William Shatner Helps Close Out Winter Olympics February 28, 2010
by TrekMovie.com Staff , Filed under: Celebrity, Shatner, TOS , trackback
The 2010 Winter Olympics came to an end on Sunday in Vancouver. The closing ceremony celebrated the games and Canada, including some of Canada’s greatest treasures, like William Shatner. See below for pictures and a video clip of Shatner’s Olympic moment, plus Shatner’s first video blog in months.
Shatner closes out the Olympics
How can Canada bring to a close their hosting of the Winter Olympics? An event of this magnitude needs a true hero of Canada, and that man is none other than the original Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner who ascended into the center Olympic arena amidst an enormous Canadian flag.
William Shatner - makes his entrance at Winter Olympics closing ceremony
The closing ceremonies were actually a mix of pageantry and humor, that included a celebration of the quintessentially Canadian, such as giant hockey players, moose, Mounties, and beavers. Part of the humor included famous Canadians speaking, including William Shatner and Catherine O’Hara and Michael J. Fox. In a moment reminiscent of his famous "I am a Canadian" speech, Shatner told the crowd “I’m proud to be a Canadian, a people who know how to make love in a canoe, which is why our health care system covers splinters". Shatner poked fun at Canadians famous politeness and penchant for wide open spaces, throwing in a reference to the "final frontier".
William Shatner - at Winter Olympics closing ceremony
More photos from the Olympics closing ceremony (including more of Shatner) at digitalsportsdaily.com
VIDEO UPDATE: Shatner’s moment is now available at nbcolympics.com (in HD). You can also watch it via the embed below.
MORE SHATNER – BDAY VIDEO FOR LIZ TAYLOR
Want some more Shatner fun. Well after a hiatus of many many months, a new video was uploaded over the weekend to his Shatner Project video blog at YouTube. And the new video is Bill wishing his friend Elizabeth Taylor a happy birthday.
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Comments»
I’m so happy they included Mr. Shatner in the closing ceremony of Vancouver 2010! It was a perfect cherry on top to a wonderful Olympics.
I was watching the Olympics closing ceremony tonight when Shatner popped up! Looks like he’s starting to pack on the beef again!
Here’s where the naysayers start griping, “hey, we should all look this good when pushin’ 80!!”
yeah, yeah………
Am I only thinking that he should have done a spoken word rendition of “O’ Canada?”
#2: “Here’s where the naysayers start griping, “hey, we should all look this good when pushin’ 80!!””
Complimenting Shatner’s relatively good state of health and preservation at his age wouldn’t be griping or naysaying … exactly the opposite, in fact.
#3: Awesome idea :)
Shat rules!
The Shat be praised!
#4
I meant the “naysayers” would be criticising MY remark. :)
The man is EVERYWHERE! I wish he’d go rest on his laurels. I don’t mean that in a bad way – I’m just afraid of that day I’ll wake up and see “Shatner Dead of Heart Attack”…
Well if is isn’t a heart attack it will ultimately be something else. He is pushing 80 – if he wants to keep working then he really shouldn’t stop – IMO – as long as he isn’t in the next Trek movie.
Yeah, I was hoping they would. I mean, I grew up with Katherine Ohara and SCTV but c’mo!…..Shatner’s a no brainer. I love the man.
He was seen in the crowd during the ice hockey final as well!
Why have we as a society not built monuments or statues dedicated to this man? We are being remiss…
11
Good idea.
Shatner = Icon.
Shatner as icon. On what operating system would he run?
Also, nice birthday wish to Elizabeth Taylor.
Too bad about so many people in the background yacking during that.
Would you people shut up?! William Shatner is talking! ;-)
I’m sure the television viewing audience (in Canada) fell silent when the Shat appeared.
“Quiet children, the Shat speaks!!”
This is funny, because i remember thinking fleetingly during the opening ceremonies that what it really needed was Shatner’s “I’m a Canadian”. I’m sad I missed it.
He had to show up sooner or later. I mean come on — a ceremony represeting Canada without the Shat? Inconceivable!
@11: He’s got a building named after him at McGill University, but I agree — it’s only the beginning!
Very cool that he appeared. That closing ceremony was bizarre, but entertaining. Absolutely loved the Olympics.
I think we had better snow here in Cleveland than they did there!
Shatner set the bar so high there… that O’Hara completely got hit by it.
At least the indefatiguable Michael J. Fox picked up the pieces.
Sorry Cath…. Bill and Mike really outdid you there….
