Shatner plays it personal at Salt Lake Comic Con

By Aldo Gomez • Published September 8, 2013 • Filed under Arts and Entertainment, Online Exclusive • 0 Comments

Please note: This archived article is provided for personal use only, and the information contained in this article may be out of date.

Shatner on stage with several large screens to help audience members.

William Shatner took to the stage, but fans who were not so lucky to get front row still had a chance to get a good look at the actor with provided large projection screens. (Aldo Gomez )

William Shatner took to the stage once again on day of SLCom, but this time around general audience was allowed, not like the previous Legends Live event for VIP member only.

Shatner’s event played out more like panel as he took questions from the audience rather than start on a routine.

The show did start off with a bang as Shatner took the stage with gas and confetti cannons going off as well as the Utah Jazz Bear trying to get a hug from Shatner, who promptly rejected it.

Shatner’s personality came across extremely clear as he stared at the confetti, the Utah Jazz Bear and responded to it by saying “that was stupid.”

Shatner played with the audience as well as showing respect for the cosplay and makeup fans wore.

One UPS employee shamelessly told Shatner that he pranks his co-workers and asked if he ever pranked anyone on the set of “Star Trek.”

Shatner told a story of him pranking Leonar Nimoy over and over again by hiding, locking up and moving a bicycle that Nemoy had bought to use to get to lunch.

Another story related to him time working on “Boston Legal” and the horrendous two hour drive he had two endure twice a day.

My personally favorite story was that of a much younger Shatner who had just finished filming a pilot TV episode.

At the same time, Shatner had just premiered a brand new play at the University of Utah. After the play had premiered it had moved on to Broadway, but Shatner could not perform in it as the Pilot for his TV show had been picked up and he need to appear at the premiere. That pilot, he revealed, was for “Star Trek.”

Shatner played it funny, and as someone who never had a real interest in the actor or any real familiarity with his work. I enjoyed seeing him quite a bit. I, along with another couple hundred people, could not get very close, luckily large screens were provided to help those in the back.