BRENT SPINER Remembers the Time ‘WILLIAM SHATNER’ Flipped Out On Him

Brent Spiner (Star Trek, Independence Day) joins us this week to drop some bombs about a certain someone’s return from the dead in Picard Season 3. Brent shares how he feels about being recognized (mostly) for a single character as Data in Star Trek - and later gets into the weeds on what his experience with the android has been like over the last few decades. We also talk about lessons learned from Joe DiMaggio, how he beat himself out for a Saturn Award, and tons of stories from his other roles in Night Court, Master of Disguise, and more!

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BRENT SPINER Remembers the Time ‘WILLIAM SHATNER’ Flipped Out On Him #insideofyou #williamshatner #startrek

[ChristopherMathieu]

I once talked to Mr. Shatner on the phone.

I was working at a call center for a satellite TV company, a very long time ago. I get a call coming in, and the screen shows his name. I was expecting an assistant to be calling on his behalf, so I was VERY surprised to hear his unmistakable voice on the other end. I kept things professional, partly because my job required it, though I did remark on hearing from him directly. He said he just needed to make some changes, it was easier to do it himself.

So I handled his requests, making changes to his account, without discussing anything outside of that. Until the point where he lampooned himself. As I was getting a change processed, he said in his classic Kirk voice, "I need... MORE... channels!" And I responded in what was possibly a horrible Scottish brogue, "I'm givin' it all I got, Cap'n!" That got a laugh out of him. We then concluded our business, I thanked him for his time before he disconnected.

I told my wife about this encounter, and she STILL envies me.

[patrickdaly]

He was on Johnny Carson once, and Carson asked if he got tired of ppl always wanting to talk about Star Trek with him. He said he did until he got in a cab once. The driver recognized him, and told him he was a Vietnam vet and had been a POW. He said the only thing that kept him and his fellow POWs wits about them was reenacting Star Trek scenes. He said he didn’t mind after that. I’ve seen some other comments here that differ with that assessment, but I thought it was a great story.

[jasonjansen]

Years ago I was working in a hotel in NYC I met Mr. Shatner. I am a MASSIVE trek fan but I didn't want to come across as an idiot fanboy so I said as (calmly as I could): Mr. Shatner, sir, I just want to say I am a fan of all your work. He looked me right in the eye, smiled, and said "Thanks, call me Bill"

[megandlola]

Years ago I worked at a tennis club where Bill was a member and played about twice a week. He was always kind and courteous to the staff, a real class act. And, yes, we were told to call him Bill.

[wrath]

We actually had Patrick Stewart cancel going to Ottawa Comic Con and William showed up instead so I'll always appreciate Mr. Shatner helping us out .

[crackerjack]

I had a window seat on an airplane. During flight I looked out on the wing and saw Mr Shatner tearing apart the plane...

[ortizmo]

Shatner gets a bad rap. I got to work with him for an afternoon back in the 90's and he was late. Once he finally arrived he apologized profusely to us all and suddenly stopped, seeing we were all just slack-jawed. at?" Once that ice was broken the day went great and he was actually a blast to work with. Having lunch with him was pretty legendary as well.

[localcrew]

I met a guy who served as Shatner’s personal assistant at (I believe) Comic-Con and he said he was a huge choad. Another guy knew him from the saddlebred horse business and said that in that world Shatner was very friendly and that he enjoyed just being “normal” for awhile. However, he wouldn’t allow any Hollywood talk and no pictures or autographs. And last, I used to know a guy who was a farrier (shoes horses) and he said that Shatner was very friendly and generous with the people who took care of his show horses. At the end of the week-long horse show at the Kentucky State Fair he personally gave all the horse crew envelopes with big cash tips and a short personalized note. I guess it all depends on the setting.

[csnide]

What I liked about him was his ability to joke about The SNL skit where he appears at a Star Trek convention is hilarious !

[PamelaClare]

William Shatner is an incredible story teller. I had the privilege of meeting him last year, and I wish I had half his energy.

[TravisRichey]

Seeing Shatner’s one man show about ten years ago completely changed my impression of him as a person. I’m so amazed that he’s still going strong in his 90s. The rest of us could only be so lucky!
~Trav

[jenniferyiu]

I met him once as a teenager and he was very gracious and kind.

[JohnHWelch]

I saw William Shatner once in 1978. I was watching a rerun of Star Trek, TOS and there he was, right on TV.

[harrylime]

I went to see his one man show on broadway called Shatner’s World: We just live in it. His energy, and his ability to tell a story, was just amazing.

[ruthlessreid]

He flew on my brother's airline and thanked my brother the captain for a super smooth landing!!

[robertforman]

When I was young, back in the 60’s I was a big Star Trek fan. My father managed a men’s health club and Shatner became a member. Of course I was anxious to see him in person. In those days he didn’t always wear his hair piece. It was a shock to see him without it for the first time.
The health club had a barber shop and when the barber quit my father had a hard time finding a replacement but finally found one. My mom came to the club one day to have lunch with my dad and as it happened Shatner was there and my dad introduced her to him. My clueless mom said “Oh, are you the new barber?”
Shatner was livid, and actually yelled at my mom “HOW DARE YOU” stuff. My poor mom was extremely embarrassed!

[The-Secret-Door]

Somebody's gotta get this twitter anecdote to Mike Stoklasa - it will surely set his mind at ease

[thechest]

I've been a Shatmandude since I was a kid. Everything he does outside of Star Trek only makes me more astounded both for his passion for life but his reason and philosophy in his books are just as incredible. Everyone who mentions him talks about his wild energy. I just saw him a few months ago in Houston and he stalked the stage like he was half his age! Legend

[mrquirky]

Wow, hearing that Shatner did the original stage performance of 'A Shot in the Dark' before Peter Sellers did it in the movies is probably the oddest and coolest bit of entertainment trivia I'm going to learn today. And I'm probably going to continue wasting my Friday afternoon at work watching a lot more Youtube.

[realQuestion]

Shatner is larger than life. Sometimes that will rub you wrong, and sometimes it will be enormously impressive. The man is 92 now. When we lose him, I know which of those times I will focus on remembering.