William Shatner’s media blitz promoting "Up Till Now” continues unabated. There was a meeting of the Bills on the O’Reilly Factor, a visit with Opie and Anthony and much more where Bill again talked Trek feud and wondered why couldn’t they just find a way to put him in the new Star Trek.
Excerpts and AUDIO and VIDEO below.
Bill “I don’t do cameos” Shatner wonders: couldn’t they put me in as a voice?
The Shat was a guest on the Opie and Anthony show this morning, and of course the talk got around to the new Star Trek feature film…
Question: And JJ Abrams, he wants you in the new Star Trek movie. What is going on with that?
Shatner: I don’t know. It’s the weirdest thing. They are making another Star Trek movie, as the young versions and they…I guess they couldn’t solve the writing problem about how to bring back the dead captain to the live captain to the young captain. It is complicated I will admit. So I am not in the movie to my deep regret. But Abrams is such a good movie maker, I am sure he will do something wonderful.Question: They couldn’t have you as like as his dad?
Shatner: Ya you would think, or a disembodied voice, but I guess not.
This does seem to be a change of position for Shatner, who had previously stated (a month before filming on Star Trek started) “I don’t do cameos.” At that time Shatner also stated “I can’t imagine what I could do as a possible cameo.”
Shat was also grilled extensively on his nude scene with Angie Dickenson in the 1974 movie Big Bad Mama, and also about Trek groupies, about which Shatner noted “the groupies all wanted to sleep with Captain Kirk, who wasn’t me.” Listen to the full interview HERE
Shatner also talked to New York Magazine, and again the discussion ranged on a number of subjects (including UFOs), but also moved to the Star Trek feature:
NY Mag: J.J. Abrams has a Star Trek prequel in the works. Any thoughts?
Shatner: Well, I know nothing about the movie. I was not invited to participate in any fashion. It’s been very secretive, and I’m not privy to any material whatsoever. I probably know less than you do.NY Mag: But do you feel any attachment to it?
Shatner: Well, I do, but it’s like when the girl says, ‘I no longer love you and I’m gone,’ for the spurned lover to hang on and say, ‘Well, I’ll call you tomorrow.’ Leonard is in it, and he taunts me about it.NY Mag: Was he conflicted?
Shatner: Yes, he was conflicted about whether to taunt me or not. And then the conflict resolved itself pro-taunting. I feel like taunt-o now.
Shatner: I was jealous of Nimoy.
Speaking of his relationship with Nimoy, Shatner talked about the early years on Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor (yes a studio that could handle the personages of both Bills could be found). The interview got quickly to the Trek feuds and specifically on Nimoy Shatner admitted was jealous during the origin run of Star Trek:
Shatner: There was to begin with. Publicity, probably jealously on my part. He got a lot of publicity as Spock, and if I remember correctly, I thought I should get some of it.
But he noted that for Nimoy (unlike other Trek stars) they were now ‘like brothers.’
Watch the video:
Shat on retirement?
Can Shatner be stopped? The obvious answer is ‘no.’ As he tells People:
I’m not going anywhere. They’ll have to carry me out … and film it.
Meet the Shat
Shatner has done a couple of book signings in New York and has his last one in Los Angeles on Saturday. (At Book Soup). Here is a shot of the Shat at his “Up Till Now” book signing yesterday (May 14) at the Barnes & Noble, Union Square, in New York City.
Buy my book (WireImage)
Hooray for even more Shat!
He’s looking a little more fit in the above photo, at least compared to some of his latest Boston Legal episodes
I still think he’s going to show up in the new movie. He’s contradicted himself in numerous interviews about talking to Abrams prior to production. Makes me think he wants fans to have a big surprise opening night.
I wonder if he had been open to doing a voice over a year or so ago if we’d be having this (neverending) conversation.
he should be in it – its sci-fi afterall!!
To listen to Shat, you would think he IS Capt. Kirk, then he says: “the groupies all wanted to sleep with Captain Kirk, who wasn’t me.”
Make up you mind, which is it.
