Along with his regular convention appearance, Leonard has agreed to present "A Leonard Nimoy Photography Seminar " set for Saturday Evening from 7:30 pm to 9pm. This limited seating presentation will include a screening of Leonard's video on "Secret Selves" and a lecture about the aesthetics of fine art/conceptual photography. Don't miss the rare opportunity to see Leonard in this unique format.

Then, Leonard Nimoy spoke, and it was touching and I was surprised for some reason. I have never heard much about what kind of person he is. What I saw was him interacting with each person who came to ask a question in a very personal way, very much paying attention to them like they were the only person in the room. He seems to be a very thoughtful, intelligent and kind person. Surprised is not the right word for it; it's not like I was expecting him to be an ass or anything. It's just that he was particularly excellent.

What I did love though, one of the first questions asked (apparently written down before hand) was do you have Zachary Quntio's number, and can I have it. I think I was the only one in a room of 1500 that said WOOOT, lol.

We saw that people were going through the line and NOT getting autographs, just saying hi, and we figured there was no reason we couldn't do the same. The woman collecting money asked each person in line for said monies, and my response was "I am of the lower class and would just like to meet and greet" and she waved me through. Then, for a brief moment, I held Leonard Nimoy's hand in mine, and stole his powers. Just long enough to be uncomfortable, but not long enough for him to have to ask for it back. Just at that awkward level at which I consistently operate. I guess at least I didn't squeal "You're my faaaaaavorite!!" this time, which is progress.

Standing twenty feet from Leonard Nimoy, I was impressed by his gracious demeanor. After over twenty years of being in the spotlight from one role in his career, he is more appreciative and respectful of his fans than most who've been dealing with fame for only half that time. He spoke of his photography, friendship with William Shatner, acting career, and life, and came off as truly content with what he has been given. Anyone would have been a fan of his after a panel like that.

After a music video tribute, all were seated for Mr. Nimoy, who seems to look younger every year. The actor revealed that he has already filmed his new bits as William Bell for Fringe. As for the Star Trek: Something Something, sequel, Spock Prime said he had not been contacted by the Abrams team, but went on to say that he didn’t think he needed believes the torch has been passed to the new cast. His praise for the latest film is unwavering, and his answer to “What is your favorite episode” was always “Have you seen the new film?”

Questions were typical, and Nimoy has a way of making even the silliest of them valid, and providing great answers. One high-point was a young man dressed in a Trek uniform surrounded by a cape, and carrying a lightsaber. As a “Starfleet Jedi,” he believed in the compatibility of Vulcan and Jedi philosophies, and did Mr. Nimoy agree. Nimoy answered: “Why would a Vulcan want to be a Jedi?” to thunderous applause. You had to be there. He also (again) answered a question about his infamous ‘Bilbo Baggins music video.

Another great story was the time he was in Tokyo around the time of STIV on his way to a bookstore to promote the Trek books, big in Japan at the time. In the car with him was the translator for all the books who told him Shatner was “getting too fat” to play the Captain amongst other things wrong with series. Nimoy then praised his old friend, and how he has transformed his career in recent years. Nimoy also mentioned that he is planning to exhibit new photographs from his “Identity Project” next July in North Adams, MA, and after a question, discussed his ‘other career’ as a photographer in some detail for the audience. And when asked what he would do if Star Trek never happened, Nimoy said he would want to be a therapist.

08.12.2007
Vegas Report: Nimoy & Shatner Talk Movie

LAS VEGAS, Sunday, August 12 — We're still compiling our Saturday and Sunday blog reports from the Las Vegas official Star Trek convention, but we thought we'd bring you straight away all the comments made by Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on the J.J. Abrams "Star Trek" movie that Nimoy will be starring in, but currently Shatner will not.

Some new information that came out was that Nimoy will be shooting his part starting in December — a month after principal photography begins — and is scheduled for more work in February and March of 2008. Nimoy's role as the older Spock is "not gigantic," but, "it's more than a cameo." Nimoy also talked about the challenge of trying to recapture the character and trying to examine where Spock has been and how he's evolved in the intervening years since we last saw him (which was in TNG's "Unification").

Sunday afternoon the schedule had Nimoy come on stage by himself for 30 minutes, then Shatner would go on solo for 30 minutes, and then they'd spend another half hour sharing the stage together.

Nimoy came out at 2:30 p.m., and on top of drawing huge ovations just for himself, he made the crowd doubly erupt when he took off his jacket and showed off his "#1 Vulcan" T-shirt (which he's worn before at conventions). "You human beings are so emotional," he began.

After commenting on the introductory video, and making barbs about Shatner trying to drown him during "Star Trek IV," Nimoy opened, "I can not imagine what you want to hear about today. I can't imagine what you want to talk about today."

The crowd started chanting: "Mo-vie! Mo-vie! Mo-vie!"

"Is that what you want to talk about?" So Nimoy started in on what he wanted to say: "I've been on the Internet for the last few days, and it's amazing to me how people are spending their time on these blogs and websites, voicing their opinions about what should be done about Star Trek next. People who have never directed a Star Trek episode, people who have never directed a film, people who have never directed traffic, are voicing their opinions about what to do with the next Star Trek movie. It's fascinating, fascinating."

