Shatner Rules!!

November 4/11.

I Shat you not!
What a fantastically fun night!

Couldn't wait to get going!

About to take off for Massey Hall to see William Shatner in action! (Haven't been this excited to see a show since Robin Williams or Burton Cummings, BOTH also at Massey Hall!)

Anyone will tell you, there's just something about Massey Hall!

Such an incredible history.

But, heading for another special spot first. FRAN'S!!

For pre-show dinner and conversation.

Met up with my incredible pal, Pam. We talked all about Shatner and his book (of course!!!!) - Could we laugh any more?? (and yes, I know this is the OLDER book! She bought the NEW one - Shatner Rules, at the merch booth in the basement),

and then surprised me, by buying me his CD! (Thank you SO much Pam!)

NEVER a dull moment (my fave slogan), when it comes to conversing with Pam! Ai carumba!!

(Bart Simpson, what would I do without you??)

I don't spend money on LIVE show tickets unless I feel I HAVE to see the performance, knowing it will somehow, touch my soul. William Shatner has been a part of my family since my Mum discovered him in the '60's, and my Dad knew him back in the early CBC days. It's as though Bill has ALWAYS been connected with my parents and they passed the knowledge of his talent on to me! Yes, liked him in Star Trek (and named my blog after his Captain's Log - "Lain's Log"), but it was MUCH later, with his portrayal of Denny Crane in Boston Legal, that he sent me head-over-heels for his acting.

Could you GET any better than what he did, week after week, opposite James Spader? (Alan Shore). The balcony scenes? I mean, come ON!!!!!!!

Holy Shat!!

Bill's live show, HOW TIME FLIES, was simply a blastola! A longtime acquaintance of mine, Toronto Star entertainment writer Rob Salem, (a huge Shatner fan himself),

did a fabulously funny intro to Bill and his onstage "co-host", radio broadcaster Alan Cross. Rob explained that Shatner changed the world, saying, "I KNOW this to be true, because Shatner told me so!" Salem went on to state, "Bill is the most successful recording artist ever to perform, without singing a single note!"

Alan brings out the best in Bill, corralling him through a scripted story of his life, accompanied by phenomenal photos and vibrant video footage, illustrating the highs and lows of his early days right through his most recent projects and successes.

Photo ops,

and lots of bumph!

Pam & I visited the free Shatner photo booth for a pic! Cool service. (You download the picture when you get home).


We were led into the crazy stories of Shatner's past history, from his SNL appearance when he told Trekkers to "Get a life!" (25 years ago since this sketch first aired!)
Watching it back when I got home, had me in stitches. Some of the lines, just hysterical. "For cryin' out loud, it's just a TV show!!" "Have you ever kissed a girl?" "Move OUT of your parents' basements! Get your own apartments!"
"You guys are the lamest bunch!!"

Bill's mesmerizing voice wavers from a whisper to a bellow, soft spoken to strong, back to mellifluous, then wildly emphatic, reverts to a vulnerable, hushed tone, crashing back again to energetic and passionate. The man is the ultimate story teller, and can make you laugh and cry at the same time. He told us, "Pain & pleasure are side by side." And in the next sentence, "Laughter and grief. Two sides of the same coin."

Bill shared stories about Montreal, McGill, motorcycles; talked about the road of life not being linear, but dusty & dirty; advised us all not to be afraid to take chances, make an ass of ourselves, adding, "I do it all the time, and look what I got!!"

Most touching? His stories about communicating with animals, his Dobermans,

Kirk and Starbuck, among them,
and his beloved horses,

(especially the late stallion, world champion, Great Day),

Bill spoke a lot about love.
"Love permeates our lives. The warmth that love brings. Love sometimes isn't enough", (when reflecting on the drowning death of his wife, Noreen).

"Love is also a continuum. Life is cyclical. There's all kinds of love in the world."

"The POWER of saying YES. It's so easy to say NO to life, to love. Saying YES to life, to opportunities, leaves you open & vulnerable. Do it. Ultimately, things will get better. Life is so short. I can tell you, with great authority, life is short. It's over very soon. Say yes! The consequences of saying yes to life. The energy, the passion, is there"!!