The year-long George Takei-William Shatner feud might be nearing an end. And the arbitrator who could bring peace? Howard Stern, according to Sky News:
Takei has said he is willing to build bridges with his former co-star as long as his friend, radio presenter Howard Stern, is there to mediate.
The row between the actors who played Captain James T Kirk and Lt Hikaru Sulu began a year ago, when Shatner posted a video on his website lashing out at Takei for not inviting him to his wedding to longtime partner Brad Altman.
In the video Shatner said: “It’s so patently obvious that there is a psychosis there.
“I don’t know what his original thing about me was.”
Shatner also attacked Takei’s decision to announce he was gay later in life, saying: “Who cares? Be gay. Don’t be gay.”
Takei maintains invites were sent out to all the main surviving cast, including Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols.
According to Takei, no one was surprised Shatner didn’t show.
“Bill is an energetic guy who likes to be in the spotlight,” said Takei.
“However, strangely, when any of us – the rest of us invite him to things we are doing; throwing a party or one of us are getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame or anything that we want to celebrate – birthdays – we’re there to celebrate, congratulate and enjoy each other – except Bill.
“Bill’s never shown up. It’s very strange because he enjoys the limelight and yet he doesn’t like the limelight to be shared with colleagues from Star Trek.”
So, Takei says he and Altman “were absolutely baffled about” the attack.
Until, he says, “about two weeks after we saw that rant on the internet, we were driving down Sunset Blvd and here’s this huge billboard that reads: William Shatner in the talk show Raw Nerves. He needed publicity.”
Since then Takei says he has been invited to talk things through on Shatner’s show, but has declined.
The actor says he thinks he’s found what he calls “neutral” ground for them to settle their dispute – Howard Stern’s Sirius Satellite Radio show, where Takei is a frequent guest.
He says Stern has offered to mediate.
“If Bill accepts, and I would applaud his balls if he accepts and joins me in that kind of discussion with Howard mediating as an interlocutor, I said, ‘I’d be happy to do that’.”