Nimoy was conflicted as to whether to taunt or not – the conflict finally resolved itself pro-taunting. ROTFLMAO!!
It’s hard not to like Bill Shatner, really. The current version, at least. :-)
# perhaps, but Bill O’Reilly is another matter. that guy stands for everythign Star Trek stands against. Reactionary, scaremongering, antagonisic, unsympathetic.
Bill’s a cuddly toy. I still would like this new version to hit the vacuum running at warp speed — get me into the regular adventures and forget the back story. I love Leonard, too, but that’s really the least important thing to me. I want to see the E and her crew face the unknown.
Who knows, maybe Bill will make an appearance in Heaven or Hell in the next one. Maybe he’ll be with Q. That’d make for a good movie. Q and old Kirk.
Where’s Q when you need him?
I hope Shatner is around long enough to be in another Star Trek movie.
Indeed, Green-Blooded-Bastard, indeed.
#11: Well-said.
How can you not love this guy? I think he is great.
WHY isn’t he signing at Mall of America???
#8: Absolutley. That man is probably capable of just about anything.
Shatner’s apparently going to be on CNN Headline News for the Glenn Beck show — the full hour — Friday night.
Kirk made a recording to be played in event of his demise, which Spock and McCoy viewed in “The Tholian Web”. (Although later they wouldn’t admit to Kirk they watched it!) That could be one way they get Shatner into the movie now. ;)
Shatner’s take on and zest for life STILL inspires me. Good on you WS.
Q could bring everyone into a movie. Well, everyone fans would want to see. Easy way to get characters like Kirk and Data back. Hell, Q could have just ‘wisked’ them away the moment before they died.
Just say’n…. lol…. :)
Still bugs me to no end that they never had a Q movie. Such a missed opportunity for TNG.
Never mind Star Trek XI — if Kirk’s in the NEXT one after that, I can hardly wait until Star Trei XII! (Let’s hope we all live long and prosper for that one. And by that, I also mean Star Trek XI’s box office.)
By which I mean, Shatner-as-Kirk. (Just to clarify.)
“This seems to be a change in position for Shatner…”
Yes it does, and we have seen a change in his story on more than just this issue lately. In another article posted here in the last few days, Shatner denies tanking the Sulu promotion scene in TWOK. Previously, he had attempted to justify doing that very thing by indicating that he did so in order to best serve Takei’s interest…
#14—He was certainly entertaining as my favorite Starfleet captain, but to me, it is difficult to like someone personally who can be so casually dishonest, changing his story whenever it suits him or his mood. I’ll always love Captain Kirk, but I can’t say I admire much of anything about Bill Shatner the person. To each his own…
OMG. Bill O’Reilly and Shat in the same airspace???
By all laws of physics, the combined force of their egos should have created some kind of nuclear explosion.
I don’t know if Shatner or Abrams is to blame, but at the end of the day Shatner should be in this film as Kirk.
I guess the whole “I don’t do cameo’s” stance has softened.
My guess is that they offered him a cameo (that is why he kept going on about not doing cameos) and her refused because he wanted a bigger role + more money.
Perhaps he now understands he will now be getting neither and is willing to do as little as a voice over to be part of the film.
The whole Shatner/ST XI saga leaves me scratching my head. Someone is not being straight with the public.
Am I wrong or is the title of Shatner’s autobiography misspelled? I always thought it would be “’til” not “till” as short for until. Maybe it’s in Esperanto…
I think William Shatner walks in virtue, touches all with his grace & humor and most importantly—he’s our Shat, gotta love him!
I have to admit, when I was a young Star Trek fan in the 60’s, it was the character of Spock who really captivated my attention. Even as an early teen, I felt myself relating to his lonely nature. But when Trek came to the big screen – and especially in TWOK – I found myself relating more with the character of Kirk. Perhaps as I grew a bit older, I related to Kirk’s confidence in himself, his adaptability, his determination… even as he said, “I know nothing,” in TWOK. And it seemed that it took Spock until TUC to wonder, “Have we become so old that we have outgrown our usefulness?”
