Nimoy’s passing via Facebook.

    Post by William Shatner.

    George Takei remembered Nimoy, too.

    Post by George Takei.

    Leonard Nimoy lived long and he prospered. More than that, he left an indelible mark on the world. He, and his character Spock, won’t soon–if ever–be forgotten.

  • William Shatner is a ‘Douche’, says Artie Lange

    The thing about William Shatner is, you either love him or you don’t. As a legend and piece of Star Trek history, many people do love Shatner. But even some Trek fans are a bit put off by him and prefer Patrick Stewart.

    But those are generally people who are judging between two characters: Kirk and Picard. We’re talking about people who don’t like William Shatner. And there are a few.

    George Takei has made no secret of his disdain for Shatner.

    Takei spoke with Bill Maher of the long-standing feud between himself and Shatner.

    “Canadians have a certain image of being even-tempered and friendly and all that,” Takei said. “He is a person who is that way with himself … he is very self-centered.”

    And now Artie Lange has thrown in his two cents about Shatner. Speaking on HuffPost Live on Wednesday, Lange answered a viewer question about which Howard Stern guest he was most disappointed in.

    “He was a bit of a douche,” Lange said of Shatner. “He acted exactly like a guy you would think would be the captain of a spaceship … And was pissed that he’s no longer the captain of a spaceship. If that person existed in real life, that’s how William Shatner acted.”

    Lange and Takei have the advantage of seeing Shatner behind the scenes. For many of his adoring fans and Twitter followers, Shatner is the essence of cool.

    And, as an avid Twitter aficionado, Shatner does serve up some follower-pleasing stuff every week. He livetweets television shows like Once Upon a Time.

    He answers questions and engages fans.

    But every once in a while, there is the odd hater. Like the one in this exchange about Canadian Thanksgiving.

  • Star Trek: TNG Cast Would Not Want to Be in Upcoming Trek Film

    Cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation were on hand at the New York Comic-Con on Tuesday to mingle with fans, sign autographs, and answer questions. William Shatner moderated the panel event, which included TNG alumni Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Denise Crosby, and John de Lancie.

    The topic of the upcoming Star Trek film came up. William Shatner has already played fast and loose with questions about whether or not he will be in the film, and in what capacity he would do so. The prevailing theory is that he will be in the film briefly, as Kirk, but not as Kirk Prime (the original timeline, his usual role). Some say he will actually play an older version of Chris Pine’s Kirk character.

    But this time Shatner dodged the question and passed it along to the TNG panel. How would any of them feel about the possibility of being in one of the Trek reboot films?

    The overwhelming response was that none of them thought it was a good idea or took it seriously.

    Levar Burton: “No! … That would be a no, Bill.”

    Brent Spiner: “I certainly would be honored to be in the third Star Trek film that they’re making now, playing all of the characters. And all of their families.”

    Gates McFadden: “I’m going to have to pass on that.”

    Patrick Stewart: “I think it would smack of kind of cute casting to have any of us play another role in a Star Trek movie. … I just think it would be a little awkward. I mean, I know that we’ve got half our panel still to speak. But for me, LeVar kind of said it all in one word: No.”

    Michael Dorn: “No. … It’s just because, I agree with Patrick at a certain point it just gets to be a little too much.”

    Marina Sirtis: “Yes! And I would be… Nurse Chapel.”

    John De Lancie: “It would put a lie to the notion that I’m immortal, I’m afraid. … No, I don’t even think about those things. It’s somebody else’s dinner party, and if they’re going to invite me, I’ll think about it then. But I don’t even think about it.”

    Denise Crosby: “I’d probably want to play Karl Urban’s lover… I mean, I’m sorry, mother. Mother!”

    One thing to consider is that the only TNG character who could legitimately fit in the reboot series is John De Lancie’s “Q”, since he is immortal and exists outside of time.

  • William Shatner Confirms Offer to Return to Upcoming Star Trek Film

    William Shatner Confirms Offer to Return to Upcoming Star Trek Film

    Let every voice lift up. William Shatner may be coming back to Star Trek on the big screen after all!

