If you look at my posts here, you can see I’m a Star Trek fan. The original, that is.
No A B C or bloody D. NCC 1701. The one original STAR TREK.
Did I ever tell you the tale… the time I amused your Captain? The one and only William Shatner? Well… Now’s as good a time as any.
I’ve been in the same room with The Shat numerous times. The first time was when my friend Mary was interviewing him for the official Star Trek con in Vegas almost a decade ago. I saw him at that con a few times, and saw him and Nimoy together at DragonCon years later.
DragonCon, in case you don’t know, is the east coast version of the San Diego Comic Con… But much less “Hollywood” since it’s in Atlanta. Much more like a classic convention, but with a huge budget and attendance (80,000 plus, every Labor Day).
I also interacted with him on The Bird before I quit. It was thrilling when he responded to my mentions – Or, at, least, his daughter did. I hear she runs his social accounts, in his “voice.”
In 2019 I wasn’t planning to go to DragonCon. I had stopped going to the official Vegas Trek con because “Vegas in August” is no longer appealing to yours truly. Then, a last minute guest was added: SHATNER. I asked She Who Must Be Obeyed if she wanted to go on Sunday (he was there only Sunday and Monday). A steak dinner out, thrown into the mix, closed the deal. Shockingly, we were able to get a hotel for that night.
Then, two days before, an updated schedule: Instead of 5 PM Sunday, Shatner’s panel would be at 11 AM. Ugh. I’d have to rush to get down there, check-in at the hotel and park my car, then scramble to go the half-mile to the hotel Shatner was speaking at. And I hadn’t even gotten our one-day passes yet. My heart sank. I’d not get to see his panel. But, I thought to myself, at least I would be first in line for his autograph.
Because, after years of seeing him in person – and decades of admiring his work… I never got his autograph.
I had also never gotten Stan Lee’s autograph. Or Adam West’s. I was in the same room with both, and I didn’t take the opportunity. An opportunity now forever lost.
Not this time.
So, as I rushed my wife that Sunday morning and high-tailed it to downtown Atlanta, I was hopeful but pragmatic. And then… I made it. We got to the hotel, checked in, dropped off the car, took a Lyft to the Sheraton where both our badges and Shatner awaited and… We were in line to the panel at 10:45.
Fortune favors the foolish.
We got into the ballroom, and was 1/3rd of the way towards the front. I was giddy. It was not a huge room, and in the end it was only 2/3rd full. Shatner arrived, joked about the parse attendance, and started regaling the fans with tales. Shatner is an amazingly funny guy. Quick on his feet, though this morning he was sitting as he addressed the audience.
(BTW Shatner gets a LOT of money for these appearances. I understand his rate is $100-$150K per convention, plus the bulk of money from autographs. He’s worth it).
He finished his anecdotes, and asked if there were any questions. I was up like a shot.
(I tend to be without fear when it comes to axing famous folks questions at conventions. Remind me to share my Terry Gilliam story here…)
Now, here’s the scene. I’m 6’4″, dressed in all black, with a black fedora. It’s my look. I start walking towards the mike, and Shatner reacts “Uh oh. I see a big black shape moving towards me…” The guy holding the mic seems concerned, and he asks me what my question was.
Well, I ain’t gonna ask about Star Trek, that’s for sure.
PRO TIP for anyone who talks to famous people: NEVER ask them about something they did years ago, especially if it’s something they are (world) famous for. Ask them about either A) something obscure that they did that most people will have never heard of or B) ask them about what they’re doing NOW. For Shatner, that was the paranormal “reality” show he was hosting named The UnXplained (which is still on the air and highly enjoyable, BTW). SO my question was about that. I told my question to The Keeper of The Mic, and he thought it was suitable. So, standing less than 10 feet from the man…
“Mr. Shatner, thank you for coming. My wife and I am a big fan of your show The UnXPlained…”
“The UNEXPLAINED!” He lit up.
“…And I was just wondering if anything happened in your own life that you’d call… UnXplained.”
And he was OFF. I gave him an opening to promote his current gig, and while he never actually ANSWERED my question, he had his chance. He started talking about the AMAZING stories they were doing, and started citing some of them. “A man… hits his head and all of a sudden… He’s a concert pianist! He never had any musical training, and all of a sudden he can play like Mozart! How could that HAPPEN?”
Meanwhile, a dozen people are lined up behind me. Waiting to ask their question.
And Shatner keeps talking. And talking.
Here’s a picture of the moment, capture by an old pal. I’m the guy in black, standing. Shatner is Shatner, sitting.
Finally, as he takes a pause, I lean to the mic. “Thank you.”
“I’M NOT FINISHED!” He replies.
HUGE LAUGHS from the audience. And from Shatner.
I gesture back to the people waiting their turn. Shatner waves me back. “OK, OK… Next question.” I go back to my seat, content.
An hour later, I’m in line getting his autograph. My best pal, She Who Must Be Obeyed, by my side. She’s star struck. So am I.
“Thank you for taking my question.”
“Thank you,” He replied. “That was fun.”
Indeed it was.
Live long and prosper, Bill.