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High-Def Digest Attends Central Canada Comic-Con Q&A with William Shatner
Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 03:15 PM ETTags: Comic-Con, Star Trek, Tom Landy (all tags)
By: Tom Landy
Previously we've posted Q&A discussions featuring 'Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jonathan Frakes and 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Nana Visitor and Chase Masterson. Although I guess if we really wanted to get technical, Frakes could also count for 'DS9' thanks to his character Thomas Riker.
Our final installment in our Central Canada Comic-Con 'Star Trek' Q&A series spotlights none other than the legendary Captain James Tiberius Kirk!
Does William Shatner even need an introduction? Throughout his fifty-plus years in showbiz, the Montreal native has done -- well, pretty much everything, and at eighty-years-old he's showing absolutely no sign of slowing down. Bill's most recent accomplishments include hosting TV's 'William Shatner's Weird or What?', writing and directing 'The Captains' documentary, writing another book: Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large, releasing another album: Seeking Major Tom (where he performs Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody among many other classics), touring for his "one-man show," and still finding the time to participate in competitions with his horses! Seriously, does the guy even sleep?!
I recently had a chance to meet Mr. Shatner on Sunday, October 30th when he was the main headliner for Comic-Con here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since his security was tight and his people kept meetings brief, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him but was able to make it to his Q&A that afternoon. Below you'll find a transcript of the hour-long session.
The Shat: Hi everybody! So glad to see you.
The Shat: So I was here two days ago doing my one-man show, how many of you here went to my one-man show?
(Applause)
The Shat: So here's what I thought we would do. Rather than repeat myself, other than (gurp) dinner, that just repeated myself…
(Laughter)
The Shat: Funny. Just trying to be funny. Warm the crowd up. What I'll do is take your questions and you'll ask what you're interested in me talking about and I'll try and give you an intelligent answer. Can you hear me back there? The sound sounds a little fuzzy so are we good back there? Okay good. Do we have a microphone? There's this whole lack of organization here…
(Laughter)
The Shat: I'll pick your hands so hands up for a question. Yes sir? In the glasses over there. Nice and loud. Yeah you. (Inaudible) and seven people stand up and ask the same question. It's incredible. Osmosis. Yes? What's your question?
Q: Your recent documentary 'Captains' had you interviewing previous actors who played captains on 'Star Trek' and your interviewing style is really interesting. My wife is a social worker and wanted me to ask did you have specific training, practice or special preparation for it?
The Shat: I have three daughters.
(Laughter)
The Shat: And as a father, you know, where were you tonight? And who did you see? And what did you talk about? I'm kidding, but there is an element of truth in having a family dinner and I would take my children everywhere I could and have adventures with them. But also, it was deemed an unsatisfactory dinner night with the Shatners if someone would leave the table crying.
(Laughter)
The Shat: You know, what did he say? Why did you…? Whah-whah-whah… So there's no style and there's no training to any of these interview shows I do but what is involved is a really basic and passionate interest in the person. I want to hear their story. There's nothing more fascinating than the human story and what journey people are taking. Even the slightest thing tells you reams of things about them. The seating arrangement in 'Raw Nerve' for example is no accident. I wanted, in the beginning before we had a seat made, a sort of love seat made, I had the chairs facing each other (inaudible) with the idea to see and hear about two feet away. We in the western world have a bubble of convenience around us. It's about 18 inches and you violate that bubble and you feel awkward. Other cultures get right into your ear and maybe, maybe it's because we have wider spaces to live in that we're not jammed up in people. But in North America, it seems to be about 18 inches away. If you're further away than 18 inches like all of these talk shows have, and you're seated in a chair and there's a desk over there, and you're sort of saying well okay then and you're having this conversation, it's hard to be intimate. If you're jammed right into the person you're violating their space and they can be intimidated. But somewhere in between that, and that's where I tried to find it on these talk shows that I did, that I was doing, I tried to find that perfect distance that is really--if you're at a dinner and you're talking to somebody and you're leaning forward 'cause you're interested in your dinner partner, if you're this distance away it's really intimate and I was loving because you can see the nonverbal language which is so important. People blink, people react to what you're saying. The colors, if you listen to a message on your phone, you can't get it with a text, but if you listen to the voice, the voice of somebody leaving you a message--I'm going to the store and I've got to get some milk--however prosaic the message is, that person feels about the milk, and you can hear the emotion in each of their words and that's what I'm listening to. I'm listening the prosaic word and their coloring it by the emotion they feel because everybody feels different about a word. Um… The word "snow" means something different to Winnipeg…
(Laughter)
The Shat: Than it does to an Eskimo. Thirteen words I think it is in their language for what "snow" is. So the words as common as they are have meaning, and in these talk shows that I've conducted, I've seen, a momentary look into their soul, and that's the exciting part of one human being to another. To go on their journey and conversely, to share your journey with them. And that begins an intimate relationship with somebody in that you're interested in them and they are interested in you and all of a sudden -- you've got a friend. And if she's lovely…
(Laughter)
The Shat: Yes you?
Q: You've done so many things in your career what are some of the things at the top of your bucket list?
The Shat: Um... Let's see, there's so much here going on. I can't tell you what the APP, the IPhone APP is, I've got this one-man show, I've got this record, I've got this book, and actually the DVD of 'Captains' all going on at the same time. And the record by the way, just while I think of it, there's a limited number of the LPs, this large version of 'Seeking Major Tom,' they are collector's items and there's only been so many pressed and there will be no more pressed. So if you're interested, they are there, and the LP is unique so if it strikes you, you should get it now because they'll be gone and no more.
The Shat: So if you want to talk about this APP, I can't tell you what the APP does, but there's going to be this APP for the iPhone that's going to be totally different than anything you've seen. And we're working it and it's astonishing what technology can do. The nerds here know about it.
(Laughter)
The Shat: The kids know about it far better than the people over 25 because they're growing up with computers at their fingertips. They know about everything that happens, like voice recognition technology for your phone, so you say get me so-and-so and it comes up, you're literally speaking in the world of 'Star Trek' all those years ago. It was like sure, come into a room and say "lights on" you know? Or "help I've fallen…"
(Laughter)
The Shat: Or something. That was all somebody's imagination. Beaming down was an invention to avoid docking procedure--okay we're docking, a little to the left now a little to the right let's walk more--I mean, sure you could shortcut in editing, but the question of how you get down from the spaceship to wherever you're going if you beam down and press a button, that's essentially why we thought of the transporter. Wow, they can now transport at the molecular level between two electrodes I guess it is, two points of energy they've been able to move a molecule. Well that's the first step. Who'd have thought out of the necessity of writing for editing purposes, an electronic invention would start. And if you could move one molecule, you could move… two. And you'd still have nothing but…
(Laughter)
The Shat: It's liable to take off. Solar power. I was just reading about solar power. Solar power costs have halved in the last few years and they expect them to halve again in the next few years. Solar power is coming! Solar power, a panel on our roof, will supply us with more and more of the electricity we need and power outages will be a thing of the past if we live long enough. That's the other part. We have to preserve the environment. So I like this APP for iPhone and it's fascinating what can be done with this technology. Look for it because it's going to be interesting. I've also gone out there the last several years, a web site called myouterspace.com okay? I'm going to go to a meeting in two weeks, I'm going to Toronto and Montreal to finish up the one-man show tour and then I'm back in L.A., and I'm going to a meeting with the guy, oh what's the name of the singer who owns part of MySpace? The singer? What?
Audience: Justin Timberlake.