    After the rumor mill ground heavily last week about the possibility that William Shatner might be called upon to play Kirk once again in the upcoming Star Trek 3 installment, those rumors were doused by Shatner himself on his Twitter account. He said that the whispers were nothing but “rhetoric to cause hype”.

    Add to that the fact that those rumors put him somehow alongside Leonard Nimoy, but Nimoy denied wanting to do any onscreen time after his lung disease diagnosis, and things looked grim.

    But that tune seems to be changing.

    Shatner appeared on a panel at Wizard World Nashville Comic-Con over the weekend. and this time he confirmed that he had indeed been contacted by J.J. Abrams about appearing in the film. Shatner said that he had answered that, “It depends on what you do with the character, but I would be delighted.”

    But wait, there’s more.

    According to Badass Digest, there may even be some details about what Shatner will be called upon to do, and it does indeed involve Nimoy.

    “My sources are now telling me that not only will Shatner be in the movie, his scene will have him meeting Chris Pine. Also in that scene: Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. But if my sources are steering me correct this won’t be original timeline Spock – it’ll be future alt-timeline Kirk and Spock. Basically the scene will have Kirk and Spock interacting with their future selves.”

    So far, no confirmation on these details is forthcoming from the Abrams camp. But Badass Digest did reveal two weeks ago that Shatner was to be involved at all. And that turns out to be correct.

    Fingers crossed.

  • Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner to Reunite in Star Trek 3?

    Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner will reportedly appear together in a scene in the upcoming film, Star Trek 3. Trekkies around the world are likely holding their breath in hopes that a confirmation of such a statement soon goes viral. To have Mr. Spock and Captain James T. Kirk together on the big screen will no doubt be a long-awaited dream come true.

    BadAssDigest was the first to leak word of such a possibility, calling the appearance of Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner more of a cameo appearance than actual roles. This would mark the first time that both Kirk and Spock appear on the big screen at the same time since back in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991.

    Badass questions if William Shatner, to whom they refer as being ‘prickly,’ will actually agree to the appearance. They do note, however, that he has been making noise for quite some time now about wanting to appear in yet another Star Trek film. There was a cameo written into the first Star Trek film for him, but it was dropped before shooting, and there was no place for him in Star Trek Into Darkness. This would undoubtedly be the last time William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy would appear in a film together.

    Star Trek 3 still has a while yet before shooting begins–and as anyone from the film world will no doubt attest–a lot can happen between then and now. The film isn’t set to hit theaters until some time in 2016. Do you think Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner will make this cameo together?

    This could become an integral part of Star Trek history if they do.

  • William Shatner To Do Shakespeare with Steve Carell and Christopher Lloyd?

    The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA) will present its 24th Annual Simply Shakespeare benefit reading of “As You Like It,” September 22, 2014 at the Freud Playhouse, UCLA Campus.

    The event is an evening of impromptu Shakespeare, and Trek fans should know that one of their favorite captains will be in attendance.

    No, no that one. The other one.

    While the idea of Patrick Stewart donning Shakespeare garb and strutting his stuff is old hat, it is William Shatner who will be “sawing the air thusly” at this event.

    The event itself will be hosted by real-life celebrity couple Rita Wilson and Tim Hanks. But Shatner isn’t the only big name to join Hanks and Wilson.

    “[T]he hilarious evening of impromptu Shakespeare and song will feature a star-studded cast including Paul Simon, Rita Wilson, William Shatner, Steve Carell, Martin Short, Colin Hanks, Gillian Jacobs, Christopher Lloyd, Glen Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Bill Irwin and Sam Waterston. Additional participants will be announced.”

    Imagine that. William Shatner on a stage with Christopher Lloyd, Steve Carell, Martin Short, and Sam Waterston, doing Shakespeare.

    Tickets for the event area whopping $750 a pop, but the evening includes a pre-show cocktail reception, followed by a post performance reception with the cast. All proceeds from the event support the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles and its arts based veterans employment and youth employment programs for inner-city youth, arts education in local schools, and professional union contracted productions at the Japanese Garden on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veterans Medical Center.

    Th veterans employment program that benefits from the vent is part of SCLA’s “Veterans in Art” program. The program explores how the arts can assist veterans to recover and reintegrate into mainstream civilian life, particularly in Los Angeles’ artistic community.