It was really cool, and I was sitting there very envious of my wife for having more Canadians in her family tree than I do! Canadian culture is fun, friendly, self-deprecating, and doesn’t hurt. The World could use more of it.
Ok that didn’t work, sorry.
I still think it is terrific that Shatner is enjoying a great life. He really is a legend.
I wish the crowded chatted “Shat for Trek 12″
yay they were able to work TheShat in….all these olympics needed was to get Bob and doug Mckenzie in there to make it totally cool.
Awesome finishing touch for the awesome Olympics!
Go Mr.Shatner!
23
“.all these olympics needed was to get Bob and doug Mckenzie in there to make it totally cool.”
I was waiting for that too.
I so regret not going to Vancouver to see the Olympics.
Gotta love the Shat!
16. Actually, a lot of people in Canada are surprised to learn that Mr.Shatner is Canadian.
Off topic: I’ve always admired how patriotic Americans are. But when Crosby scored that goal in overtime- well there were tears in my eyes.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to be a Canadian.
A moment I will never forget.
(Hey hockey is like Trek! People either get it or they don’t.)
19. yes the closing ceremonies were bizarre- even for me a Canadian.
oh and shats “toque” looked horrible last night
Him rising and descending in to the stage like that reminded me of the shot towards the end of TMP when the landing party pops up out of the primary hull :)
20 – Daoud
“It was really cool, and I was sitting there very envious of my wife for having more Canadians in her family tree than I do! Canadian culture is fun, friendly, self-deprecating, and doesn’t hurt. The World could use more of it.”
Makes me even more proud of being Canadian! And to be living in Montreal where Mr. Shatner was born. I’m sorry I missed his speech yesterday. Will try to catch it on YouTube or something… :)
28 – denny cranium
“But when Crosby scored that goal in overtime- well there were tears in my eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to be a Canadian.
A moment I will never forget.”
Seriously, eh? :D I felt the same. I had a big lump in my throat when they played our national anthem afterward…
Shatner has always been my favorite from Star Trek. I just wish he hadn’t turned to the self-deprecating humor the last 15-20 years or so. He makes himself like a clown when he acts like that and he is so much the hero. He is far better suited acting like a hero than a clown, IMO.
I’m surprised that they allowed him in that role given his penchant for being a ‘loose cannon’.
Great, with not being in the new movie, Shatner is no longer part of canon. Now he’s just a “loose cannon” !
All Hail the Shat. May he Live Long and Prosper.
Being in Vancouver, what the Olympics did in this city for 2010 felt oddly like Star Trek. On crowded busses and sky-trains where people normally pretend they don’t know anyone else is even there and where too often residents live in bubbles, suddenly the city was talking. Strangers would talk to strangers, nobody was alone. People of all races and creeds shared and laughed and sat together with shared hopes. The whole city held hands, everyone was a “friend”, the social ramifications of this even in Vancouver were astounding. Reports are saying 99% of Canadians watched some part of the olympics!! MY GOD! Talk about a shared narrative experience! I felt like I was on the Enterprise. In absolutely massive crowds, there was never any pressure or tension or frustration. You could walk your way through the crowded streets no problem, people would give you an opening and let you by…
These were a wonderful games… and Shatner belonged with them, for all he represented as a hero in Star Trek.
I agree with 11, there needs to be a Shatner statue…nay, a monument.
So, tell me, does that mean the people posting here who don’t want Shatner in the next movie, are doing to him what the pigeons are going to do to his statue?
what a great move by the Canadians to have THE SHAT.
Bet Bill loved it too. great stuff. The bloke is a Legend.
Greg
UK
@32: To be honest, his willingness to poke fun at himself makes me like him more that I ever did when he played The Hero ™.
Shatner is the man.
35 Million Canadians?
Forget Afghanistan and Iran. Let’s invade The Great White North! We could be back by lunch.
#42
You tried that in 1812. Two years later we were torching the White House.
All joking aside, Americans like to think that invading and controlling a country is easy even though third-world and developing nations have thwarted your attempts since Korea (you only finished have the job on that one). For the sake of argument (and for fun) do you really think you would fare well against a developed nation with virtually unlimited resources and a huge infrastructure spanning half a continent, an educated population whose citizens can easily pass for one of your own after crossing the largest shared border in the world? The guerrilla warfare and terrorist threats would bring American cities to a standstill. Plus, 80% of our population straddles the border, meaning nukes couldn’t be an option due to fallout. A couple of homemade bombs on our side of the border could take out the power supply to most of the American North-East in a heartbeat. Canada would certainly be crushed, but the US would be screwed in both the short and long terms.