The Shat: Justin Timberlake. Thanks. I'm going to a meeting at MySpace with Justin Timberlake to talk about a game show. The game show we want to put on is called "Top Spot" and it would involve you guys with any kind of camera shooting a 15 second--it would get to you by Internet--a 15 second commercial. You send it to us, our board pick out the most promising of the hopefully thousands that come in, we notify you your commercial is funny (inaudible), we bring you to Los Angeles--I think we bring you or else you stay at home and we give you some money to make a 30 second commercial--that's it, you're gonna stay home and make a 30 second commercial of a subject we give you, say Coca-Cola. You're gonna make a 30 second commercial for Coca-Cola uniquely yours, you send it to us, we bring you to L.A., and we have "Top Spot" -- 1/2 dozen people vying for the best commercial for a product that's in common so it becomes the best commercial if you will. Along with "You Think You Can Dance" and all that "You Think You Can Shoot a Commercial." So Justin Timberlake owns a large part of MySpace and a large group of us are meeting about the possibility of having that game show called "Top Spot" on MySpace. I was gonna say hang on but you were just brushing your hair back, you weren't raising your hand at all.
The Shat: I've got a web site called MyOuterSpace. It's been on the air, been on the web a couple years now. We've been running contests on it. Everybody interested in science fiction is invited to go to MyOuterSpace and it's organized along the lines of what do you want to do? Do you want to direct a science fiction movie? Do you want to write a science fiction movie? Do you want to do the animation? We're having contests to find the best people and our mission MyOuterSpace is to make a movie voted by you. What do you want to see? You vote on it. Do you want the bad guy to beat the good guy or the good guy to beat the bad--do you want it to look like this? Let's see animation. And we use the audience to build ourselves a movie which I think will play on Space Channel here, Syfy channel down in the states. That sort of thing is truly fascinating to see what people want to do.
The Shat: There is a game, now this is done the contracts are signed, there will be an electronic game on MyOuterSpace which will also play on the web on Facebook and all, but there's a new space game, a new electronic game that's being invented right now and I'm helping invent it and that's totally fascinating, too. The invention of an electronic game is like making a movie and there's so many aspects to it that I don't understand. One of them which is interesting that I do understand is branching. If you give a "yes" button to this thing then you have two possibilities--"yes" and "no." So if you press "no" to that one, you then have two more "yes" and "nos" over here. And so this branching is what the game is all about. That's what the logarithms are written about. See "yes" and "no," "open" and "close," but they branch--and the invention of that branching is what makes the games. I don't play the games, I've never played games but I know the stories. My grandson plays the games all the time. He never comes out of his room.
(Laughter)
The Shat: At least he tells me that's what he's doing in there.
(Laughter)
The Shat: I mean there are guys, my grandson being one of them, who play all the time. They're totally involved in this other world. And how they get involved, people from all the other countries and places to be on the same team I have no idea. I just know it exists but I don't know how they do it. How do they get Joe Smith in London and Francois in Paris and Jack over here in Winnipeg to all be on the same team, I don't know. But it's an extraordinary new invention. So I'm involved in all kinds of other things. New series. I am, I am involved in trying to invent shows. One I'll tell you about because I'm in the process of doing it right now. I've written, I wrote the outline and sent it to the head of A&E in the states, which is a branch of what we have in Canada, we open with a monologue by someone--maybe me--like 'The Twilight Zone' where the guy says, "I think people are basically bad. They scheme, they plot, for their own invention. They conspire all the time, and here are some of the conspiracies…" and the hour would be a conspiracy that may or may not exist. Was there a JFK conspiracy? And this is from the point of view of the conspirator. There was! There was three men involved in the JFK conspiracy and I'm going to tell you about it. The guys at Roswell, the little green men at Roswell that happened! There's a conspiracy to stop us from knowing that UFOs exist! There's a CONSPIRACY to stop us from knowing that UFOs--did you know that? You didn't know that. The AIR FORCE doesn't want us to know because we're gonna PANIC if we know that there's a UFO! See I got ya.
(Applause)
The Shat: So why I am lately in creativity and ambition, why I'm doing this when I could be sitting on a stage talking to people I don't know.
(Laughter)
The Shat: I don't know. All I know is that you hear about as we get older our brains mortify, they get sticky and you lose, it doesn't have to happen. I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to happen. If you just align yourself to be creative in your own way, whatever it is you're doing, be creative. Your brain grows. You get better. Your brain is better with age if you allow yourself--my book--says say yes to opportunity. Say YES! To the hell with it. You might fail so what? You might feel bad for a day or two, five or ten days, then you're over it and try again. Meanwhile the dead cells in your brain are growing. They're growing because, here's what I think, since we know that if you take drugs and you become uh, uh, uh, what's the word? Addicted, if you become addicted, your brain is becoming addicted. Your brain is growing the need for drugs. And that's why it's so difficult to give it up because your body is saying I need this now. Why can't the same thing happen with creativity? Saying yes and doing and going and being, maybe that grows (inaudible) positive. Why wouldn't that be the case? I know, I think I know that is the case so that is what my book is about by the way. Yes?
Q: Mr. Shatner I'd like to ask two questions, one you've alluded to already. The first one is what is it that drives you to be so involved, so creative, and secondly, what in all of your experiences in all of your life, what are one or two things that you can share with us that have touched you and motivated you...?
The Shat: I'm doing all of this because I have the opportunity to do it. People are saying would you like to? And I'm thinking hey, I would like to. I'd also like to ride my horses, but I just rode in competition yesterday. I rode seven horses in a reigning competition and I had bad luck. You know, reigning is so delicate, if your stride--change of leads is already up half a point, and it's just, there's practice to perfection and there's an element in every sport which is luck and I had a lot of bad--not a lot, I had some bad luck yesterday--so out of 107 people competing in this huge class, I was first up yesterday morning at 7:30 AM on the horse and I got on the horse at 3:00 PM in the afternoon, and all that time I was running and 3:00 PM was the last horse and I dashed to my airplane to get here. Why would I do that? Because the opportunity is there and I feel I can. So I'm riding four horses in competition and then I'm running here to talk to you and sign autographs and I don't know--it's such an exciting life, isn't it? I come from a very poor family in Montreal. I've struggled for twenty years to try and put a couple thousand dollars in the bank and brought up three kids. It was tough. I got ahead in a last several years. I have a little money and I've got a little prestige so when I tell you what I've done--and I'm going to tell you right now--understand that I, where you are looking that way thinking holy cow I wish I could do that, but I'm doing it. Yesterday I got on a private jet--no, start off at home--woke up, took a shower, got into these clothes…
(Laughter)
The Shat: A limousine comes for my wife and I, drives us to a private Airport, we get on a private jet--lent to me by Bombardier--private jet flies me here. Doing--talking to you, signing autographs, and tomorrow morning and get on the private jet--a limousine comes for me at the hotel and takes me to the private jet--I get on the private jet I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!
(Laughter)
The Shat: Plane takes me to Toronto, I do press in Toronto, then I do a one-man show at a great hall--a legendary building that when I was living in Toronto I said wow, that's a great theatre. Going there, doing the one-man show--it's gotten pretty good the one-man show--I'm getting pretty good reviews people are giving standing ovations and here in Winnipeg people standing up--WOW! Look at that! I can't believe it! Then I'm off to Montreal, and after Montreal fly back to L.A. all on a private jet. It's like LUXURY! It's... It's... THE ONE PERCENT!
(Laughter)
The Shat: I've never been part of the one percent! I'm telling you...
(Applause)
The Shat: If you can ever get a limousine to drive you to a private Airport to get on a private plane to go someplace, DO IT!
(Laughter)
The Shat: So that surprised me. As for the things that touched me most, well, I'll tell you one that is very close to all our hearts. When I was a kid in Montreal, Polio was one of the worst things that could happen. It's one thing to die of the disease. Boom--you catch it. Boom--you're dead. Okay, you're dead. You don't really know about it. I don't have to tell you what Polio did to the kids of two generations ago. It was a scourge every parent thought about. What am I going to do if my child catches it? They invented--the March of Dimes started and began to fund the cure, the vaccine for Polio. When I had my first child, and Tiny Tim did the walk across--not Tiny Tim--the poster child for, for, for, the March of Dimes, when I was a young man and watched the child walk across the television screen I'd feel very badly for him. But when I had my first child and I saw that kid walk across the television screen, I would weep. Weep for the child, and how lucky I was that my child was whole. So the March of Dimes was instrumental in funding this cure. The March of Dimes--I'm a spokesman for the March of Dimes in Canada--so if you want to know something that's touched me all of my life, it's the knowledge of that child, I see if with my eye, from my eyes all the time. It's all so--overwhelming sense of luck, that's all it is. That it hasn't touched me or my own personally, and I will always have that sense of gratefulness, gratitude, because that answers your question. I need a lady, a lady to embrace. Yes, the lady in the suit.
