60 Seconds With … William Shatner

It seems like the logical step: “Star Trek: The Tour” is an interactive exhibit of gadgets, gewgaws and everything Trek guaranteed to get science fiction geeks’ (c’mon, you know who you are) antennas twitching. The planned five-year mission kicks off Friday in Long Beach. So we established a com link to that goodwill ambassador from Earth, William Shatner.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE LEGACY OF “STAR TREK?”

The legacy of “Star Trek” is a lot of entertainment for many millions of people and a lot of talented people being employed – in addition to a message for mankind which says everybody deserves a place on this earth and just let them be.

HOW MUCH FUN WAS IT TO BE JAMES T. KIRK, CAPTAIN OF THE ENTERPRISE AND UNIVERSAL LADIES’ MAN?

It was so much fun I got a divorce … My body is ruined as a result.

THE ENTERPRISE CREW SEEMED TO BE THE EMBODIMENT OF AN INCREDIBLE WORK FAMILY. WERE THE FRIENDSHIPS AS STRONG AND ENDURING OFF-SCREEN AS ON?

I thought so … Leonard Nimoy remains one of my dearest friends, and that remains a point of exultation.

SINCE TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE, WELL, SCIENCE FICTION-LIKE STRIDES SINCE THE ORIGINAL, DO YOU EVER THINK, “HEY, THEY STOLE THAT IDEA FROM MY SHOW!”

Not only did I write a book about it, “I’m Working on That” – I did a TV show called “How William Shatner Changed the World.”

PLAYING CAPT. KIRK FOREVER DEFINED HOW THE PUBLIC IDENTIFIES YOU, FOR BETTER OR WORSE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

I like to think it’s for better. The word “worse” doesn’t come to mind.

WHAT WOULD GENE RODDENBERRY THINK OF “STAR TREK: THE TOUR”?

Gene Roddenberry would be [laughs] selling the tickets and snapping pictures and selling them. No! I shouldn’t have said that. Gene would be very proud. It reflects his vision completely. This is essential “Star Trek.” There’s no delusion here… . I think that the tour will appeal to anyone remotely interested in “Star Trek,” and indeed to people who haven’t heard of “Star Trek” who just want to have fun for a few hours.

UH, WHO HASN’T HEARD OF “STAR TREK”?!

I dunno. Someone with a flat head and a Neanderthal brow who doesn’t speak one of the 106 languages of Earth.

“Star Trek: The Tour” opens Fri.www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community