CelebWatch: Stardate 07.10.08

This week, the Watch has updates on Shatner’s Raw Nerve and news on his inclusion on an Emmy Award semi-finalist list. We also have Quinto revealing childhood secrets, details on Trek appearances at Comic-Con, one convention Robert Picardo will not be attending, Paul McGillion talking Trek, Nichelle Nichols narrating for the stars (the ones in space, that is), and much more!

New Shatner show hits ‘nerve’ of Nimoy, porn star and more
William Shatner (he who was Kirk) has been talking about it for a year, but the Biography Channel has finally officially announced they are picking up Shatner’s Raw Nerve. Initial guests for Shat’s new talk show include Leonard Nimoy (he who was, and still is, Spock), TNG cameo-maker Kelsey Grammer (Capt. Morgan Bateson), and porn star Jenna Jameson. The series premieres on Tuesday, August 19th, at 10pm EST. In the meantime, Shatner’s most recent Priceline commercial is now online and it apparently the Negotiator’s Falcon of Truth has been replaced… by a lemur. Watch the video below (and behind the scenes at Priceline.com.)

Shat makes the Emmy cut, O’Quinn doesn’t
In other Shat news, Bill made the Emmy Awards’ list of semi-finalists for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for his role of Denny Crane on Boston Legal. However, as noted by the LA Times, there is one surprising, glaring omission on the list: Terry O’Quinn (Adm. Erik Pressman), who won in the category last year for his role on Lost and who was expected to be nominated again this year. EW agrees, O’Quinn got the shaft.

Quinto parties, reveals childhood secret
Zachary Quinto (the new Spock) was at the “Pink is the New Blog” party in Hollywood where he was nabbed for a quick interview by Young Hollywood, in which the actor revealed he had a Spock haircut as a kid! Seriously, that’s what he said! Check out the video below if you don’t believe me.

Quantum Quest to SDCC
Footage of the upcoming, long-delayed, NASA-sponsored CGI-animated 3D film Quantum Quest will be shown at the San Diego Comic Con on Thursday, July 24th. This movie features the voices of many Trek alumni, some of which will be making “surprise appearances” at the Con. According to Cinema Blend, the actors who will be appearing at the event include William Shatner (the original Kirk), Chris Pine (the new Kirk), Brent Spiner (Data), and Jason Alexander (Kurros). Robert Picardo (The Holodoc) and Star Trek VI cameo-maker Christian Slater also lent their voices to the movie, but they apparently will not appearing at the Con (although Picardo recently discussed the project with Sci-Fi Wire). The footage will be co-presented by the film’s writer/director/producer, Harry Kloor, who wrote several episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.

Picardo and Trinneer on SGA this Friday + Picardo not going to JumpCon
Were you hoping to see VOY’s Robert Picardo at the JumpCon in Boston, Massachusetts? Well, your out of luck. According to Bob’s official site, the convention failed to meet their contractual obligations to Picardo, forcing the actor to back out from the engagement. So, as of now, Bob will not be appearing at the convention, though there still seems to be a possibility that something will work out. Check back with the website tomorrow after 5pm for the final word on whether or not Bob will appear. However, Bob is guaranteed to appear on your television sets tomorrow, so long as their tuned in to the Sci-Fi Channel at 10pm EST. Both Bob and Enterprise‘s Connor Trinneer (Trip Tucker) will be seen in the season five premiere of Stargate: Atlantis. Picardo’s Richard Woolsey is joining SGA full time as the leader of the expedition and Trinneer is continuing his recurring villain role as the Wraith Michael.

Picardo and Trinneer in the SGA premiere “Search and Rescue”

McGillion talks (a little) Trek
Speaking of Stargate and Star Trek, Slice of Sci-Fi has an audio interview with Paul McGillion, who plays a mystery role in the upcoming Star Trek movie. Although the actor talked primarily about his return to the role of Dr. Carson Beckett on Stargate Atlantis, he did talk a little bit about Trek. From the interview:

I read for the part of Scotty, I was up for that for a while. That went to Simon Pegg, who is a terrific actor. … J.J. Abrams is such a great filmmaker and, I can’t say enough things about him. [He’s] just a great guy and so inviting and just a real class act. It was a thrill to work on such a big budget feature and I think it’s going to be really great. I’m very excited to see it myself. … It was really nice to be part of a huge franchise like that. I think Beckett’s the first character to cross over into the Star Trek world from Stargate, if I’m not mistaken. It was cool to be part of that… to be able to work with somebody like J.J. Abrams who’s done so much was a real pleasure for me and I’d do it again at the drop of a hat. It was a real thrill to work on it. … I think it’s something the fans are going to be really excited about and I think he’ll keep the integrity of Star Trek alive.

Wheaton attending Comic-Con; Wheaton family vacation photos
As TrekMovie.com reported earlier, Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) has confirmed on his blog that he will be attending Comic-Con from July 24th through the 26th and sit on a Thursday panel “Star Trek Without a Blueprint” talking about Star Trek books (Wheaton has written 2 stories for the Star Trek Mangas) He will also be signing autographs and crashing his friend Richard Stevens’ booth. In the meantime, Wheaton has posted some family vacation photos from their recent trip to Maui on flickr; you can check them out here.

