Walk on the weird side: William Shatner Q&A

May 1, 2010 by Lindsay Gibb

What is it about Weird or What that made you want to get involved?

I, like most people, am tantalized by the things that we read about, hear about and sometimes see that have no explanation and that’s the mystery that will pursue you to your grave. My fantasy is I’m lying on my death bed and I’m saying, ‘I love you, I love you,’ and [then] ‘Why did that ice cube fall out of the sky?’ And there’s no answer ’cause you’re dead.

So this [show offers] a partial explanation of some of those weird things that have happened. And better minds than mine then act on them.

You are working on some documentaries with your production company, Melis Productions.

We have plans to work in Canada on documentaries of various kinds and I’m very excited about it. Some having to do with food, some having to do with personalities, some having to do with floods. I have more than chicken salad on my plate.

What are your thoughts on the Facebook campaign to make you Governor-General of Canada?

It’s all for fun. I think it’s very loving, [having] a large group of people to ask me to be Governor-General. It’s an honor. But in fact, Governor-General would be part of the face that Canada shows to the world, and I don’t think they want my red, chapped old face to be part of the Canadian image. [Laughs]

One of your recent Twitter posts read, ‘Someone just asked me if I know who owns the legal rights to my face. Either way, you couldn’t afford it.’

I was going to lease the rights out but I decided I’d better keep them.

In the vein of Weird or What, what’s the weirdest thing that an ardent Star Trek fan has ever asked you, or requested from you?

They keep saying, ‘Beam me up.’ They want me to beam them up. [Sighs]

Between Weird or What, the upcoming sitcom Shit My Dad Says and your two Bio channel talk shows, you’ve got a lot on the go. How do you do it?

I don’t know. It’s actually a little foolish and risky of me, because I prefer to be on the back of a horse over anything else. But I’m enjoying it. It’s really great fun for me. At this point I’m having a joyful time.