Anyway, we’re all friends and everything so this hypothetical gobbledygook is just fun to throw around. So what I’m basically saying is cheers and don’t mess with us.
#43
I’m Canadian too and, hum, I think you should take a pill and relax
You’ve all missed the point. Didn’t you hear about the “Condom Shortage” at the olympics? Shatner was on a secret mission to curb the shortage of protected sex going on in the great white north. The Shat flew in on a super secret military plane (The Trojan) and brought relief to the condom stricken olympians. The closing ceremony was just a cover for his real mission. Shatner….Saving the world…..One Encounter at a Time.
#44
Just because I like a fun debate doesn’t mean I’m not as mellow as an afternoon in Charlottetown.
Our post-hockey gold jingoism has to last at least a week so cut me some slack, eh?
Ya know, it was a joke.
I wouldn’t even invade Celine Dion.
Oh, and a grudging congrats to Canada on that hockey thing.
The Shat strikes again! Now lets get him into the next movie!
To CmdrR
Hockey: Thanks! That’s very big of you.
Not invading Céline: Wise choice. War is Hell would truly be an understatement.
However, it’s important to note that this country boasts plenty of invasion-worthy beauties. Fans of Vancouver-produced sci-fi know what I’m talking about…
which reminds me, why doesn’t Paramount make a few Trek mini-series up in BC? They could base them at any point in the original Trek universe with unknown but strikingly attractive actors (à la BSG). Sure, they would be CGI-heavy to compensate for costly one-off sets, but they’ve been doing great effect on TV these past few years. Just a thought.
Agree with 41, Shatneris the man!
It’s great to read comments from ‘civilians’ here and there on the net who felt that Shat was the best part of the closing ceremonies. Aside from the giant inflatable beavers, of course.
#38
Don’t see any pigeons here other than you who seems to have a personal vendetta against Mr. Shatner. The thread hardly started when you piped in with the weight comment.
Didn’t surprise me when the toupee comment in #29 (I’m guessing touque is a reference to toupee – excuse me if I’m wrong).
What’s with the negativity about the actor? Seems that any story about him has to have one of the following:
- He’s overweight
- His toupee is terrible
- His ego is enormous
- He dissed trekkers
etc.
#51 – You’re absolutely right.
Regards.
I’m not a fan of referring to people as “Sir” This or “Dame” That, actually. The “Dame Elizabeth Taylor” caption seemed out of place.
I want to reserve comment on Mr. Shatner’s speech. It was interesting, but I couldn’t hear it very well from the feed that was provided.
I’ve always wondered, as a bald guy myself, what Mr. Shatner would look like, or would have looked like, without help. It’s not a bad whatever-it-is, and I wonder if ’70s and ’80s hair styles were partly to blame (I was about to use Burt Reynolds as my example and then thought it through).
A good piece by Shatner, despite lame animation and sound effects were lame (beyond the intentional lameness they seemed to be going for). I wish they’d had Christopher Plummer, Donald Sutherland and maybe a few more famous Canuck actors. They got the icons. Alas, we sure like to trot out (or, in fact, ship back home from the states) our 38 famous Canadians whenever we can. We are a proud, insecure people.
I wish there was an unpost — I’m writing on an iPhone and am not great at writing posts that make sense…
Love Shatner was the gist.
53 – A “toque” is a winter wool hat — that’s a word that’s used for one in Canada and in my home state of Vermont.
Perhaps that is what #29 refers to, although I did not see Shatner wearing one in the clip.
The Shat rules!!!
Proud day to be a Canadian. We take the gold in hockey then The Shat closes out the games!!
Sweet.
Cool! The best way to close out the Olympic Games. :))
#32
I’ve always liked those heroes best who are capable of making fun of themselves. I think, Kirk was one of them. :)
The closing ceremony was great. Seeing Shat do a quick campy dialogue was pretty cool. It was a tearful moment when Neil Young performed “Long May You Run” as the Olympic flame was extinguished…didn’t even know it was extinguished until afterwards. Bravo to the Canucks and Vancouver for a great Winter Olympics. Only thing missing was Rush doing a performance of “Marathon”…
Wild moment when Canada won the Men’s Hockey. I’m from the US but I was cheering on the Canadians, knowing that it would have meant so much more for them. Nice that they had their “Do you believe in miracles” moments…not only hockey but the NBC (Nothing But Curling) events too.