Today, it’s no longer the characters that I admire, it’s William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy who are still going strong…
Here’s how I’ve felt about Bill Shatner over the years, in case anyone is interested:
1. While watching TOS: Focused on Kirk, not the actor playing him. Didn’t really think too much about Shatner, but when I did, had a generally positive impression. Probably an 8 out of 10.
2. Early convention years, post-TOS: Grew to think more of the actor as he drew more coverage on the fan circuit; probably a 7 out of 10 overall.
3. The Nadir: His SNL “Get a Life” skit: 4 out of 10.
4. Shatner as T. J. Hooker: 6 and rising.
5. TOS movies: Back to 7 and rising, despite stories about how he treated his coworkers during TOS.
6. Post-TOS fan circuit: 8, based on his oft-repeated funny stories and reconciliation with Leonard Nimoy.
7. Present day: Fluctuating between 6 and 8, although on his recent birthday, my positive feelings about Shatner reached a 10. It’s been downhill since then, unfortunately. Presently, my rating is 7 and declining based on all this feud business.
Compare this with my positive feelings toward the character of Kirk:
10 out of 10 all the way, baby. Way up there with Big Blue, a.k.a. Supes. Never changed. Never will.
love the shat coverage!!!!
oh …… my.
=h=
#8 Phil 123:
Thats such crap. Have you ever even watched Bill O’Reilly? Don’t judge him from the far left blogs and talking points. Watch the show and you’ll see that you are completely off the mark.
O’Reilly isnt pefect. In fact, he annoys the hell out of me sometimes, but he is not a racist or hate monger. Not at all.
#32 – “Nobody in that Harlem restaurant was saying, ‘Where’s my mother-f-ing iced tea.'” Yeah, O’Reilly’s not racist at all.
“O’Reilly isnt pefect. In fact, he annoys the hell out of me sometimes, but he is not a racist or hate monger. Not at all.”
Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call him a racist (and neither did Phil #8, your dishonest strawman to the contrary), O’Reilly is by any standard a reactionary hate-filled demagogue. And yes, that couldn’t be more contrary to everything Star Trek ever stood for.
lets not turn this political
Bill Shatner appears to be almost omnipresent this week on the different television channels promoting his new book,perhaps he has joined the Q continium! It is very hard not to admire his driven motivation.
I don’t really know much about the pre-internet days of Bill, since I didn’t have access to information. I’ve lived outside US all my life, and have never been a big enough fan to go actively seeking magazines and stuff. But have to say I do like what I see now, he is just so entertaining! And full of energy. You’ve got to give him credit for going on at this rate for such a long time. The older I get the more I appreciate how hard it is to keep going. (do I sound like someone going through a crisis??) I don’t care if he changes his story a bit, I can’t say thay I’ve never changed mine so…
Anyway, going back to the original TOS, I remember watching the tholian web for the first time, I was desperate for Captn K to be brought back to the E, the show was lacking the spark in the centre. As much as I love the character Spock, if it didn’t have Kirk played by Bill I think it would have been a less entertaining show, a bit boring even. there was some resonance between the character and Bill’s “dynamic” personality.
But the same can be said for Spock, if the show didn’t have that calming presense, watching Kirk in the centre may have been a pain…. so i think both were vital ingredients for the show to be a success. It wouldn’t have worked without either of them IMHO.
I wish all the TOS dudes were as close as the TNG cast was/is. This is a big reason why I like TNG more.
Looks like Shatner’s comments on cameos will not become canon…;) Neither will the “Surpreme Court’s” talk about the film… ah yes I know, we get the fan version, and the world outside gets the press version … or maybe, it’s all different…ballyhoo poppycock. ;)
Anyway, time will tell or it won’t – all I know for sure is that in May 09 I wanna see Shatner as Kirk once more. So far, I haven’t heard anything actually militating against it.
