Shatner? Captain Kirk? 80?

Missed your birthday last Wednesday, Bill. That's OK - wanted to let the hubbub die down a bit so you and I could enjoy the moment alone.

I love William Shatner. I may even put him right up there as my 2nd favorite all-around entertainer (2nd to Dean Martin). Loved him in Star Trek, on The Twilight Zone, Boston Legal, (never watched T.J. Hooker), like his Priceline commercials, love his "singing" renditions of popular songs. But what I like best about the man is he doesn't take life too seriously and has an innate ability to poke fun at himself. That's a rare quality. I don't know anyone else who transferred the Shakespearean acting technique to places it should not go - like television and movies. And Shatner has spawned a whole generation of impersonators, jokesters - all at his expense.

And does Shatner care? Fuck no. Here are a few clips you should watch if you're not familiar with the Man called Shatner:

1.) Worst fight scene ever. Capt. Kirk v. Gorn.
2.) Shatner singing "Rocket Man" on television.
3.) Shatner singing "Mr. Tambourine Man" - audio only.
4.) Shatner on the original Twilight Zone in episode, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet". Inarguably in the top 10 of all Twilight Zone episodes. Notice I said, "inarguably".
5.) Shatner doing his verison of the Cee Lo Green song, "Fuck You".
6.) Denny Crane meets the Chinese on Boston Legal.

Come on...all those clips beat the pants off Leonard Nimoy's (Shatner's close friend) song, "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins". If that's not enough for you, check out William Shatner's website here.

Live long and prosper, Mr. Shatner.