A
Amaris
Guest
Forgot about the dog bit. You're quite right, Shatner could be an insensitive tool bag at times, but consider this:
Unless there are other incidents that I have forgotten hearing/reading about over the years, that was the only one between them and I can't recall Kelley ever holding a life-long grudge with Shatner over it. I remember seeing him at a convention, probably around the time between TFF and TUC and he was extremely kind and gracious to all of his co-stars, something he was renowned for his entire career. If anyone made it look like they were a big happy family, it was Kelley - more so than even Roddenberry.
Shatner was considerably younger at the time, full of ambition and drive and, yes, "the star" - with all the trappings and foibles held therein. How many people does anyone know that didn't say something stupid on occasion, particularly in their youth? And, as the story goes, the way Kelley told the story, it did sound like he was trying to be a little amusing about it, referring to its running into a sprinkler head. The mental image conjured is one of an almost cartoonish nature, of an over-excitable Chihuahua careening head-first into a garden sprinkler. If it had lived, it would have been downright freakin' hysterical. Anyone with even the remotest kind of sense of humor would have had a hard time not cracking-wise over that, especially Shatner, who was renown for his almost uncontrollable and institutional joking and jibing.
True, Kelley didn't really want to have much to do with him for almost 2 years after that, but he never went on a public rampage against Shatner, constantly engaging in exuberant, almost gleeful, character assassination. He was a gentleman about it - and a consummate professional. A concept which, to this day, seems quite alien to Mr. Takei. Honestly, I don't know why Shatner hasn't tried suing him for slander and defamation of character. Probably doesn't want to give him more of a public platform to spew his bullshit. If so, probably the only winning move is not to play the game.
As for the dog thing, Kelley was said to have eventually forgiven him for the slip, and they had been close friends up until the time of his death.
As for the "get a life" sketch, only those for whom the message was intended take offense. I found it outlandishly funny, relevant and apropos, even at the gentle age of 16 when I first saw it. People who mercilessly obsess for years over Yeoman Rand's cabin number or Kirk's safe combination DO need to get a freakin' life!
Very well stated. The dog thing was a moment of crass humor where the recipient was not receptive to the joke. That happens, and we've all stuck our foot in our mouth on occasion. De eventually forgave Bill for the joke, and they were best friends, along with Leonard.
Also, the "Get A Life" sketch happened on Saturday Night Live, as a joke. If people are taking it seriously to the point of using it against Bill as some kind of ammo, then they are indeed the target audience of that quote.
The more George Takei pushes the feud, the less I like him, and I hate that, because I have many good reasons to like him, but this one trait is strong enough to override that. He needs to let it go.