Q: When filming 'Weird or What,' was anything you found or your crew found that you did start filming but it just got way too involved or too large to actually put on film?
The Shat: 'Weird or What' is a terrific show that I know Canadians are enjoying and by the way it's sold into the states on the Travel Channel, it will appear next year on the Travel Channel. 'Weird or What' stemmed from a show... What? You embarrassed to speak out loud?
(Laughter)
The Shat: There was a show I did, I was asked to do a show they wanted to call 'How Star Trek Changed the World.' So I said great, that sounds great, and all the stuff that Star Trek did like the transportation thing and I agreed to do it. And then stupid Paramount said well you can't use the word 'Star Trek.' Huh? It just promotes 'Star Trek,' no, sorry, you can't do it. Okay, so let's call it 'How Captain Kirk Changed the World.' No, you can't use "Captain Kirk." What the heck? Alright, so then our third choice was 'How William Shatner Changed the World.'
(Cheering)
The Shat: It was totally embarrassing. I kept thinking oh my gosh, I hope they understand it started off "Star Trek" and then "Captain Kirk" before me. I was unable to tell that story too much. So it became 'How William Shatner Changed the World' and it really did well. As a result we did another show something like that, and then I wrote a book, or else I wrote the book before 'Shatner Changed the World' called 'I'm Working On That' and 'I'm Working On That' tries to deal with how things work. So all that was the preamble to this series that tries to explain strange phenomena. There's something--the world--the world is awesome. The world that we can perceive is awesome. It's so mysterious. Start with the thought, the first thought, the basic thought is that we know nothing. We know absolutely nothing. We know less than nothing, because whatever we know, is in all likelihood is not valid anyway. So we're in a negative position. I'd like to speculate on the speed of sound--of light. The speed of light is the basic mathematical thing in (inaudible) where we are in space. It's the speed of light, whatever that is, 450 miles, light years, whatever that is.
Guy in Audience: 182,000 miles per second…
The Shat: 182,000 miles per second? No, it's faster than that.
(Laughter)
The Shat: That's nothing. 182,000? You know that for sure? What are your qualifications?
(Laughter)
The Shat: You're teaching that? What? You're teaching it? So you're spreading the rumor…
(Laughter)
The Shat: But here's my thesis: WE KNOW NOTHING! We perceive light, you know our eyes perceive blue--uh red to blue--our machines perceive a greater length, but how do we perceive (inaudible) our machines perceive? I mean, we know nothing! And I would bet, WILLING TO BET, (inaudible) that we'll someday find that light is not the last word in what the speed of whatever is going--how does that work when two crystals vibrate thousands of miles apart? What I'm saying is, and I know you'll agree with me--and if you don't you have to leave...
(Laughter)
The Shat: That everything is mysterious. It's so bizarre that we can't even begin to understand how weird, I use the word weird but I don't mean weird. I mean how strange, and inviting, and awesome all knowledge is. We've canceled the space program because of finances, and I understand that. But the end result is knowledge out there. What's going on? What is dark matter? What is dark energy? What is--why--one of the things I've mentioned in the one-man show is I've read (inaudible) scientists talking about how they are finding the universe is expanding, and that was bad enough, but then they are finding it's expanding at an increasing rate. It's expanding so quickly, that it's like the 10th to the power--EXPONENTIALLY! One scientist was saying that it's expanding so quickly IT'S SCARY!
(Laughter)
The Shat: What's he scared of?
(Laughter)
The Shat: Five million years from now something scary is going to happen? What's he scared of?! And then the other guy said, nothing IS EVERYTHING! What do you mean by that?
(Laughter)
The Shat: What does he mean nothing is everything? Is there nothing in between everything? Like we know how wide space is between the electrons, the mol--and the stars and galaxies they pass through each other there's so much space (inaudible)--I mean it's just crazy! What we don't know, the knowledge, it's weird! And so 'Weird or What' attempts to explain, in some fashion, what little we know. Yeah you've got the apple and it falls to the ground so yeah that's one explanation. Why does it fall? What's the apple? What's the ground? What's the space--there's so… many.. questions in the world that to not participate in the mystery of it is to lose your life! So 'Weird or What' does a little bit and tries to explain--the first one that comes to mind is how did cocaine get into the Egyptian mummies when we didn't know that in South America where they grow the coke leaves and we didn't know they existed back then? Or did they? I mean, just the mystery of history is profound. So 'Weird or What' is a show after my own heart based on the bewilderment and wonderment of everything about us--including human nature. Yes?
The Shat: Can you speak louder so everyone can hear? That's not louder that's the same voice.
(Laughter)
Q: Everyone knows you got your start on stage, talk about why stage works for actors coming up and writers...
The Shat: Right, so here's a giant screen and you're going to see a movie. A Sorbo movie on Hercules.
(Laughter)
The Shat: So you sit there and watch that and he's good-looking, he's handsome, but I'm on stage and I come over to you and I say, you--did you know that I love you?
(Laughter)
The Shat: You don't know that? I love you. I really do. You're mine and I'm yours. That's stage.
(Applause)
The Shat: Okay next question? Way in the back, in the vest?
Q: You're going to be on 'Psyche' right?
The Shat: I'm going to be what?
Q: On 'Psyche' the TV show.
The Shat: 'Psyche!' Yeah!
Q: What episodes are you going to be on?
The Shat: What?
Q: What episodes?
The Shat: Oh what episodes. I'm on something I did, I don't know.
(Laughter)
The Shat: I don't know what episode it is. I thought they were going to play it, I think, they're thinking... November? I guess. Have you heard that it's going to be on?
Q: Yeah I heard you were going to be on because you did that promo.
The Shat: Well, I tend to forget all that stuff I'm just not...
(Laughter)
The Shat: I came to Vancouver to do the episode of 'Psyche' and it's an interesting part. You know I've grown, as an actor. I'm growing all the time. I'm finally finding out how to do it. You know it's such a shame.
(Laughter)
The Shat: How many of us have said oh boy if I knew then what I know now I would do it differently, whatever it is? I feel that way every time I do something on film or on stage. My god, I think I got control of the material now, I wish I could do that better (cough) whatever it was last week, let alone years ago. So I think it's good--(cough) excuse me I'm just getting over a bit of a cold--I think the 'Psyche' thing is really good. I hope you like it. But I'm not sure when it's on, I don't follow it.
The Shat: Yes you? No, you. You.
Q: I've read once that to sort of steady your nerves you often do math problems in your head?
The Shat: That I do math problems in my head?
Q: I've read that.
(Laughter)
Q: How do you psyche yourself up?
The Shat: I think I understand what you mean. You know, what I'm learning, I guess (inaudible) it sounds so simple I wish I knew more how to do now than I knew how yesterday, let alone all those years ago, is to be yourself. To be true to yourself, if you're feeling shy or badly or something hurts, not to disguise it. I mean you don't want to be whining--oh this hurts--but I guess I mean more in a psychological fashion. Let it happen. Let it go. Be yourself and you don't have to psyche yourself up. Like I'm really enjoying myself answering these questions and I'm not, obviously I'm not prepared for any question that you're going to ask, so the answer just sort of flows out of me. And I'm trying at the same time to put it in context so that you get a sense of the feeling where the answer is coming from. But also the answer (inaudible) to be free and suddenly not only are you psyched up, you're like into it. And you're--I'm like at one with you guys. I'm having the best time, and I can see by your faces you--we're all having a good time. We're having an event right now. We're having a moment. This audience and me.