    For tickets and information, contact Lauran@LPAevents.com.

  • William Shatner Drinks With Levar Burton, Talks Reading Rainbow

    William Shatner’s hit web video series, Brown Bag Wine Tasting, has had several great guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, including celebrity chef Alton Brown, as well as a butcher, a magician, a marijuana dealer, a cosplayer, a cosmetic surgeon, and now an educator.

    And that is how Shatner’s latest guest, Star Trek’s Levar Burton, is represented, as an educator. His involvement with Reading Rainbow is discussed much more than his involvement with Star Trek.

    Shatner and Burton sat down with the usual setup of the series, a bottle of wine that neither of them had seen, which is brown-bagged. They discuss whatever Shatner wants to discuss, and drink the wine as they do. With no preconceived notion about what the wine is supposed to be like, they experience it within the context of their discussion.

    In this case, Shatner asks Burton to describe the wine to him as though it were a child Burton might encounter in one of his charities.

    Their discussion turned to Burton’s background, the help his mother gave him growing up, the absence of his father, and so on.

    Regarding his involvement with reading education for children, Burton revealed that it was due to his mother that he jumped into that field.

    “I grew up in a house where reading was mandatory,” he said. “My mother was a teacher before she was a social worker. My mom moved from the Midwest to California because she knew that a better quality of education was available for her kids.”

    And he revealed the idea that launched Reading Rainbow.

    “Reading Rainbow was originally created to address what teachers call the ‘summer slide’, when a child is learning how to read, when they’re cracking the code, and they go on a summer vacation, and their reading comprehension skills plummet. This idea was presented to me to use really this powerful television technology to meet them where they are, and take them where we wanted them to go.”

    Now that Reading Rainbow is online and available as an app, Burton says this is his “life’s work.”

    “I’ve just extended and reinvented the brand to apply to kids in the modern era,” he said. “We are very proud of the fact that what we are offering to kids is the opportunity find literature that they want to read based on what they are interested in.”

  • William Shatner Corrects Media on Nude Photo Leak

    William Shatner Corrects Media on Nude Photo Leak

    In the early hours of the still-ongoing news cycle about the theft and leak of nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities, lots of details were scrambled by traditional news sources that did not know much about how such items are passed around in the nether regions of the Interwebs.

    For example, lots of Facebook users passed around the rumor that nude Jennifer Lawrence photos had been stolen from her computer by a “hacker named 4Chan”, or sometimes, “Chan4”. Not too many traditional media folk hang out on 4Chan, so maybe this was a bit much to expect them to know better.

    Then came the news that the images were being “hosted in Reddit”. This was another bit of misinformation. Some apparently believed that Reddit was a news site, perhaps like PerezHilton or the like, that was choosing to show the photos.

    In fact, someone asked one of the oldest Redditors about this. His name is William Shatner, and Shat knows his way around. Since he often haunts Reddit and participates in discussions, someone thought to ask him if he would now boycott the site.

    Shatner did not take the bait, and corrected the misconception.

    Someone told Shatner that tech site Mashable was reporting that the images were “on Reddit”. Rather than believe them, Shatner reached out to the editor-at-large of Mashable, Lance Ulanoff, right there within the thread.

    The Mashable article in question stated that “Reddit administrators have told users of a subreddit dedicated to the leaked images that nude pictures of [underage McKayla] Maroney need to be removed from the site because they may be considered child porn.”

    That article linked to a Daily Dot article that claimed that Reddit “is one of the few mainstream websites that isn’t proactively deleting all links to” the leaked photos.

    Shatner pointed out the error. Sites like Reddit can link to photos, but they are hosted elsewhere. And Imgur was working overtime to take the illegal images down as they found them.

    As user jwatt said…

  • William Shatner Launches Hashtag Battle, Pushing Nimoy and Quinto to 1M Followers in Same Night

    William Shatner stays on top of things, tech-wise. He maintains an active Twitter presence. He has a Tumblr that he uses to review apps and other products.

    For example, when Facebook released the Mentions app, Shatner downloaded it, used it, and reviewed it, complete with screenshots and detailed comments about improvements.

    In general, the man is not finished with the world his Star Trek character helped to launch.

