George Takei has openly declared that he’ll nefver talk about William Shatner again.
In an interview with the Guardian a week ago, George Takei, who is out promoting his musical, Allegience which is about his experience growing up in a Japanese internment camp, claimed that he wasn’t going to talk about William Shatner at all but only after he’d already made comments about the 91-year-old actor. Fast forward to Takei’s recent appearance on the Graham Norton Show, and he made a staunch vow that will most likely be difficult to keep.
When the subject of Shatner’s recent comments about Takei came up, Takei told Graham Norton that he was the last chst show host to be allowed to ask that question. He added that it had become so tiresome to talk about. (One would think it would have become tiresome way before now as it has been 50+ years!) And then said he wouldn’t talk about Shatner anymore and vowed that was the very last time he’d talk about the former Captain Kirk.
"You are the last chat show host to be allowed to ask that question as it has become so tiresome to talk about…When Bill has a book to sell, he needs publicity and accuses us of using him. My subject is more substantial and important. He is a cantankerous old man, and I will not talk about him anymore. I vow that this is the very last time I talk about him."
Perhaps George Takei and William Shatner will eventually be able to talk to one another face to face.
Though one can’t call Takei’s announcement an olive branch, it might go a long way toward diffusing whatever this situation is, although, Takei did throw in yet another swipe with his “cantankerous old man” comment.
As for Shatner, so far there has been no response to Takei’s announcement. Maybe both men will decide it’s time to move on and simply keep any future thoughts to themselves. They, along with Walter Koenig, are the last survivors of Star Trek: The Original Series. It would be nice to see all of them together again, and that could happen if both actors lay down their swords.