(Applause)
The Shat: And that was bad English. This audience--and I.
(Laughter)
The Shat: Yes?
Q: I was just wondering, you got your start on stage doing Shakespeare did you ever want to go back to Shakespeare and is there a role that you really want to--?
The Shat: I was asked to do a musical recently on Broadway.
Some Guy: Whoo!
The Shat: Yeah.
(Laughter)
The Shat: Yeah, that's what I said.
(Laughter)
The Shat: I love music. And I love, I love, have you ever thought of what music is? I mean, can you imagine a violin, you got horse hair and cat gut and it's making this sound? Or blowing through a tube? And a clarinet--or that's a reed--a trumpet sound? I mean music is extraordinary. The whales sing and other animals make sounds of talking, but we, we invent instruments to make music. I mean, think about how we accept it. Here's a piano, (inaudible) and it's, it's wild that we make music. And then we train our voices to make this effortless sound that sounds like some of the instruments we make. I think the whole mystery of music is so much fun. I love the music. I wish I could sing, sing at all let alone sing well. But what I can do is the musicality of the words so since words have a music to them, the pitter patter of little feet, it's got a musicality to it. It's got a rhythm to it. And if you keep doing it, it then becomes something that is musical. Now if somebody writes a melodic line, I'd bet the pitter patter of little feet become music and suddenly you're singing, in a way.
(Laughter)
The Shat: And by the way, that's exemplified by one of the great pieces of music in the last many years is Bohemian Rhapsody so Freddie Mercury had this glorious voice and Queen was a great group of musicians and they performed their iconic Bohemian Rhapsody -- it's gorgeous. People say well what does it mean? The lyrics? So I kept the lyric of Bohemian Rhapsody which is a strange song about a tortured individual and I performed it and then there was this--the name of the musician now escapes me I can't remember it right now--playing Brian May's guitar solo with Freddie Mercury. Our guy, his guitar solo, echoed the agony of the character that I play on Bohemian Rhapsody. So there's this guy, someone has shot, I don't want to go, don't want to go, and at the last moment I raise my voice knowing that the guitar, and (inaudible) that voice and the instrument melded together as the guitarist took off playing this great guitar solo on Bohemian Rhapsody, which is in my record, the CD is sold out so you can't buy it now...
(Laughter)
The Shat: But there is the LP version. Alright, so a musical would be fantastic for me to do. But eight shows a week -- again, and moving to New York -- again, is beyond my capacity right now. So no, there's nothing I'd point at and say I'd like to do that, but every so often somebody comes to me and says would you like to do this? And that's when I take a look at it and say yes or no and that's where I am with that. Yes?
Q: I'm curious as to what your spiritual views are...
The Shat: What my spiritual views are?
Q: I know you've had a lot of up and downs and I know you've mentioned (inaudible) meditation...
The Shat: Meditation? My spiritual views are that the mystery out there is unanswerable. We humans cannot answer that, what that mystery is. I envy the people who say I have a faith that that mystery is such and such, we'll call it God or whatever name you want to apply to it. I know that there's a mystery, but I wish I could buy into the answer that people have. So many people say this is the answer, I know this to be true. Well, you don't know it's true, you take a leap of faith. We all talk about that. I can't get to that leap of faith because my mind says well, why would there be, why would that happen? Why would there be a heaven? You know, do we all go to heaven? And I love my dogs, are my dogs coming to heaven with me? I mean, why would you leave them, my dogs, and my horses! Horses nuzzle up to me and they say, hey Bill, I'm here lets go. My dogs, when I left you know how they know when you pack and you're going and so my dogs know Elizabeth and I are going and they just don't want to have anything to do with us. You're leaving again? I can't believe--they're saying, they're saying, I've got a ten-year-old Doberman and I say to him when I leave, now listen, I'm coming in a week, you be here when I'm--I don't want you dying on me when--and he goes (inaudible) okaaaay...
(Laughter)
The Shat: I mean, all love and soul, that can't disappear can it? And yet where are all the loved ones that I loved, why haven't they visited me and said it's okay? All I want, we were talking about ghost stories and some of these hotels have got ghosts in them and one of the people working on the one-man show said the ghost came last night. The door to the cupboard opened slowly in the hotel room -- it's the ghost. Huh? It's an old hotel.
(Laughter)
The Shat: Why would the door--and he said another time I was in a cave and it was dark, and something went and blew my my hair... YOU'RE IN A CAVE!
(Laughter)
The Shat: There are holes all over the place. The air, the wind just blows, I mean, they want to believe. And I want to believe, but my mind goes to its just a cave. So that's where I'm at. I think there's nothing more noble than the human spirit. And I think it's impossible to believe that this thing that exists in us would die the same way we've all seen death, whether it's a pet or a human being, death is the most frightening thing to see. Where the animation of that body, so vital, and it's living, and suddenly there's nothing there. What happened to it? Where did that vitality go? In that instant it's all gone. Where did it go? And that also is a leap of faith. You know? Where did that human being go? Where did that soul go? I wish I could make that leap, but I can't. And I ache--again on the one-man show I say about, what's his name, the drug guy, the drug guru, Timothy Leary, so those of you who saw the show heard me say this, Timothy Leary, on his last breath--took a breath and said… "of course." And died.
(Laughter)
The Shat: He died saying "of course!" He SAW SOMETHING and he said, and he knew something when he died OF COURSE! It all made sense! HE DIDN'T TELL ME!
(Laughter)
The Shat: He died without telling us! I promise I'll come back and tell you about "of course."
(Applause)
Q: Before you were talking about saying yes to opportunity, were there any opportunities you regret?
The Shat: Were there any opportunities I regret saying no to? Or saying yes to that turned out to be bad?
(Laughter)
The Shat: I can't--of course there must be. OF COURSE!
(Laughter)
The Shat: There must be, but the thing about failure what we're saying if I regret having failed at something because I said yes to it or something that has succeeded and I had said no to it. The problem with regret is you don't know, talking about the games branching out, you don't know if the thing that succeeded that you said no to, what it would have done to you. You don't know where your life would have gone as it branched out. Here was success, the next thing might have been failure because of that success. Or you were expected to do something and everything else, I mean you don't know what would have happened would have had success. You don't know that having that it would have been successful for you because somebody else did it, whatever we're talking about. So the problem with regret is that you don't know what would have happened. All you know is that you're in your position now. So if you're dissatisfied with your position now, because you think it would have been better had you said yes, then do something about it. Go say yes to something else. Opportunity abounds! Whether it's crossing the street or meeting somebody. It's always there. Opportunity is always there so do something about something that didn't work out. Or... (to a sexy announcer in costume) five minutes? You're all stomach!
(Laughter)
The Shat: That's fabulous! Look at that! Just parade around.
(Laughter)
The Shat: That is so neat. Can you do the (Vulcan) sign? I can't do that. And Leonard will kick me if I do.
(Laughter)
The Shat: That's great. So yes? You, waving your hand?
Q: I remember the time when I first saw your biography on A&E. You said--I was a kid at the time--and you said you brought your kids on one of the Star Trek episodes...
The Shat: I brought my kids to a Star Trek episode, yes.
Q: Because you wanted to show them the rigors of show business...
The Shat: I wanted to show them the rigors of show business.
Q: Now forty years and a lot of successes later, what are your thoughts on that now?
The Shat: What are my thoughts on the rigors of showbiz and having brought my daughters to the set? Well you know I have a granddaughter, she's eight, nine now. Or is she ten? My lord. No, she's nine. Wants to be an actress. A beautiful little blonde girl wants to be an actress. And what they don't know--I like when I hear athletes or models say, you know I think I'll be an actress or actor--what they don't know is the travail any profession that you're dedicated to bring--if you're single-minded enough to want to do something, whatever it is, you give up a lot. Relationships, you don't have time. If you're dedicated to whatever it is you're doing, whether it's show business or making a car, or farming, or whatever it is that you're doing, if you're single-minded enough to want to DO IT, the passion, then other things, you have to be prepared to give up a lot of stuff. Whether it's relationships or whatever. Whatever it is, you've only got 24 hours in a day and a lot of that is required for sleep. Your body requires sleep. So you only have so many waking hours in a day. So if you're dedicated to someTHING, a lot of other things are going to fall by the way. That's just a given.
