William Shatner in Australia - warning big pics

[Botany Bay]

Last weekend I sent Mrs.BB and our son Jamie off to a small Star Trek convention where William Shatner appeared.

I didn't attend myself, I got to meet the Shat once years ago, so I thought I'd let my little guy have a turn this time.

I am told the Shat-man was looking incredibly relaxed and happy. His appearance has created a decent amount of media attention, and he looks just incredible for his age, and slimmer than I've seen him for a while.

Mrs.BB reports that his Q and A was fairly light on Trek stuff, unfortunately, but she mentioned this nice story :

Shatner spoke about a documentary he did recently where he interviewed all the modern-Trek captains, and found them all speaking from the heart about how wonderful their Star Trek journey had been, and they all felt they'd been part of something special.

Shatner said that this made him become finally at peace with Star Trek. Over the years he felt that getting "Beam me up, Scotty" everywhere he went was mocking him somehow, and it annoyed him. But speaking with Patrick Stewart et al made him appreciate that he had been part of something pretty amazing, and that he should be proud of it rather than attempting to avoid it.

He spoke of how close he was to Leonard Nimoy and De Kelley on the set of TOS, and how he thought he was well liked by everyone on the set. He said he was surprised when the rest of the cast expressed to him that they thought he wasn't that friendly all those years later.

That's about it really for us TOS lovers.

My son apparently had a great time playing with Martok and Gowron from TNG/DS9, who were apparently brilliant (and in costume all day!) and I'm told Scott Bakula seems like a really genuine, down to earth guy.

Jamie getting interviewed by TV reporters. I am told he made all three major networks news reports! The Shat’s arrival has had a great run in the media here.

He's back in Sydney Tuesday night to do a stage show – it’s being billed as William Shatner : Kirk, Crane and Beyond! I have a ticket for that one, and I'll let you all know how it goes. Oh, and by the way if you’re in Sydney, and want to go, a friend has a ticket, and can’t make it, so PM me if you’re interested.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Sounds like you had a great day. I saw many pictures around facebook and on hub productions fanpage. Interesting when I saw Dana (one of hub team), took a picture of Jamie on Saturday, I thought to myself - I'm quite sure that it was your son.

 

[Merky]

Looks like you had a lovely time And he is adorbs~

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yeah, Jamie was a real hit on the nightly news report I caught. See you on Tuesday, BB.

 

[Gary7]

Wow, what a terrific experience for your son, BB. Congrats on him getting all that face time with Star Trek celebs, especially Shatner! I'll bet the Shat got a kick out of seeing him outfitted with Kirk-era props.

So those menacing looking Klingons didn't phase him, at such a young age?

 

[Therin of Andor]

So those menacing looking Klingons didn't phase him, at such a young age?

Little James was regularly exposed to TOS while still in the womb, much to Mrs BB's consternation. All that Trek homework backfired though, because non-fan Mrs BB realised that passing off "Tiberius" as a supposedly innocently-chosen middle name was going too far.

 

[CaptainStoner]

^ lol, "Tiberius" is a fine name.

Thanks for the OP, beautiful family, a happy child, and the Shat is lookin' good. The Klingon actors must be having a blast. Wonder if there was some amusing interaction between them and Shatner.

* I love that these Klingon actors have broken the taboo of appearing as their characters. Tis good to be Klingon.

 

[WillsBabe]

Awesome family album shot at the top there! Shat looks really well. And your son is adorable! Just the right hair colour to wear that shirt.

 

[Therin of Andor]

William Shatner Live, tonight! At the gorgeous State Theatre, Sydney, venue of the gala premiere nights for both ST II and ST IV back in the good ol' days.



Shatner 1 by Therin of Andor, on Flickr



Shatner 2 by Therin of Andor, on Flickr



Shatner 3 by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Very entertaining. Highlight of the night: Shatner did a spoken word version of Men at Work's song, "Down Under", which led into a recitation of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's speech following his Dismissal by the Governor-General in the 70s, which led into a spoken word portion of our national song, "Waltzing Matilda".

I attended with TrekBBS identities Botany Bay, Mrs Botany Bay and the long-lost Jean Prouvaire.

 

[JiNX-01]

Jamie getting interviewed by TV reporters. I am told he made all three major networks news reports! The Shat’s arrival has had a great run in the media here.

Your little guy is absolutely adorable! He deserved to be on TV.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Very entertaining. Highlight of the night: Shatner did a spoken word version of Men at Work's song, "Down Under"

I don't remember if that tune is on his new album in the works, but love when he does this kind of stuff.

 

[Botany Bay]

Thanks, all, for the nice comments from my online family here

James is still talking about meeting those Klingons, they've left more of an impression on him than meeting Captain Kirk

He had never seen a TNG era Klingon before, (he usually watches TOS and TAS) and Mrs. BB said he wanted to get the hell out of there when they walked on stage They noticed him, and called him up and started interviewing him, and he was won over straight away.

Anyway, the Shatner live show was hilarious, and the highlight I'd have to agree with Therin, was his rendition of 'Down Under' and amazing impersonation of our former PM, Gough Whitlam.

Trek-wise here wasn't a lot of stuff that would be a revelation to anyone here. He spoke of his documentary project where he's interviewing all the Trek captains. He's done them all except the actor who plays Kirk in the reboot films, and he's going to do it "as soon as he can get permission from his mother" He predicted the actor (Chris Pine's his name, yeah?) will be a huge star.

Sadly, Shatner confirmed he'll be playing no part in 'Star Trek 2' or whatever they're calling it.

He gave an insight into his amazing work ethic, and why he never says "no" to any kind of work offered to him. It comes from being a kid growing up in Canada during the depression. His father was a clothes salesman - they never starved, but they did it pretty tough like most people in that era, and he has never forgotten it. He also spoke of how, after Star Trek, he hit hard times again, and he literally was sleeping in his car for about five years. Amazing considering the famous role he'd created.

He was genuinely bewildered by George Takei's performance at his "roast", and was taken aback by Takei's tone through that show. He is truly puzzled by Takei's attitude to him. For the record, he didn't say a bad word about Takei in the whole show -- Shatner isn't faking it -- he genuinely has no idea why this guy hates him so much.

He mentioned the last episode of TOS, and how he was so sick during its filming he'd literally be under a blanket on the floor when the camera wasn't on him. They had no idea they'd ever be back doing TOS again.

Half the show was spent talking about Boston Legal, his music projects, and Shit My Dad Says (which he says is getting better, but may be cancelled). He was on stage for about three hours, and the time just flew by.

I think that was about it, TOS-wise. If I remember anything else I'll post it up.

If he does this live show in your town, go and see it, he's an incredible entertainer.

 

[Therin of Andor]

He mentioned the last episode of TOS, and how he was so sick during its filming he'd literally be under a blanket on the floor when the camera wasn't on him.

For a great insight into the making of "Turnabout Intruder", and how Shatner soldiered on despite a heavy flu, read the Joan Winston chapter of her set visit in Bantam Books' "Star Trek Lives!"

 

[Yeoman Randi]

BB your son is positively ADORABLE! I love how he is 'growing up on trek'. My kids did too, and even when they were young we'd take them to see the movies and they never had any problems with the aliens, etc.

Thank you and Therin for the wonderful Shatner stories (and that theater is magnificent!!)

 

[Therin of Andor]

(and that theater is magnificent!!)

http://www.statetheatre.com.au/HistoryGallery.aspx