^ Supreme…
Maybe J.J. can incorporate a long pause on a photo of him in Spock’s quarters ‘set’ to finally get him in this Movie… ;)
44 I think Shatner’s playing dumb.I think He’s got a cameo.
I only think this because the point of the whole movie seems to be about time travel and foiling a Romulan plot to kill young Kirk.So it begs the question in my mind ,why not fix it right and save Kirk altogether.
But I really don’t care if Shatner’s in it or not.I actually prefer He’d not be in it.To give the new cast a fair shot at reinterpreting Trek afresh.
many quotes from Bill’s new book are appearing in The Times here in the UK. Seems to be finding much favour- they describe it as ‘genius, bonkers’. Todays quote is about Bill being fondled by a monkey. Very funny!
Shatner is still a great actor i think he’s oo old to be a Kirk but he’s never too old to play Denny Crane! DENNY CRANE!
Shat’s not too old to play an old Kirk. Kirk is Kirk, he doesn’t have to be young. So what he “died” in Generations. The new timeline is wiping all that nonsense away. This is Star Trek, where, indeed, anything is possible. With his recent weight loss and very brief change in hair color….I think he’s in.
#34
“O’Reilly is by any standard a reactionary hate-filled demagogue. And yes, that couldn’t be more contrary to everything Star Trek ever stood for.”
What do you mean, exactly, by that? It is easy to make sweeping comments about someone, but what exactly has O’Reilly been reactionary about? In what way has he filled anything with hate? Is it because he makes people resposible and answer for their actions and comments? Yes, O’Reilly gets fired up about issues and goes after people that have said or did stupid things – that doesn’t make him reactionary or hate filled, it makes him good at his job.
I think O’Reilly stands for a lot of what Star Trek was about – especially finding the truth of a particular situation or issue. In any regard, are only people that encompass all of the virtures of Star Trek worthy of being talked about in a good light on this site?
As far as I know O’Reilly has never claimed to up-hold the “standards” of Star Trek. Talk about strawmen – you are trying to make him out to be some kind of standard bearer and then knock him down.
It was an interview for gosh sakes, and a good at that, why are you taking the opportunity to trash O’Reilly? It seems that you may be the Opportunistic Hate-Filled Liberal!
Shatners not in the movie because he asked for more money than they wanted to give him.
It is as simple as that, no mystery, no writing problems, just not enough enough money for the Shat.
How can you say Shatner is too old to play Kirk? Don’t characters age in the the Star Trek universe?
Should Kirk be 35 for eternity? Shatner and Nimoy playing these characters in their mid 70’s would add great depth to these characters.
46 Brav-o
#48—If both characters were still alive that might be true. However, even if Shatner’s Kirk had not died on Veridian III, he would not still be alive in the post-Nemesis era–which is where the story begins. And since the scarce plot details thusfar indicate that post-Nemesis Spock probably travels back to pre-TOS years, it would take alot to sell me on the idea that ressurecting Shatner’s Kirk would benefit the story in any way. I’ve said it before. The only plausible avenue for inserting a gratuitous Shat scene is in the format of a GFII-style flashback scene, seen through the recollections of Older Spock, and representing a relevant conversation which took place prior to Kirk’s death. Of course, such a scene would amount to a cameo. Perhaps if Shatner had been open to something like that before filming, instead of insisting he be given a major role and saying, “I don’t do cameos”, such a thing could have been worked out. Or maybe the conspiracy theorists are right, and JJ did not really want anything to do with Bill. It could even have been a little of both. Something tells me we’ll here more about the “Supreme Court” and their behind-the-scenes discussions at a later time.
What I do not care for is Bill’s repeated underhanded swipes at Abrams and co. that imply that they were somehow not talented enough as writers to make it work. As if Bill’s very presence was so important that the script should be rewritten to accomodate him, and anyone who believes that would not benefit the story just isn’t talented enough to figure it out! I also think he has changed his story to appear more the victim, when he himself handicapped the new team’s ability to find a spot for him by insisting on playing a major role or none at all. Now, all of a sudden, it’s
“Question: They couldn’t have you as like as his dad?
Shatner: Ya you would think, or a disembodied voice, but I guess not. “.
Sure, Bill.