The Shat: And a lot of people who get an idea of being something, like saying I'm going to be a race car driver, don't fully comprehend what it is to be a great... whatever. What the time entails, is involved. So I tried to show my kids that dedicating yourself, which I think is great because only by dedicating yourself can you accomplish something, something large. Uh, after looking at that statement… Well, I mean what happens if you don't do something (inaudible)? You have a nice family and lead this wonderful life. I mean that's good, too. It's just whatever your aspirations are, well, come to think of it if you decide to have a family and work a 9-to-5 job and have this wonderful normal family life full of family and friends, you're giving up being dedicated. So everybody gives up some aspect by choosing to do something and that frequently is missing in a decision about what you want to do. You have to consider all of the various aspects of making that decision. I wanted my children to understand if that if they were going into show business because they thought it was glamorous, it's anything but glamorous. It's a lot of work and a lot of travail.
The Shat: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being patient with me.
(Applause)
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HDD Attends Central Canada Comic-Con's Q&A with Jonathan Frakes
Wed Nov 02, 2011 at 05:30 PM ETTags: Comic-Con, Star Trek, Tom Landy, Fun Stuff (all tags)
By Tom Landy
Forty-five years of 'Star Trek' were celebrated this past weekend at this year's Central Canada Comic-Con in Winnipeg, Manitoba. One of the main guests we beamed over to meet at the explosive event was Captain Jean-Luc Picard's "Number One" himself, Jonathan Frakes!
Best known for playing Commander William T. Riker on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' Frakes has done voice work on Disney's much-loved 'Gargoyles' as well as 'Family Guy' and hosted 'Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.' Frakes has also been busy behind the camera directing big screen projects like 'Star Trek: First Contact' as well as numerous episodes for television series including a recent run on 'Burn Notice,' 'Leverage,' 'NCIS: Los Angeles,' and 'Castle.'
At the Con, Mr. Frakes (who is an awesome guy by the way) held a very lively and entertaining Q&A for the fans, and fortunately, I was lucky enough to get a front row seat. But for those who couldn't make it to the event, I've provided a full transcript of the session below.
Announcer: Mr. Jonathan Franks! (Yes, she actually said "Franks.").
JF: Thank you very much! Thank you VERY (yanking microphone cord) MUUUUCH!
JF: Oh, I'm going to be limited. I can feel it already. It's so nice to go to a convention where people actually are happy to be here.
JF: When I first started on 'Star Trek,' I went to a convention in a little town called Syracuse, New York and everyone was still indignant that our show had come on the air because they were very heavy into Kirk and Spock and they really didn't like the idea of a new 'Star Trek.' I was waiting in the dealers' room to go on stage and at a dealer's table they were selling those action figures of the thinner versions of all of us...
(Laughter)
JF: ...with Geordi LaForge $35, Picard for $50, a limited Data for $50 and the sign at the end of the table said, "buy any action figure and get Riker for free."
(Laughter)
JF: Brutal! Painful! Sort of like, remember Wil Wheaton who used to play Wesley Crusher on the show? He grew up into a fine young man. He once said, and we watched him grow up obviously, and he finally grew up and got the same car that Patrick got. They were both driving these brand new Hondas and we were on our way back to the garage after work and Wheaton is walking next to me and says, "you know Frakes, I can tell by the clothes that you wear and the music that comes out of your dressing room that, you used to be cool."
(Laughter)
JF: Little shit.
(Laughter)
JF: Um... I should plug some of the things I've been doing. I've been working on a couple shows as a director. There hasn't been much interest in having Riker act on things anymore which is kind of a blessing since I'm currently the third best actor in my household.
(Laughter)
JF: I do 'Burn Notice'...
(Cheers)
JF: I do 'NCIS: LA' with LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell...
(Cheers)
JF: I've worked on 'Leverage'...
(Cheers)
JF: I do 'Castle' with Nathan Fillion...
(Cheers)
JF: And I'm about to go to New Zealand where Mr. Sorbo has recommended to hopefully develop a new movie for the Christopher Pike series of novels.
(Cheers)
JF: At any rate, that's what I've been up to. I can tell you a little about old baldy, he's been out there very busy playing...
(Lights unexpectedly go out, followed by laughter)
JF: Happy HALLOWEEEEEEN!
(Laughter, lights come back on)
JF: You're probably wondering what happened during that dark period... Did you see the movie 'Inception?'
(Laughter)
JF: All right, are there any questions? Do you feel at all different? Someone once asked me, "What does it feel like when you beam in?
(Laughter)
JF: I was more interested in where do you go to the bathroom on the Enterprise? What do you EAT? And why no POCKETS in the space suits?
(Laughter)
JF: Don't get me started on my space suit. And what about this... (does an exaggeration of Riker's walk). Why did he walk like that all the time?
(Laughter)
JF: What is up with that? Does anyone have any interesting questions for me?
Q: How does it feel to be the guy who wrapped up the whole episodic Star Trek series as a whole?
JF: (Seeing a Klingon in the audience) GARTOKKKKK!
(Laughter)
JF: Klingon women I like.
(Laughter)
JF: Do you want to know the truth about that whole Enterprise thing as the show was called? Rick Berman, executive producer of all things Star Trek, called Marina and myself and said "we'd like you to do the last episode of 'Enterprise...'" that was unfortunately--(microphone ringing) -- That's annoying isn't it? That ringing? You hear that?
Audience: Yes.
 |
JF: VOOOOOLLLLAAARRRAAAYYY!!
(Laughter)
JF: They said it would be a Valentine to the fans, but all of it ended up doing I think was hurting Scott Bakula's feelings. He was such a gentleman about it and I said to Scott this is weird for me to be on your show and your show is being taken off before it should be taken off and he was such a gentleman about it and said "no, glad you're here" so it was awkward on all accounts, except with working with Marina again which is always lovely. But I wasn't crazy about it. And it was so thinly connected, I thought too. Thanks for bringing up such an unpleasant memory.
(Laughter)
Q: In real life do you have problems with that trombone note?
JF: In real life, I play the trombone but I don't play it well. And on the show when you hear somebody playing the trombone and it sounds sort of not so good it's me.
(Laughter)
JF: When you hear the trombone and it sounds really good on the show, that's Bill W--(inaudible) a genius. I wished I still had my lip, as they say. Next question?
Q: Kirk or Picard?
(Laughter)
JF: Picard. Come on. Pfft, Kirk or Picard. You saw 'Generations.' Two captains in search of one good hairpiece.
(Laughter)
JF: NO VIDEOTAPING!!! I've got Klingon friends!
(Laughter)
JF: You've got a video camera too dude! It's "just a camera," yeah right.
(Laughter)
Q: what was it like to be voice acting for 'Gargoyles?'
JF: I wish 'Gargoyles' was STILL on the air!
(Cheering)
JF: The greatest job. First of all, you go to work in your pajamas. Secondly, they've always got bagels and cream cheese. Thirdly, you sit around in a circle with other funny actors. It was a great gig. Marina, Data, um, Kate, Keith David, it was a great group. And it was one of those jobs where they would gather us all, like when we do the 'Family Guy' stuff they'd find us and we'd just have to do our lines. But with 'Gargoyles' we'd actually get together in the room and do the show. I liked that gig. I want it BACK!
Q: What's it like working with John Rogers?
JF: John Rogers? John Rogers is a genius. The creator and executive producer of 'Leverage.' John Rogers, if you don't know him, is a former stand up comedian, Harvard graduate, physicist who wrote 'Transformers' before and uh he's a real renaissance man and a very, very good drinker.
