Nichelle Nichols Joins Sci-Fi Comedy Web Series ‘The Cabonauts’ July 7, 2009
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Celebrity, Sci-Fi, TOS , trackback
Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s original Uhura, is headed back into space, this time for a sci-fi musical comedy series called "The Cabonauts". Premiering in October on DailyMotion, the web show features Nichols playing the CEO of a ’space taxicab’ company. More details, cast photo and video interview with Nichols below.
Nichols and The Cabonauts
"The Cabonauts" is the brain child of Hayden Black who has received much buzz in recent years for his other two web shows "Good Night Burbank" (a spoof about the news) and "Abi’s Teen Diary" (comedy about a teenage girl with a fictional genetic disorder making her look like a 30something guy).
Black tells TrekMovie that for his third web series he has always been inspired by the works of Douglas Adams and the Hitchhikers’ Guide series and wanted to make the first of its kind ’science fiction musical comedy’. "The Cabonauts" mostly takes place in a ’space taxi’ and focuses on Cyril (played by Black) a veteran space cab driver and Harry (Norm Thoeming) a rookie driver in trailing. Each episode will focus on a new passenger, all of whom will be well known stars of science fiction. Black Tells TrekMovie that the guest star list includes many Star Trek vets, but they are not releasing names yet. Rounding out the cast are Monica Young who plays the holographic dispatcher Lolita and Nichols, who plays CJ, the CEO of the cab company.
"Cabonauts" Monica Young, Norm Thoeming, Nichelle Nichols and Hayden Black [photo: thebuibrothers.com]
One other twist is that half way though each episode there will be a singing and dancing number, with an original song. Nichols is expected to join in with both the singing and the dancing. Here is a new video of Nichols talking about why she decided to join "The Cabonauts."
"Cabonauts" will premiere on DailyMotion.com in October. The first season will be 15 episodes long, broken into blocks of 5, but the frequency has not yet been determined. A trailer for the show, featuring Nichols, will debut at San Diego Comic Con later this month.
For more visit the official site at Cabonauts.com
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Comments»
Wow – Nichelle is looking beautiful! I will have to check this out.
Looking forward to this!
Nichelle’s great, but after Star Trek 5 I never ever want to see her dance again – too many disturbing memories…..
This just gives me that whole late 80s early 90s MST3K vibe – looking forward to it!
Wow, this is going to be good! Can’t wait to see Nichelle, I hope she has some “killer” numbers to sing in it.
Very COOL!
I tell ya’, this looks great….
And #1, Nichelle always looks beautiful.
That Jane Fonda “Klute” style hairdo really looks great on her. The show looks silly, but in a fun way. Looking forward to it!
Damn she is stunning! I love this woman!
I LOVE Nichelle!!!!!!!!!
She looks and sounds amazing!!!
because of Zoe Saldana and of course…yhe original Uhura Ms. Nichols….Uhura has become my favorite character of the Trek Franchise
Nichelle you rock :)
She looks like Van Buren from Law and Order in that pic (which is definately a compliment).
Checking this show out for sure! :D
I always love seeing the REAL Uhura, but this reminds me of James Doohan as “Pippen” (get it- Scotty Pippen? Stupid joke) in “Homeboys in Outer Space”.
SY FY (Sci Fi?) is cool again, so I think we will see a lot of these experiments. Anyone remember the Trek parody “Quark” from the 70s? A little nod given to it by the Ferengi charactor on DS9.
Wow! Nichelle is looking good with that hairstyle!
Nichelle is a class act all around, a lovely and stunning woman.
And much to our fortune, we to get to see more of her, can’t wait!
Does anyone remember when Nichelle did the psychic friends commercial?
This looks interesting though I will check it out.
#14 – Your mention of the TV show Quark rang a bell with me so I checked it on Youtube and found a clip. The reason I mention that here (I know it’s off subject) but there’s one character named Gene Jean who is said to be a “transmute”, having male and female personalities. When his voice changed to a female one, I’d swear that it was Majel Rodenberry’s voice. Check it out and see if you agree. I haven’t found closing credits so I’m not sure. Oh and the show uses TOS bridge sound effects too. Kinda funny.
3
After seeing Star Trek V, I wanna see her do more fan dances. :-P
I do not remember Ms. Nichols in a psychic friends commercial.
I do not remember it because it NEVER HAPPENED. DO YOU HEAR ME!?!?!?!
Also, Quark was hilarious. Looking at it again on youtube one is reminded how crappy 70’s TV scifi was, though that show worked because it was a comedy. We should all be grateful Star Trek Phase II never happened as a 70’s TV series- it would have been a disaster.
Btw Gene Jean’s female voice was still good old Thom Thomerson, doing the kind of campy gay stereotype that further distinguishes it as a 70’s show. Still, a character that switches sexes would make a cool sf character if done seriously- very Octavia Butler.
Quark was a good Trek/sci-fi movie spoof that I enjoyed, and still do whenever I take out the recent DVD set.. I even did a post on it recently at:
http://fantasticflashbacks.blogspot.com/2009/06/1978-quark-tv-show-articles_19.html
I didn’t see Gene/Jean as switching back and forth from straight to gay at all. He was simply switching genders.
If there seemed to be a stereotype it’s because a man talking, walking and acting like a woman is funny anyway, whether it’s done like on the show or by someone in real life. Men portraying women been a comedy staple for centuries lopng before it became a gay stereotype done for laughs and some people got sensitive to it.
So Quark only seems offensive when viewed in context of today’s society. It’s still funny to me, especially Ficus.
That hairstyle and color do make Nichelle look younger. But she’s one fine woman regardless, whom age has been good to. I love her.
20 & 21. In the Quark pilot, Gene/Jean just acted feminine when he switched genders. But in the latter episode clips I just watched it was definitely a woman’s voice dubbed and I swear that it was Majel. Watch this clip at about 00:56.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzzFuN0QJx0
Damn, she’s 76 years old. Definitely a good look for her.
Nichelle just proving to everyone that she has more talent in her little finger than most have whole body and everyone else that went to the same acting school as they did combined in to one person.
May she have another 75 years of greatness to bless us with.
Hey All.
Thanks for everyone’s great comments. You’ll be happy to know that Nichelle is indeed unbelievably talented and gorgeous but not just that; she’s so utterly fantastic to work with and is one of the most gracious people I’ve ever met. And by the way – we’re also working on some interactive elements that will allow you to dance with Nichelle and the entire cast!
We have lots more Star Trek people coming but regardless we just hope you enjoy the show for what it is; a silly, fun time for all.
Thanks for your interest – can’t wait to see what you think when we premiere later this year!!
Cheers,
Hayden
Hayden,
I was unfamilar with your work until this article appeared. I watched GNB yesterday. Good work, and congratulations on the success! How often are new episodes produced?
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