William Shatner, My Hero

     Today, I am going to finish what I started.  Don't get me off the subject because I need to do this.  This is critical and the world needs to know.  I think William Shatner is one of the smartest men on the planet.  Notice I didn't say best actor.  That would be a total lie on my part.  He is one of the smartest.
     Enter Star Trek.  For almost three seasons, William Shatner (a.k.a. Captain Kirk) roamed the heavens in the Starship Enterprise boldly going where no man had gone before.  We can talk about that a bit as well as to the meaning of that statement, but this is a family blog and we won't even mention that kiss with Nichelle Nichols. Actually, I don't blame Captain Kirk. Uhura was hot, especially to a 14 year old adolescent boy like myself at the time.  As a matter of fact, she still is pretty hot.  OK, I'm off the subject again so back to William Shatner.
       Shatner was typecast.  there was not much else he could do to find work.  After all, he was James T. Kirk, Captain of the Enterprise.  What did he do? Unlike Adam West of Batman fame, he refused the typecast role and became a police officer.  He scored the role of T.J. Hooker.  What can you say?  Not only that, but his co-star was Heather Locklear.  What a babe!  I want some of that Bill Shatner charm and Moxie.
     After T.J. Hooker was cancelled, It looked like Bill was washed up in television and show business.  Not so fast, Cowboy.  He came up with the idea that if he was washed up on T.V., why not take his act on the road.  People still loved him.  Take the act out on the road and come up with some unique way to package that act.  Why not make Bill Shatner a characterization. How to do this was the question.
     People like rock stars.  Why not come back with a band?  This could have posed a problem because Bill sort of realized that he could not sing, unlike Russel Crowe in Les Miserables. Captain Kirk, uh William Shatner, saw this as an opportunity.  Don't sing, recite.  Have a band behind you and recite using his Shakespearean training.  Since it was viewed he was a bad actor, act as a bad Shakespearean actor while reciting the poetry. "Has Been" was born and toured to packed houses and wildly screaming and appreciative audiences. Shatner was on top again touring the country and becoming a sought after guest on the talk show circuit. Smart man.
     He began doing guest roles on T.V. again and finally landed a permanent role on the series Boston Legal.  The character he played was much like himself.  Well done, Bill!
     I admire a man who can look at himself and laugh.  I do it everyday as I look in the mirror.  My problem is I don't have the money and fame that William Shatner has.

Willam Shatner was unavailable for a picture so enjoy this one of me.