Shatner was very apropos for the closing. Notice that he was the lead off in the series of ‘comics’ right before the musical party. Quite a nod to the gentleman. It’s really cool that not only Trek is iconic, but some of it’s performers are icons in their own right. I hope that Shat becomes the ‘George Burns’ of his generation and lives to be a hundred! Wouldn’t it be cool to see him do God in a remake of “Oh! God!” (that’s what I get for watching the newest Priceline commercial).
Props to you Anthony for keeping the site fresh and invigorating after the 09 movie…
Thanks that we in Hilo were spared the worst…
#60 He’s got a real problem with Erica Durance (aka Lois Lane on Smallville) as well. Not sure where this guy is coming from, but every time her name is mentioned the verbal knives come out.
Canada only has 35 million people? Wow! I thought it was more.
Guess I need to visit Wikipedia and learn more.
Cool seeing Mr. Shatner… I see his sense of humor is intact…
53. Yes the literal translation of toque is a winter hat. (its pronounced “tuke”
But yes I was referring to Mr. Shatners hairpiece.
Please let me make it clear: I love Bill-His career his TV shows movies etc. My screen name is inspired by the Shat.
I just don’t undertstand men who won’t embrace their baldness.
When you see some guy wearing a dead woodchuck on his head its like a car wreck. You just can’t help but stare at it.
Sean Connery wore a hairpiece when the part required it. In real life he just didn’t care and went natural.
If Mr. Shatner would do the same thing, I don’t think anyone would slag him for it.
Mr. Shatner insists on wearing his toupee all the time. (as is his choice)
He doesnt show up anywhere with his shirt untucked or unshaven. He should do the same thing with his hairpiece. When its a mess it detracts(for me) from his performances.
#60, 61, 62+64
Yeah, you guys are SO right! A Shatner thread should have nothing BUT loving comments! It should only BE a strokefest to the Shat! Heaven forbid someone have a different opinion! IDIC, people! IDIC!
What a bummer… I went to bed early and never thought to set the DVR! :-(
Way to go Shat!
Hey Harry,
Would you complain if Erica Durance donated her harry to the Shat to keep the Shat lookin’ good?
:)
=A=
HB, you had to know you weren’t going to get any love on this thread. I learned long ago on this site not to piss off the Shatnerfiles. Now I just bitch about the ships.
I wouldn’t mind invading Celine Dion. As long as she doesn’t sing. Judging from her dancing, she can hardly move. But yeah, she wouldn’t be my first choice.
Good on Canada for having a lot to be proud of. As a U.S, citizen I am sometimes jealous of Canada’s relative worldwide anonymity. It’s not always fun to have the rest of the planet hate your country for stuff you didn’t do/vote on/approve of.
I do think my country’s citizens do a lot of good for the world. I’m certain that we will be a leading source of aid for Chile as we were/are in Haiti. That’s a good thing to be proud of.
69
Adam, that’s a good idea as long as she remembers to send it by “hair mail”!
70
THX, your wonderful country has PLENTY to be proud of…..but it was nice for us to win in hockey!
#60 I am really impressed and flattered that you cheered on the Canadians even though it meant cheering against your own team. Jon Stewart, David Letterman and other Americans have shown incredible graciousness after our country beat your country in a classic. Its just another reminder that there can be no better neighbour to have than the good ole’ United States Of America. :-)
And by the way, even though hockey is a fringe sport in the U.S, I hope that at least some of you start watching the sport and support your programs and players. Its a great game and I as a Canadian am proud that more countries are playing the game.
As for William Shatner wearing a toupee, it shouldn’t matter. He is Captain Kirk. Enough said.
Shatner has ALWAYS had at least a touch of self deprecating humor even as The Starship Captain there was a nudge nudge wink wink to his persona–humor is what has made the shat n nothing wrong with that-compare jeffrey hunter as pike–all business no humor at least in the one story we got to see-Shatners comments re being canadian were great!
Shatner is the man! He can do no wrong!
All Hail great and powerful Shat!!
i hope you are watching JJ
Shatner is one of the greatest Canadians ever! No doubt!
As an American I was greatly impressed by the grace and diginity of the Canadian people during every one of my visits and as displayed during the Olympics. Especially poignant though were the reminders shown during the coverage of the openess and support displayed by our neighbors to the north during the 9/11 diversion of air traffic, and of their continued respect and tribute to each of their deceased military members upon return to their homeland. Canada truly has so much to be proud of and yet are such a humble people. God bless.
Thank you, ElderFan. As a Canadian I’d like to say that we very much appreciate your kind remarks!
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