"Well, y'know, the Vulcan IDIC philosophy is Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, and we're getting it, I'll tell ya, we're getting diversity. I've copied off just a few of the milder ones — really, some of them I just can't read out loud in public..." He dramatically recited several of the blogs he printed out, some infused with anger and cynicism, such as one suggesting that bringing Nimoy and Shatner into the movie shows a lack of originality "just to satisfy a bunch of old Trekkies!" Another offbeat one suggested that the movie will reveal Spock's first name to be "Timmy."

"So many experts, so many opinions," Nimoy commented. "Thousands of Star Trek fans, millions of Star Trek fans, millions of opinions. I wanna tell you something. When I finished making 'Star Trek III,' about a week before it opened I got a call from the administration at the studio, Paramount, and they said, 'We'd like you make another one — make 'Star Trek IV.' And I said, 'I'm really interested in doing that, however—'

"'Star Trek III' was my first movie. I had directed some television but it was my first feature film. And they had a tight hold on me. Every day I had to explain why I was doing this shot this way and how it was going to cut with that other shot, and what was I going to do tomorrow — they were on me all day long every day. And I said, 'I can't do that again. I need to be let loose.' And they said to me, 'The training wheels are off — we want you to make your Star Trek.' I said, 'Okay.' So I went to work and spent two years from the day they said that to the day the movie opened, I spent two years making 'Star Trek IV' — the movie opened and it became, still, the highest grossing Star Trek movie of all of them ever made, okay?

"I tell you that for a reason. I tell you that for a very serious reason, and the reason I tell you that is because they turned me loose and they let me have my vision and they let me make a movie. And I say that they have hired a very talented director and very talented writers, and you have to turn them loose and let them make their movie. Okay? I have faith in these people. I understand that everybody wants to be a director and everybody wants to have an opinion — everybody is saying 'If they don't do it this way, I'm not gonna see it! If they don't that way, I'm only gonna see it once!' But I do believe you have to give these talented people a chance to make the movie, okay? And let's rejoice in the fact that they are good, talented people and there's a Star Trek movie coming and I think they're going to invigorate the franchise. I really do, I believe that." And the applause for his observations was enthusiastic.

"Not long ago in San Diego, I guess eight or nine days ago, we were in San Diego for Comic-Con ... a hundred thousand people at Comic-Con, a hundred thousand people! And the room where we held our panel announcing 'Star Trek,' the room was like this, packed, wonderful reaction, people very excited — I was on the panel with J.J. Abrams and the two writers, and a young gentleman named Zachary Quinto. And he does resemble me, I think he's believable as me, younger — but equally important if not even more so, he's a very talented actor, and I'm honored to have him take over the role of Spock after I'm done. So please give him a welcome when he comes on the screen, okay? He's a talented actor and he's a gentleman — he was at my house for dinner a couple of nights ago, we've spent some good time together and we will spend more good time together, and I'm really grateful that they have found this very talented young man to play the young Spock. I'm looking forward to that.

"And as far as Bill Shatner goes ... I told J.J. Abrams, when he asked my opinion, I told him that I think obviously 'Star Trek' would be better with Bill Shatner as Captain Kirk in it. Now that's up to him, I'm not making the movie, but that's what I told him. I don't know if Bill wants to be in the movie — do you think Bill wants to be in the movie?" Saying that tongue-in-cheek, the audience laughed and cheered. "Yeaaaah," Nimoy responded.

William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy

"The two big boys" — as Creation's Adam Malin called them — each took the stage Saturday separately before appearing together. Nimoy came out first, and upon the thunderous ovation uttered, "So emotional."

"I've been asked time and time again, how does it feel after 40 years to come to one of these events? And I'd say, 'It's like taking a victory lap!'' Nimoy remarked. "Years ago, people used to say to me, 'My kids love your show.' And these days, kids say to me, 'My parents love your show.'"

"Some of us didn't really know what to expect when we went on the air in September '66. I kinda had a sense that we would last a long time. I believed in what we were doing."

Among his reminisces of the early days of Star Trek, Nimoy explained why Spock appears to be limping in scenes with Captain Pike in "The Cage" and "The Menagerie." "It was a mistake. But it wasn't my mistake. When making the first episode ... it was Gene Roddenberry who came on the stage and said to me, 'I want to build in the sense that this is an ongoing story and that there have been previous episodes, and maybe Spock had been injured in a previous adventure. So please add a limp as you're running. I said, 'Okay, boss! You tell me what to do, I do it!' He was signing my checks! So I said okay. And I limped. And I've been explaining it ever since."

After communing with the audience for about 20 minutes, Nimoy said, "I'm sorry, I have to bring this guy out here, I'm sorry. He insists on coming on stage to talk to you," and proceeded to introduce Shatner, who commented on the vast numbers of people in attendance (close to 5,000 in the room).