    In the middle of the night last night, William Shatner brought his considerable social media muscle to bear on a project to benefit a couple of his Star Trek alum buddies, Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto.

    At 9:38 PM EST, Shatner tweeted: “Leonard needs 400 more to break a million followers! Let’s do it!@TheRealNimoy”

    At 9:42 PM, Shanter posted a follow-up: “Congratulations! He’s over a million!@TheRealNimoy”

    That’s right. In less than four minutes, Shatner’s following took Leonard Nimoy’s up by at least 400 followers. In fact, as of this writing, Nimoy has 1,002,434 followers. That’s 2,000 more than when Shatner gave him the launch last night.

    Shatner himself has 1.95 million followers. He is an active Twitter user, often live-tweeting TV episodes, actively engaging his followers many times a day.

    Once he pushed Nimoy over the 1 million mark, he took on a more ambitious goal. At 9:54 PM, he tweeted: “So now the other Mr. Spock needs to get to 1 million.@ZacharyQuintoneeds about 5500 more followers to reach 1 million.”

    At 10:23 PM, he posted a followup: “a little more love for@ZacharyQuintoto push both Spocks over a million in the same hour”

    The numbers rose steadily, but Shatner persisted: “1066 – Battle of Hastings and number of followers to get@ZacharyQuintoto 1 million!”

    Finally, the barrier was broken.

    His work here was done. The Shat signed off for the day.

    In the past, Shatner has helped other Trek alum, such as Michael Dorn, to get their Twitter accounts verified.

  • William Shatner Reveals Some Juicy Star Trek TNG Gossip

    William Shatner is just as relevant as ever, perhaps more so. The man is a pop-culture icon, right up there with the likes of George Takei.

    Now the Captain/Admiral is once again mining the lode that brought him all that attention. His latest project, a new documentary William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge, takes a look at the first two years of production for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

    Shatner was not on that show, of course, but that doesn’t stop him from bringing some insider info to light.

    The documentary explores the early days of the TNG project through interviews with cast members. Among other tidbits, Shatner reveals that Patrick Stewart was not the first choice for Captain Jean-Luc Picard. He also talks about infighting and back stabbing that went on behind the scenes among other members of the cast.

    The one-hour documentary gives particular attention to the role of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry in launching and shepherding the TNG series.

    The Toronto Sun calls the project “a rich, raucous look at the messy birth of TV’s most famous utopian future, and the two years that nearly ended the whole thing before it started.”

    Shatner has been making the rounds of late, particularly thanks to his decades-old “feud” with Original Series and feature films co-star George Takei. The origin of their acrimony is still a mystery. Shatner denies ever giving Takei cause for animosity toward him, and contradicts the tales Takei tells about his on-set behavior.

    Perhaps we will one day discover that these two have been playing us all and laughing all the way to the bank thanks to a rumor mill snit that really amounts to nothing.

  • Star Trek Secrets Revealed By William Shatner In ‘Chaos On The Bridge’ Documentary

    William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge is a one-hour documentary that brings to light the tumultuous beginnings of one of the most successful franchises in TV history.

    Written and directed by William Shatner, Chaos on the Bridge offers an enlightening look at the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The documentary premieres on Monday on HBO Canada.

    Twenty years after TV audiences said goodbye to the show, Trekkies will get an insider’s take on how Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first envisioned the show as well as how his battles with his own personal demons affected the series.

    Shatner, the original Captain James Tiberius Kirk, conducts candid interviews with The Next Generation cast members like Sir Patrick “Jean-Luc Picard” Stewart, Denise Crosby, Jonathan Frakes, and John de Lancie. The cast members reveal a situation of confusion as they remember the egos, the infighting, the fan backlash, the bluffs and threats and how Roddenberry and the show’s producers tried to weather it all.  The documantary further reveals that the cast didn’t seem sure they should even make a new Star Trek series at all.

    “The first and second seasons of The Next Generation are almost unwatchable,” says Ronald D. Moore, a former writer on Star Trek. Moore would go on to create the Battlestar Galactica reboot.

