'Cantankerous old man': George Takei slams 'Star Trek' co-actor William Shatner, calls him 'self-involved'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: George Takei has once again slammed his 'Star Trek' co-actor William Shatner, calling him a "cantankerous old fossil". While appearing for a TV interview, the veteran star lamented, even though a month back he said he won’t discuss him again. It was during ‘The Graham Norton Show’ that the actor had labeled his fallout with Shatner "tiresome" and had added that "this is the very last time I talk about him".
Shatner responded to the recent comment made by Takei, 85, and said his remarks are a "sickness", before adding, “George [Takei] has never stopped blackening my name. These people are bitter and embittered. I have run out of patience with them. Why give credence to people consumed by envy and hate?” Earlier, Takei told The Times, “Shatner is a cantankerous old fossil. All of us have had problems with him. Jimmy Doohan, who played Scotty, back when he did conventions used to go on and on about Bill Shatner.”
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Takei further said, “There is this fiction that Bill and Leonard [Nimoy, aka Spock] were good friends, but we know better — Leonard privately expressed his irritation with Bill. Bill is an egocentric, self-involved prima donna.”
Graham Norton bought up the feud while they discussed his musical 'Allegiance', which goes back to Takei’s childhood experiences and family history, reports DailyMail. Visibly irritated with the question, Takei then said, “You are the last chat show host to be allowed to ask that question as it has become so tiresome to talk about. When Bill has a book to sell he needs publicity and accuses us of using him. My subject is more substantial and important.” Takei took a dig at Shatner and said, “He is a cantankerous old man and I will not talk about him anymore. I vow that this is the very last time I talk about him.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Takei had responded to Shatner’s comment that his name is used by the 85-year-old to get publicity, “I'm not going to refer to Bill in this interview at all ... although I just did. He's just a cantankerous old man and I'm going to leave him to his devices. I'm not going to play his game.”
He was then asked a follow-up question, whether he thinks Shatner was "cantankerous" during his younger days, Takei responded by saying, he was ‘self-involved,' 'enjoyed being the center of attention' and 'wanted everyone to know him.'