Geek (and wife) in paradise

Nichols narrating planetarium shows
Nichelle Nichols (she who was Uhura) will be narrating two shows for the Edwin C. Schouweiler Memorial Planetarium, according to KPC News. The shows, entitled The Stargazer and Hotter Than Blue, will be screened as part of the planetarium’s Three Rivers Festival on Sunday, July 13th, beginning at 7pm. According to the report, the two shows combined “provide a comprehensive understanding of the vast variety of stars, which make up our universe.”

Armstrong talks with the fans
Veteran Trek guest star Vaughn Armstrong answered fan questions in an interview posted on TREKNews.de. The actor tells us he prefers playing characters with his own face (i.e. sans make-up) and that his favorite Trek role was Admiral Forrest on Star Trek: Enterprise because the character “helped put [his] kids through college”… among other reasons, of course. He also explains how he won the role of Forrest:

I actually went in to audition for the role of [Ambassador Soval]. I had seen that they were casting a new show and sent the casting office a packet of photos and articles that had been written about my doing several characters. I asked them not to forget me. They didn’t. They called me to audition for yet another alien part… Soval. When I got home my agent called and told me I’d gotten the role of Admiral Forrest. They said I had it when they saw me walk through the door. What it has meant to me is hard to describe. It has put me on the map in Star [Trek] Fandom. It has been the reason I’ve traveled the world.

Armstrong entertaining the fans at the recent convention in Italy

McDonough getting ‘Desperate’
Actor Neal McDonough has been keeping busy since being assimilated by the Borg and being blasted into space by Worf as Lt. Hawk in Star Trek: First Contact. In addition to recent film roles like Bison in the upcoming Street Fighter movie, the 42-year-old actor will be heading to Wisteria Lane as a series regular on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He will be playing a “new white-collar resident” who apparently becomes romantically linked with Nicolette Sheridan’s character. New episodes of Housewives will begin this fall, likely in September.

McDonough at the Dodgers 50th Annual Hollywood Stars Game on June 21

LaZebnik still on ‘Strike’
Star Trek: Enterprise writer/producer Ken LaZebnik is among the writers participating in a project called Strike TV. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, Strike TV is so titled because it was conceived during the writers’ strike “to help writers maintain their creative aspirations in a fast-changing entertainment world.” Various writers, including LaZebnik, submitted their “passion projects” for the project; their concepts were then developed into 40 short films to be available at the Strike TV website. LaZebnik, who wrote a short called “Confessional,” had this to say about the project:

For me, it’s mostly the feeling of freedom of having an idea, being able to shoot it, work with friends collaboratively, and see the fruit of our work. If you have something to get off your chest, let me know. Maybe we’ll dramatize it on our next episode.

TrekBits

• George Takei (TOS’ Sulu) was among the Japanese Americans invited to speak at a town hall discussion organized by the Japanese American National Museum on July 5th. (The Associated Press via cbs4denver.com)
• Speaking of Takei, a new movie starring the Sulu actor (and VOY guest star John Savage), entitled The Red Canvas, will premiere at Fashion Square Premiere 14 cinemas in Orlando, Florida, this Friday. (Orlando Sentinel)
• Denise Crosby (TNG’s Tasha Yar) will be the “Media Guest of Honor” at this year’s OSFest in Omaha, Nebraska, which runs from July 11th through the 13th.
• Armin Shimernan (DS9’s Quark) discusses new media and the “covered-performer clause” of AFTRA’s proposed contract with the AMPTP in his latest The Fine Print column.
• July 13th is your last chance to see Ethan Phillips (VOY’s Neelix) as the Turkey Guy in the Broadway production of David Mamet’s November. Broadway World)
• JoBlo has the new trailer for Parasomnia, an upcoming horror film starring Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun, Brunt, Shran, etc.) and Patrick Kilpatrick (Reese, Razik, Assan); you can watch it here.
• Leonard Nimoy (he who was Spock) will be one of the guests on the second season premiere of the online comedy/variety show Late Net with Ray Ellin, which goes live on July 23rd at 7pm.

The Trek Continues: Trek Birthdays
Patrick Stewart, TNG’s Jean-Luc Picard, will be turning 68 on July 13th. Other Trek luminaries celebrating their birthday in the coming week include: visual effects artist Philip Barberio (TMP, DS9, VOY), 61; computer graphics and video playback engineer Ben Betts (VOY, ENT, 3 films), actor Peter Duryea (Jose Tyler in “The Cage”), 69; actress Galyn Görg (Korena Sisko, Nori), 44; Molly O’Brien actress Hana Hatae, 19; actor Bruce McGill (Braxton in VOY: “Relativity”), 58; actor Terry O’Quinn (Adm. Pressman, TNG’s “The Pegasus”), 56; actress (and daughter of Garak actor Andrew Robinson) Rachel Robinson (Melanie in DS9’s “The Visitor”), age unknown; actress Camille Saviola (Kai Opaka), 58; and veteran Trek stuntman Charles E. Tripp III, 49. To these and everyone we couldn’t list, TrekMovie.com wishes you all a very happy birthday!

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