    The documentary also promises to be full of unvarnished insights and recollections from the likes of Paramount television’s then-president John Pike, series writers Maurice Hurley and D.C. Fontana, producers and spin-off shepherds Rick Berman and Brannon Braga and many other behind-the-scenes crew.

    The interviews and insights all point to the genius of Roddenberry’s creative vision which brought the series to life. However, the credit for the success that allowed Star Trek to gain a new series and new movies goes to his successors, who took over the show as a result of Roddenberry’s ailing health and death in 1991.  It was only when they shifted the show’s focus towards making it more about the characters and conflict, that the series soared to unprecedented heights.

  • William Shatner, George Takei: Strange Quid Pro Quo

    Over the years, the enmity between William Shatner and George Takei has popped up over and over again. The two Star Trek alum take shots at each other from time to time in the media. But no one is really sure why, other than just general incompatibility.

    Even Shatner himself says he is clueless about why Takei hates him. He says he does not really know the guy. He would see him only briefly during television and movie shoots. Even on convention visits and such, they are often out on different days.

    “He keeps saying bad things about me to everybody,” Shatner says. “I don’t know what he’s talking about. Rather than pursue it, I ignore it.”

    Takei himself relished the opportunity to participate in the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner, lathering on the animosity where most invitees tossed good-natured ribs.

    “I can finally say what I’ve been waiting 40 years to say,” Takei told Shatner at the roast. “Fuck you and the horse you rode in on!”

    “I had 40 years of material, and they only gave me four minutes,” Takei says. “I could have done the whole roast myself.”

    The Takei portion of the roast was so popular, that Shatner wanted to use it as part of his one-man show Shatner’s World. So when George Takei wanted to include interview footage of Shatner in his documentary To Be Takei, a give and take was in the works.

    “We had to bargain for it,” Takei says. “He wanted something from me, so he reluctantly agreed.”

    “It was quid pro quo,” says Shatner agrees.

    Documentary director Jennifer Kroot was surprised that Shatner would agree to do the interview.

    “I never dreamed in a million years that William Shatner would agree to this,” she says. “I doubt any of these guys is losing sleep about their mutual dislike. On the other hand, they really just don’t like each other.”

    But Shatner did agree, to only ten minutes of interview.

    “He didn’t sugarcoat it,” Kroot says. “And at the end of 10 minutes, he said: ‘That’s it. That’s time. That’s the agreement.’

    “They cannot get along. They are both human. I love Star Trek gossip as much as the next guy, and it’s hysterical. What can be more interesting than this media feud?”

    Image via YouTube

  • Star Trek’s William Shatner Afraid of Flying?

    Virgin CEO Richard Branson gave Captain Kirk the chance to go into space. William Shatner turned him down, and Branson says it’s because Shatner is afraid to fly.

    Needless to say, this is a tale that beggars belief. Let’s look a little deeper.

    Virgin Galactic is a commercial spaceflight company. Their plan is to offer suborbital spaceflights to space tourists. Given William Shatner’s name built on his Star Trek persona, and that he is still involved in NASA programs from time to time, Richard Branson spoke to the actor about booking a seat on one of these suborbital flights.

    “He actually said he’s frightened of airline travel — which is slightly disillusioning. Captain Kirk is scared of flying,” Branson said.

    This gets even more disillusioning when you know that the name of the vessel Shatner would be aboard is the VSS Enterprise (Virgin SpaceShip).

    But Shatner has a bit more to say on the subject. He said that Branson wanted him to buy a ticket, which would be about $200,000.

    “I said, ‘Well, that’s not much, how much do you guarantee to come back?’ And he didn’t have a price on that,” joked Shatner.

    “He wanted me to go up and pay for it and I said: ‘Hey, you pay me and I’ll go up. I’ll risk my life for a large sum of money.’ But he didn’t pick me up on my offer.”

    Even if Shatner won’t live up to his Star Trek reputation on his own dime, lots of other celebs are signing on and plunking down the fee. The rock band Muse is all fired up to go, as are Stephen Hawking, Tom Hanks, Ashton Kutcher, Katy Perry, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie.

    The flight launches from an airplane already in flight, so they are not blasting off from ground. It lasts about two hours and includes about six minutes of weightlessness in sub-orbit.

    Image via YouTube