(Laughter)
JF: But I'm a big John Rogers fan and I was just with him doing the DVD commentaries for the end of this next 'Leverage' season. Does anybody watch 'Leverage?'
(Applause)
JF: We just did an episode that's a total ripoff of 'The Office' on 'Leverage...' (microphone ringing). What is--? Sorry?
Some guy in the crowd: Nana Visitor had the same problem.
JF: I wish we all had the same problems as Nana Visitor.
(Laughter)
JF: Beautiful legs… She's still got it, doesn't she? Holy cow. Whoo!
(Laughter)
JF: But while we bring her up, do you remember Thomas Riker? From Deep Throat Nine--Deep Space Nine?
(Laughter)
JF: Nana Visitor, I thought something was happening, but she sends Thomas Riker to some Cardassian prison for YEARS! YEARS I was in that prison. STILL on that bloody prison!
(Laughter)
JF: I'll speak to her about that this evening. Did I miss a question? Oh I know, 'Leverage' and John Rogers. Did you want to know what John Rogers was really like? Was that the question?
Q: ...And being a famous Canadian.
JF: Oh a FAMOUS Canadian! Like… Shatner. Wow. Bill tomorrow. From McGill. When I was young, and the Vietnam War was going on, my father, the wonderful James Frakes, had put some money aside in case my draft number came up so I didn't have to go and get shot up and McGill was where I was going to go. A little known fact. Revealed. Past. Sad. Next question?
(Laughter)
JF: Hey, okay I saw this outfit earlier, stand up? Lots of chains, what's going on with all this? With hat? Go ahead. I have the same needs.
Q: what do you think of directing compared to acting?
JF: There's no control like total control!
(Laughter)
JF: I prefer it, I'm better at it, and thank god I learned how to do it because I wouldn't want to make a living as a 50 something actor I'll tell you right now so I'm very blessed to continue to work and I love what I do. Yeah it will sometimes suck but in general it's a good gig. Except for all the actors you have to work with.
(Laughter)
JF: Have you ever eaten with an actor before? Whoo.
Q: What was it like directing yourself?
JF: Frakes?? That's all you got?? That's how your gonna do it? (turns left) I-I-I… (turns right) Do it again! Act better!
JF: It was unnerving. Fortunately when I started I was on our show so I had a couple of people whose opinions I trusted. Patrick and LeVar was wanting to direct so if I was in scenes with them or if they were around we'd have a little signal. And then when I was doing the movies Mack Lionetti, who was the director of photography who had a very good eye, and I was in a shot he'd sort of give me the, like "you want to go again it sucked" cut it. He'd give me that sign, but in general my wife thinks the stuff that I direct I'm better when I'm acting because I'm so exhausted and not thinking about things and being uptight. Remember how uptight Riker used to be? When he started to direct he calmed down a little bit.
(Laughter)
JF: So I like it. I hated the space suit days, though. So glad they're over. Ahhh. Have you seen Ethan Phillips? Has he been up here?
Audience: Not yet.
JF: Is he coming?
Audience: Tomorrow.
JF: Tomorrow? That is a silly man. Anyone else?
Q: What was it like to direct 'First Contact?' It seems to be like the best star trek movie ever.
JF: It seems to be like what? Better than 'The Wrath of Khan?' Better than the movie with the whales?
(Laughter)
JF: I like the whale movie and I love oh, um, what's his name's last movie (laughs). J.J.! J.J. Abrams. I think that movie was spectacular and I think Karl Urban as Bones was un-be-lievable.
(Applause)
JF: Well, First Contact was great for a lot of reasons. Obviously it was my first movie and I was thrilled to do it but I was lucky enough to get James Cromwell, the brilliant Alice Krige who sold that whole thing with the spine going into -- she was a genius, and my godmother Alfre Woodard agreed to do the movie who is spectacular in the film. That scene she had with Patrick around the glass case was just one of my favorites. And Marina was hysterical in the drinking scene.
(Laughter)
JF: I have very, very, very fond memories of 'First Contact.' Ahh, the good old days.
Q: You mentioned you were the third best actor in your household?
JF: Well, I'm married to Jeannie Francis who's currently on The Young and the Restless who is probably better known as Laura from Luke and Laura on 'General Hospital' and from 'North and South.' And now my wonderful daughter Liza who's fourteen has got the gene from her mother.
(Laughter)
JF: I try to encourage actors to find any other career.
(Laughter)
JF: I think it's, and I'm serious, I think it's unjust, it's based on so many factors we have no control over. Luck -- which is great if you've got it and not if you don't, being in the right place at the right time, the whim of the casting director, the whim of the director, the whim of the producer, whether you remind someone of someone else that they liked or didn't like, and it's a career that unless you can do nothing else and unless your core demands that you become an actor I recommend that you try to find anything else to do. 'Cause it's brutal unless you can handle rejection every week which is part of the deal, the whole thing of aging -- age is huge in acting, it's a very, I mean it's wonderful when it works and we've been blessed in our house which makes me worry about my daughter certainly in terms of numbers and averages and all that stuff. So I discourage people unless they have such passion they can't do anything else. Or as Brent Spiner's favorite line is, "make sure you learn how to type."
(Laughter)
JF: Which is also good advice I think, but it's not for the faint of heart. That's my advice. A bit of a downer, huh? It's a really GLAMOROUS profession and it ALWAYS works out! EVERYBODY gets rich and you stay young FOREVER!
(Laughter)
JF: That was a brutal, cruel, unjust, strangely unjust, but it is what it is.
JF: You, John Rogers fan again. Second question, you got to step up guys.
Q: What made you decide to work on the show 'Roswell?'
JF: 'Roswell,' 'Roswell' is a television series I don't know if you've ever seen that show from the '90s.
(Applause)
JF: When I was on 'Insurrection' someone brought me a series of teen novels called Roswell High. We then sold it to Gail Berman at Regency who then ran Paramount, Gail Berman made the show, Jason came on and wrote the show who now does Friday Night Lights or is almost finished Friday Night Lights, but actually on 'Roswell' another famous Canadian actor Brendan Fehr whose birthday is… today. Just saying I read it in the paper this morning. A little known fact.
JF: I really liked 'Roswell.' I think we made a big mistake with it in that we revealed to too many members of the cast the secrets of who was an alien so by the time we were midway through the first season everybody in town knew that these three kids as a matter of fact came out of a pod. Aside from that, though, I kind of enjoyed that show. I liked the mythology and speaking of the mythology we brought Ron Moore who wrote 'First Contact' and then went on to 'Battlestar Galactica,' Ron Moore came in to develop the mythology for Roswell, but we struggled to stay on the air. We had a campaign of hard core Roswell fans who sent little miniature bottles of Tabasco to the network to keep the show on the air to show that they were rabid fans sort of in the way the original 'Star Trek' was kept on the air. They sent little phasers to the network.
Q: Wil Wheaton has done it, Brent Spiner has done it, and --
JF: Yeah, what's up with that?!
Q: Are you going to go on 'The Big Bang Theory?'
JF: LeVar Burton and I are waiting for the phone call. We are a little insulted that it hasn't come yet.
(Laughter)
JF: Did you see it the other night with Brent?
Audience: Yes.
JF: Brent and Wil, Wil's a regular on there. Wil's a regular on Leverage. Wil's got a career going again. And a rabid tweeter. Do you guys follow him on Twitter?
Audience: Yes.
JF: I need some more followers by the way.
(Laughter)
JF: Spiner's got a million and a half, LeVar's got a million and a half, I just, I just joined, feel free to sign up. Jonathan S. Frakes. Who is that pretty girl who called me Franks when I came up here??
(Laughter)
JF: She was too young. She didn't r-r-remember the sh-sh-show. Um, I'll share with you before I go to my --(looks at watch) -- oh wait, I'm not done yet. More questions… this cord is working out well for me. In OUR country we have WIRELESS mics!
(Laughter)
JF: Sorry, too easy. Way, way too easy. Yes sir?
Q: What's your favorite current science fiction TV show, movie, or book?
