George Takei has appeared to throw some shade at fellow Star Trek actor William Shatner’s widely covered trip to the edge of space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.
Shatner, 90, and three others were the passengers on the craft’s second commercial flight on Wednesday.
Upon safely landing, Shatner was visibly moved by the experience and said, “’I’m so filled with emotion with what just happened. I hope I never recover from this.”
Takei, 84, was asked what he thought about Shatner’s space adventure during a Q&A on Broadway that same evening. Takei appeared at the opening of Thoughts of a Colored Man at the John Golden Theatre.
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Page Six reports Takei snarkily responding, “He’s boldly going where other people have gone before.”
Takei went on to add, “He’s a guinea pig, 90 years old and it’s important to find out what happens. So 90 years old is going to show a great deal more on the wear and tear on the human body, so he’ll be a good specimen to study. Although he’s not the fittest specimen of 90 years old, so he’ll be a specimen that’s unfit!”
Related: George Takei really wants to send this gay man to space
Takei and Shatner have exchanged several barbs with one another over the years. According to Takei, the two men were not close at all during the filming of Star Trek in the 1960s, and no friendship was forged during the filming of subsequent movies.
Shatner has said he “barely knew the man” during the filming of the Star Trek show or movies.
Takei alleges Shatner ignored him during the filming of the original Star Trek series and told a podcast last year the atmosphere on set was, “William Shatner versus the rest of the world”.
He also claims Shatner changed the script of the 1989 movie Star Trek V to ensure Takei’s character, Hikaru Sulu, did not temporarily take command of a starship.
Takei has also said Shatner was insecure around co-star Leonard Nimoy (who played Spock), as he got more fan mail.
Shatner responded to this claim on Twitter, saying, “George needs a new hobby. Now he’s making things up. We never saw fan letters. That’s why there’s so many secretary-signed photos.
“We barely saw George. He was in once a week at most – how would he know anything? The only person with jealousy is George.”
Related: George Takei turned his childhood internment into a lifetime of activism
In 2008, Takei did not invite Shatner to his wedding to husband, Brad, but did invite other surviving cast members. Asked about this during an interview, Shatner expressed sympathy for Takei, “Poor man. There’s such a sickness there. It’s so patently obvious that there is a psychosis there. I don’t know what his original thing about me was. I have no idea.”
And here’s Takei on Shatner in 2013.
Chrisk
Ha. Shatner has a reputation as being an ego centric prick so I’m not buying his story of George being psychotic.
I will say they both look really good for their ages. They could pass for 70s.
GentlemanCaller
I generally agree, but on the other hand two things can be true at the same time.
AllenSF
I like em both and honestly the behavior seems immature for men their age or anyone over really. Time to let it go and bury the hatchet.
Bromancer7
While Bill certainly has an ego, George does seem to be a bit obsessed.
OhPlease
Takei’s built an entire career on bashing Shatner, it’s getting old. Now he just sounds like a bitchy old woman!
Fahd
Team Takei here. The whole thing does have fake feud aspects, but also, I’m sure it’s infuriating for George to watch Shatner, who isn’t really a good actor, stumble through life from one success to another for so many years, and all while wearing bad wigs. Being used by the Amazon public relations machine to distract from Amazon’s current negatives (e.g. worker relations), is a typical example of how Shatner always seems to continue unscathed.
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George is a community-minded tireless worker who is also hilarious. His service to the Japanese American community is especially noteworthy and has had a big impact on the entire country.
wikidBSTN
I think Shatner’s “wigs” are great. Looks natural to me. And I think his acting is fine – loved him in Boston Legal.
Fahd
@WB
There you go, there’s no accounting for taste. I couldn’t watch Boston Legal because he was in it. And his “hair” well I thought for what he could afford, not too good (see, for example, picture accompanying this post).
Also, Takei is (and rhymes with) gay and birds of a feather, etc. And did I mention that he’s done tremendous things for the Japanese American community.
Dwight
For most of these spats between the two I’ve supported Takei because, for the most part, Shatner brought these things upon himself. These were things that one or the other had done directly towards the other.
This case is different, though. Whether or not Shatner went into space had absolutely nothing to do with Takei and yet he couldn’t resist the impulse to go low when he should have said nothing or been a little gracious. Takei looks a little small and petty on this one which is a shame because on all the other beefs between the two I’ve tended to think he was in the right.
Jim
Takei has no class
HankHarris
This was a transparent PR Stunt.
After the terrible press of the first flight, the Bezos PR team were working overtime to try to do something feel-good. Why not do another space flight with everyone’s favorite TV space captain? Everyone will love it! except anyone paying attention to the grotesque amounts of money Bezos is pissing away, instead of using that money for good. Yes it is his money; but he can do better.
ScottOnEarth
I guess you’re never too old to be a petty, bitchy queen.
Manrico Jimenez
“Brad! ? “
greekboy
Takei is just pissed because he wants to be the first ‘mo in space