"This is quite wonderful. I guess it means that we're all interested and anticipating what's coming up with Star Trek," Shatner opened. "Amazing, absolutely amazing, this marvelous thing that Star Trek has become. The life that it shows, nobody can believe it."

"I mean, there's J.J. Abrams right now — you know he's in a room somewhere scribbling, he's fashioning a screenplay that will lift us on the wings of fantasy!" Shatner rhapsodized. "I'm anticipating it every bit as much as you are." Regarding rumors of a future Captain Kirk actor, he added, "We keep hearing about people being signed, but as far as I know, nobody has been signed to play anything."

He told of his recent trip to Israel to set up an international therapeutic riding program, and described a recent motorcycle accident in California in which he took a nasty spill, skinning himself badly and ending up in an emergency room. "Then — I agreed to be roasted! Why, you may ask, did I agree to do that? I have no explanation. It may one of the stupidest things I've ever done. It seemed cool at the time."

The Comedy Central Roast he was referring to was taped the previous Sunday and set to air the following night. "It was horrible. It's funny, but it's horrible. And two people who took such glee in roasting me—" he pointed backstage where George Takei and Nichelle Nichols were currently signing autographs — "they were very evil towards me. But one of the things that they didn't realize, George and Nichelle, was if you come up on stage to roast, you're also gonna be roasted. George got roasted worse than I did!"

"So, enough about me, what about you? I'm only joking," he proceeded in his self-mocking manner.

Answering questions from the audience, Shatner talked about some of this Boston Legal castmates, including James Spader and Candice Bergen. "I'll tell you who I'm in love with, is Rene Auberjonois. Rene is the most darling of people. I sort of vaguely knew him [before] ... I had no idea what an artist and what a charmer and how funny and how loving Rene is," he gushed. "I've never been in a show that exudes so much goodwill towards everybody. There isn't a harsh moment on the set."

Getting back to the roast, Shatner said that during the show he saw his "Mr. Tambourine Man" video for the first time in 20 years, and realized, "It's AWFUL! What was I thinking when I did that? I don't blame the people who joke about it."

He then brought Nimoy back on stage and the two proceeded to trade barbs and laugh between themselves, particularly over a "letter" that Nimoy claimed he found buried under a tree in his backyard, one dated September 8, 1966: "We're going on the air tonight with the first episode of Star Trek. I predict the show will develop an intelligent, loyal following but will be cancelled at the end of the third season. I predict there will be tremendous success for the show in reruns." "Why are you pretending to read this, you know it all by heart!" Shatner interceded. Nimoy continued, "I predict William Shatner will do a lot of TV commercials! It says here: For anybody! I predict that in the fall of 2006 will we meet with thousands of fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show, probably in Las Vegas! Signed, Leonard Nimoy."

They proceeded to reminisce about the early episodes of Star Trek, starting with "Where No Man Has Gone Before." "Let's talk about the pilot," Shatner began. "The second pilot, the one that I did. Not the one that you did, the one that I did. Because the one you did didn't sell. The one you did didn't sell. The one you did didn't sell..." Nimoy came back, "I'm not sure they heard you, say it once more!" "The one you did didn't sell!"

After exchanging memories about Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman, they started talking about "the salmon story," as Shatner liked to call it ("Amok Time"). Nimoy pointed out, "There's a good reason to call it 'the salmon story,' because it was written by Theodore Sturgeon." "Ohhh! Pretty darn good after all these years!" Shatner responded to his groaner. Nimoy further pointed out that it was Sturgeon who wrote the words "Live long and prosper."

On a more serious note, Shatner used the occasion of the 40th anniversary to relay a message. "One of the reasons for the popularity of Star Trek is the fact that it exists two or three hundred years from now and offers a note of hope," he said. "We can hope, but hope doesn't do it. We need practical steps. And I'm really afraid that your grandchildren and mine will be in dire trouble with the planet if we don't exercise our rights, right now, today, tomorrow, and start cleaning things up — legislating for more miles per gallon in a car, recycling, and trying to repair the planet in the same way we're trying to repair the ozone hole."

Nimoy added, "The President has told us that we're addicted to oil but we're not doing anything about it! We should stop this addiction to oil, okay?"

Shatner concluded, "In this wonderful medium of people who are unified by Star Trek, there also can be a power that we take with us from this gathering. We must work hard and passionately and immediately for the good of the planet, otherwise we're going to terminate ourselves very rapidly."

After the introduction for 'the Stars of Star Trek' both William Shatner (Kirk-'The Original Series') and Leonard Nimoy (Spock-vThe Original Series'/'Next Generation') strolled onto the stage. The format was conversation between the two. Shatner brought up (again!) the lack of funds for special effects in Star Trek V. One spooky occurrence was that the spotlights went out right after they mentioned DeForrest Kelley’s (McCoy-'The Original Series') name. (Maybe he was there after all.) At one point Shatner turned around to the screen which was calling ticket holders to Carrie Fisher’s autograph line. He called, 'Where’s Carrie?' She came out and went nose to nose with him. She then gave them both a kiss (although Nimoy hammed it up a bit) and went back to her signing. Then Nimoy presented Shatner with Creation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy Genres.