JF: I'm not much of a sci-fi guy, oddly enough. But I enjoy, been enjoying 'Persons of Interest,' I've been working with James Lapaglia, from 'Eureka,' 'Eureka' just went off the air, he and I are working on a project called 'The Grid' which is about virtual reality so I'm involved with that sci-fi project at the mo.
JF: What else? I liked Battlestar when it was on. I loved Edward James Olmos I thought he was a genius on that show. I liked the look of that show.
JF: But oddly enough when Star Trek started, I didn't really know that we were joining part of the popular culture and thought we'd be under a rock or something. I didn't understand the power of the original Star Trek and didn't understand the passion. And then Roddenberry, may he rest in peace, was so great. He believed so heavily in his optimistic view of the future.
JF: I auditioned for 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' six times over several weeks, and each time as it got closer and closer to them finally making the decision I'd have to go into Gene Roddenberry's office and I'd sit there and he's sort of you know, he was like a coach. And he'd coach and say your audition is going to be great today, you're the guy I want to play Riker, and he said to me in the 24th century there will be no hunger, there will be no greed, and all the children will know how to read.
(Applause)
JF: And I've never forgotten that, and he believed with such a fiery passion that then I started to look at the original show and at that time got the VCRs of the show and watched those. And my wife Jeannie Francis who is a big Kirk fan she had Kirk posters on her wall when she was a kid.
JF: And then I go home for Christmas after the first season to see my mom and dad in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and I went out to the refrigerator to get a beer and a refrigerator was on the back porch and I go to the refrigerator and on the door is a poster -- this big -- a picture of Patrick Stewart.
(Laughter)
JF: Oh, I just love Patrick Stewart. Mom??! I'm in THE SAME SHOW! The other half of that picture is ME!
(Laughter)
JF: He's so beautiful. And that voice… numba one… to BE! (Imitating Patrick Stewart). Humbling.
Q: What was your favorite episode from an actor's perspective?
JF: My favorite episode of the Next Generation was 'The Best of Both Worlds' between season three and four or four and five or whenever that was I thought that was great television. I have a soft spot obviously for 'The Offspring' which is the first one I directed where I was lucky enough not only for Rene's script who is now writing 'Terra Nova' and was on 'Castle' with me and went on to Deep Space and all that stuff, but he wrote a script for 'The Offspring' which is the episode Data builds himself a daughter and it was a Spiner episode which is always a good break and Brent is so compelling to watch. So I have a soft spot for that one. But I think 'The Best of Both Worlds' was really, really good television. And what was your favorite episode?
Q: The one when you were in the (inaudible)…
JF: Oh, 'Frame of Mind?'
(Applause)
JF: That was a little off the edge. I feel like we have a little class room vibe here. Have you all been taking notes?
Q: On your show 'Castle,' Nathan seems to really be a natural, very easygoing, and happy-go-lucky, so I was wondering on the TV show behind-the-scenes does he goof around?
JF: Yes. He's a very, very silly man.
(Laughter)
JF: We get along very well. And here's another little connection, Stana who plays Beckett on 'Castle' was on this series of movies called 'The Librarian' I do with Noah Wyle and Bob Newhart and Jane, Jane, from 'Saturday Night Live,' Jane Curtin and Olympia Dukakis and Stana was our sort of our Bond girl. Each movie has a girl who becomes a second lead and the one before was Gabrielle Anwar. She finished and went on to 'Burn Notice,' Stana finished and went on to 'Castle.' So the girl who gets the next Librarian job will ultimately get a series. That's the pattern. That's how we see it.
Q: When did you know that Next Generation had legs and you could eventually relax?
JF: That's a very good question. They were so skeptical about us. First of all from what I understand, Paramount tried for years to convince Gene to do another Star Trek and when he finally gave in, he created our show. But Paramount made three contracts. First of all, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' was the first scripted hour drama made directly for syndication so Paramount and there wisdom was able to make the shows for a price, sell the shows with half of the advertising attached, and pay us 40 percent of the SAG minimum all at the same time. So the shows were made for a million and a half, but each show was already worth seven million by then. They were brilliant, and sold it to 217 markets. At the beginning, we had a contract for the pilot, which was Encounter at Farpoint. Then we had a contract for the first 13 episodes if that went well. Then after the first 13 we had a contract for the first year. And at the end of the first year, we had a contract for four. they really hedged their bets.
JF: And I would say, somewhere around the third season maybe, we got our legs sort of under us don't you think? Because we were all sort of awkward and weird and trying to figure out who we were, and once we got our rhythm and once the writers got to know who was playing the parts that sort of helped. We fit into the roles a little better as the seasons went along. I was also very sorry to see it come to an end. I know Marina and certain others of us we'd still be doing it if given the choice. It was the best job ever. It was one of those deals when you got up in the morning that you'd look forward to going to work every day no matter what was going on so it was a real blessing.
Q: What are your thoughts on the 'Nemesis' movie and why it wasn't as well-received as the other movies?
JF: Very good question. The 'Nemesis' movie was, my thoughts on why it didn't do well, awkward, be very careful Jonathan you are using your outside voice…
(Laughter)
JF: Speak diplomatically. I think that the core audience of our movies, which was you guys, wanted to see the Star Trek family which is Patrick and Brent, etc., And that movie was sort of about Thomas Hardy's character. The guy who was by the way, not only Inception, he's like the hottest thing. He's like a huge movie star now. And it's fabulous. He got his start in that movie. So I always thought that that movie, in addition to not being directed by me…
(Laughter)
JF: Was problematic because it was about a character who none of us really knew. I'm not sure that's what the problem was. I also think that Paramount with their infinite wisdom was really, incredibly, greedy, in terms of we had our show on the air, that they put Deep Throat--'Deep Space Nine' on the air, no, they put 'Voyager'then 'Deep Space' then 'Enterprise' and then we did 'Generations' and 'First Contact' and 'Insurrection' and there was just too much Star Trek. And 'Nemesis' was the first star trek movie to lose money. We made nine movies that all made money and as you know that's what projects into the future, so when 'Nemesis' stopped to make money the franchise came to a screeching halt until J.J. rebooted it brilliantly a couple of years ago. What's your theory about why it was a stinker? Or was it a stinker? Some people liked it.
Q: It definitely had a different feel from the other Next Generation movies because it didn't focus on the cast as much.
JF: Yeah. It was interesting because Stuart Baird who directed it was for some reason interested in, or at least the feeling on the set was that he wanted to reinvent the wheel a little bit and we really knew how the ship ran if you will both metaphorically and literally.
JF: There's a whole opening sequence to that wedding where Whoopi is there and Wil is there and Brent is singing and I'm playing trombone and it was the whole opening was so much fun and it got cut down to a nub.
JF: And by the way, Data is not dead. Let's just get that that whole thing straightened out. Yes my dear?
Q: I would like to know some of the pranks you've been up to throughout your career?
JF: You've got the wrong guy. I'm serious. It's all work with me… Except for this one time.
(Laughter)
JF: Michael Dorn, dear sweet turtle head, is up on the, you know, back end of the bridge, and old baldy is sitting there and I'm over here and the beautiful and talented Marina is over here. And Dorn had in his hand, because for years he's wanted to do this -- raw egg. So he leans over the bridge, and SMASHES it on Patrick's head. Albumin everywhere. Yolk down that British face.
(Laughter)
JF: That's a lie. That's a boldfaced lie. It never happened. It would've been great though, right?
(Laughter)
JF: But I did hear this, though. You know how we use to get hit by phaser fire from enemy ships? And we'd all rock around and be thrown around the bridge, and Marina would be over in her seat, and when we got hit her hair would lay back and she'd look over and her breasts would be full, and I'd be over here rocking and throwing my self around like Riker, and Patrick would be sitting over in his captain's chair, the ergonomically built for his back captain's chair, which was stolen by a fan at one point…
(Laughter)
JF: And he would all be, very stoic. And under his breath, I heard this many times (imitating Patrick Stewart), "Oh Jonathan… Jonathan… 25 years in the Royal Shakespeare Company… FOR THIS??"
