Like most Americans, I love celebrity feuds. And like most science fiction fans, it’s sometimes a bit painful for me when a feud occurs between two people who portrayed beloved characters in a history making TV show like the original Star Trek.
Yet, there is a feud occurring between two of that show’s stars and, oddly enough, it often comes across as one-sided. George Takei, better known as Ensign Sulu, absolutely despises William Shatner, better known as…William Shatner. Look, last time I checked this was free entertainment for you wretches so shutty!!!
Apparently Sulu’s hatred for his captain stretches back over the years, culminating in the Star Trek movie era of the late Seventies into the early Nineties. It was well known by then that some saw Shatner as an unbridled egomaniacal control freak whose insistence on screen time reduced that of the co-stars to unsatisfying levels. It’s not like he was the star or anything. After all, without Sulu, who would fly the ship? He’s big in Japan, where the show was actually renamed, “The Adventures of Ensign Sulu.” They’re not nationalistic at all, are they?
Takei admits in his autobiography, “Why this hot lil’ Gaysian hates him some Shatner,” that he found the young studly starship captain attractive in the early days of the TV series. I guess he saw Cap’n Kirk without his shirt and wanted to…wait for it…BEAM ON DOWN!!!
In case you didn’t get that one, I got a few more: He wanted to get a closer look at Shatner’s phaser. He wanted to visit his neutral zone. He wanted to see if he could get him all the way up to warp nine. Ok, I’m done.
Anyway, like all workplace crushes, Takei’s eventually turned into raw and utter hatred of the murderous type. What do you mean all workplace crushes don’t wind up that way? What are you, a socialist? I distinctly remember telling you to shutty!!!
Apparently, the very delicate Mr. Takei felt that Shatner made life miserable for anyone who wasn’t in the so-called “Trek Trinity” of Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley. His memoir recounts a moment when he realized Shatner was directing the fifth installment in the film series and said, “Oh. My. GOD!!!” Yet he still appears in the film. So how traumatizing could it have really been? I guess quite a bit considering he appeared in the sixth and final chapter on his own ship with no time on-camera with Shatner.
Shatner, amusingly enough, seems to have been oblivious to the dislike of his co-stars. In fact, he has expressed nothing but wounded shock whenever the Takei claims of power-mongering and ego gone wild are mentioned. He sounds sincere, which of course adds to the hilarity of the situation.
Takei comes across as a betrayed admirer and he doesn’t even realize it. It’s the best kind of high school level melodrama where this younger person places the hot guy on a pedestal that inevitably gets knocked over. Sulu’s man-crush has resulted in years of bitterness and resentment for himself and his oblivious love interest, and lots of HA-HA for me and Howard Stern.
Most recently, Takei married his long-time companion in a civil ceremony right before the Mormons got Californians to repeal that pesky little right. Shatner said he wasn’t invited and publicly aired his disappointment at the perceived sleight. Takei claims he was invited and just didn’t show up. So, um, quick question:
How the FUCK am I supposed to watch my Star Trek movie collection again???
How in the name of Starfleet Academy am I gonna look at Sulu telling a mouthy guard not to call him “tiny” while tossing him across the room without thinking of his man-crush on Shatner? How will I be able to think about how cool Captain Sulu is in the sixth movie without thinking of him getting all worked up over Shatner’s magnificent nekkid chest back in the day?
When it comes to celebrity feuds, this one is entertaining only because of its camp value. For the first time, it might be a good thing that my mom didn't live to see this~
Yet, there is a feud occurring between two of that show’s stars and, oddly enough, it often comes across as one-sided. George Takei, better known as Ensign Sulu, absolutely despises William Shatner, better known as…William Shatner. Look, last time I checked this was free entertainment for you wretches so shutty!!!
Apparently Sulu’s hatred for his captain stretches back over the years, culminating in the Star Trek movie era of the late Seventies into the early Nineties. It was well known by then that some saw Shatner as an unbridled egomaniacal control freak whose insistence on screen time reduced that of the co-stars to unsatisfying levels. It’s not like he was the star or anything. After all, without Sulu, who would fly the ship? He’s big in Japan, where the show was actually renamed, “The Adventures of Ensign Sulu.” They’re not nationalistic at all, are they?
Takei admits in his autobiography, “Why this hot lil’ Gaysian hates him some Shatner,” that he found the young studly starship captain attractive in the early days of the TV series. I guess he saw Cap’n Kirk without his shirt and wanted to…wait for it…BEAM ON DOWN!!!
In case you didn’t get that one, I got a few more: He wanted to get a closer look at Shatner’s phaser. He wanted to visit his neutral zone. He wanted to see if he could get him all the way up to warp nine. Ok, I’m done.
Anyway, like all workplace crushes, Takei’s eventually turned into raw and utter hatred of the murderous type. What do you mean all workplace crushes don’t wind up that way? What are you, a socialist? I distinctly remember telling you to shutty!!!
Apparently, the very delicate Mr. Takei felt that Shatner made life miserable for anyone who wasn’t in the so-called “Trek Trinity” of Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley. His memoir recounts a moment when he realized Shatner was directing the fifth installment in the film series and said, “Oh. My. GOD!!!” Yet he still appears in the film. So how traumatizing could it have really been? I guess quite a bit considering he appeared in the sixth and final chapter on his own ship with no time on-camera with Shatner.
Shatner, amusingly enough, seems to have been oblivious to the dislike of his co-stars. In fact, he has expressed nothing but wounded shock whenever the Takei claims of power-mongering and ego gone wild are mentioned. He sounds sincere, which of course adds to the hilarity of the situation.
Takei comes across as a betrayed admirer and he doesn’t even realize it. It’s the best kind of high school level melodrama where this younger person places the hot guy on a pedestal that inevitably gets knocked over. Sulu’s man-crush has resulted in years of bitterness and resentment for himself and his oblivious love interest, and lots of HA-HA for me and Howard Stern.
Most recently, Takei married his long-time companion in a civil ceremony right before the Mormons got Californians to repeal that pesky little right. Shatner said he wasn’t invited and publicly aired his disappointment at the perceived sleight. Takei claims he was invited and just didn’t show up. So, um, quick question:
How the FUCK am I supposed to watch my Star Trek movie collection again???
How in the name of Starfleet Academy am I gonna look at Sulu telling a mouthy guard not to call him “tiny” while tossing him across the room without thinking of his man-crush on Shatner? How will I be able to think about how cool Captain Sulu is in the sixth movie without thinking of him getting all worked up over Shatner’s magnificent nekkid chest back in the day?
When it comes to celebrity feuds, this one is entertaining only because of its camp value. For the first time, it might be a good thing that my mom didn't live to see this~
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2 comments:
I know I haven't left many comments lately but I do have to say, I laugh my friggin ass off when I read your posts.
Thanks
LOL glad to be of service.
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