(Laughter)
JF: Thank you very much. I'll see you outside.
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Complete 'Heroes: Season One' HD DVD Specs Revealed
Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 12:13 PM ETTags: Universal, TV on High-Def, Comic-Con (all tags)
Universal has released the final details for its highly-anticipated HD DVD release of 'Heroes: Season One,' and as promised, it will come jam-packed with extras.
As we've previously reported, the studio had previewed at the Home Media Expo, but it held off on revealing full details until this week's Comic-Con show in San Diego.
Well, the show is here, and so are complete details on the 'Heroes' HD DVD. According to a new press release from Universal, the seven-disc HD DVD set will feature all of the supplements from the standard-def release (including a never-before-seen 73-minute version of the premiere episode, fifty Deleted and Extended scenes, and various featurettes), plus a suite of high-def extras.
Included among the HD DVD exclusives will be a Picture-in-Picture Cast & Crew Commentary (on eight episodes); a "Character Connections" feature, which will allow viewers to isolate scenes featuring their favorite Heroes; an interactive "Helix Revealed" to help fans spot the hidden symbol as it appears in scenes from the show; plus an Artwork Presentation, providing the ability to examine art from the show in detail.
As Universal's first "connected title," the 'Heroes: Season One' HD DVD will also feature several web-enabled features, including a Download Center, which will enable users to download exclusive trailers, clips and other content directly to their HD DVD players; and a Genetic Abilities Test, which will allow fans to create their own Heroes profile and upload it to the Heroes/NBC.com website to unlock yet more exclusive content.
Universal's 'Heroes'-related activities at Comic-Con don't end with this press release. The studio has set up a booth on the Comic-Con floor, where it is demo-ing the HD DVD's various features for fans, and as we've previously reported, a panel with the cast and crew is planned for Saturday. Needless to say, we'll let you know when/if any more details on this highly anticipated HD DVD release emerge.
Can't get enough 'Heroes'? Visit the dedicated thread for ongoing discussion of the 'Heroes: Season One' HD DVD in our Forums area.
- Related links:
- Heroes: Season One Press Release [TVShowsonDVD.com]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Heroes: Season One (HD DVD)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- 'Heroes' HD DVD Previewed at Home Media Expo (Jul 19, 2007)
- HD DVD and Blu-ray Titles to Take Center Stage at Comic-Con 2007 (Jul 10, 2007)
Comic-Con adds 'Dr. Strange' to High-Def Dance Card
Mon Jul 23, 2007 at 07:55 AM ETTags: Comic-Con, Comic Book Movies, Lionsgate (all tags)
Joining the list of already announced high-def disc-related sessions planned for this year's Comic-Con, Lionsgate and Marvel Comics say they will screen the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'Doctor Strange' for convention attendees.
Although the new direct-to-disc animated adventure from Marvel and Lionsgate isn't due to hit store shelves until August 14th, both companies have arranged a sneak peek for Comic-Con attendees on Friday July 27th.
As we've previously reported, 'Dr. Strange' is Lionsgate's second direct-to-disc Blu-ray release in cooperation with Marvel Comics, following 'The Ultimate Avengers Collection,' which was released to strong sales earlier this year.
According to a recent post on Marvel.com, the entire 95 minute feature will be shown on the big screen at Comic-Con, followed by a Q&A with the film's Supervising Director/Producer Frank Paur and Writer Greg Johnson.
Lionsgate and Marvel have also revealed additional specs for the Blu-ray edition of 'Dr. Strange,' which is now set to include English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX Audio tracks, plus a wealth of supplements, including three featurettes, concept art and a trailer gallery.
For more details on this upcoming Blu-ray release, check out our 'Doctor Strange' Disc Details page, and be sure to watch for our full coverage of all the HD DVD and Blu-ray related activities at this year's Comic-Con later this month.
See what people are saying about 'Doctor Strange' in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Doctor Strange Screening at San Diego Comic-Con [Marvel.com]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Doctor Strange (Blu-ray)
- Ultimate Avengers Collection (Blu-ray)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- HD DVD and Blu-ray Titles to Take Center Stage at Comic-Con 2007 (Jul 10, 2007)
- Lionsgate to Conjure Up 'Dr. Strange' on Blu-ray (May 16, 2007)
HD DVD and Blu-ray Titles to Take Center Stage at Comic-Con 2007
Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 12:02 PM ETTags: Comic-Con (all tags)
High-def early adopters attending this year's Comic-Con in San Diego will be treated to a first look at several of this fall's most eagerly anticipated high-def releases.
The newly-published schedule for this year's genre fest reveals at least three upcoming next-gen titles that will be getting the Comic-Con treatment when the annual conventional rolls into San Diego late this month.
As we first reported earlier this morning, kicking things off on Thursday July 26th is what organizers are calling the "worldwide debut" of the upcoming high-def disc release of the original 'Star Trek' series. The one hour session, dubbed "Star Trek - The Original Series: As You've Never Seen It" promises to be an interesting one, featuring a preview of the fully remastered HD DVD (which has yet to be given a street date), and a panel that includes Rod Roddenberry, son of the Star Trek creator.
Next up, on Friday July 27, producer Joel Silver and Spanish director Victor Garcia will preview the next-gen editions of 'Return To House on Haunted Hill,' due on HD DVD and Blu-ray this October. As we've previously reported, this direct-to-disc sequel from Warner is slated to include new "Navigational Cinema" technology that will enable the viewer to make seven choices as the story unfolds, leading to over 90 different iterations of the film.
Finally, at what's sure to be a packed session on Saturday July 28th, the entire cast of 'Heroes' will join co-executive producer/comic book writer Jeph Loeb and series creator Tim Kring for a session that is expected to include a first-ever look at the August 28 HD DVD release of 'Heroes: Season One.'
Needless to say, we can expect more than a few juicy tidbits to come out of each of these sessions. If you can't make it to San Diego to see them in person, not to worry -- we've got you covered. Watch this space for complete coverage of all the Blu-ray/HD DVD news to come out of Comic-Con: 2007. Stay tuned!
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Comic-Con International: San Diego [Official Site]
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Heroes: Season One (HD DVD)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- New 'Star Trek' HD DVD Details Revealed (Jul 10, 2007)
DVD Producers Hedge Bets in High-Def Format War
Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 02:05 PM ETTags: Industry Forecasts, Comic-Con (all tags)
With studio enthusiasm for standard DVD extras cooling, the future of supplemental content on the next-gen high-def formats appears uncertain, said the industry's top producers to fans at Comicon in San Diego this past weekend.
As a part of the annual DigitalBits.com DVD-producer panel last Saturday, July 22, at the convention, industry vets including Robert Meyer Burnett ('X2,' 'Chronicles of Narnia'), Charlie de Lauzirika ('Alien Quadrilogy,' 'Gladiator,' 'Blade Runner') and TV DVD guru Scott Devine ('Friends,' 'La Femme Nikita,' 'Batman Beyond') fielded questions from fans in attendance, including studio "burn out" of extras on DVD.
"The truth is, studios are bored of special features... They'd rather get rid of them all together," said Burnett. "It's very expensive to send a crew to work on DVD extras for a big movie like 'Narnia,' and there's no real cost-benefit analysis for the studios."
That has led the major studios to increasingly issue separate movie-only and feature-loaded special editions of top titles on standard DVD, said Burnett, a trend which has in part led to the lack of exclusive extras on early Blu-ray and HD DVD releases. And it is a situation which may not change for the foreseeable future as the studios decide on a gameplan, said panelists.
"I don't think [extras on high-def formats] is going to be very stable for a long time," said Charles de Lauzirika, when asked what, if any, kinds of exclusive content DVD producers are currently working on for the next gen formats. "The studios are still working it out."
- Related links:
- DVD Producers Straddle Mature, Emerging Markets [Home Media Retailing]
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