William Shatner Gets THE Joke, Do You?

William Shatner, still singing

The thing that I most admire about William Shatner and the egomaniacle, over-the-top image that he has, is that he is able to poke fun at himself. He gets the joke, it's on him, and still he comes across as the most affable guy in the world.

When I heard that he had, at age 80 (and still carving out his niche), written a new book, "Shatner Rules," I promptly got a copy and read it.

Along with his many successes, TV, movies, radio spots, books (he has published 30 books!), he has had some equally spectacular failures. His excruciating rendition of "Rocket Man," and the rest of the songs on  his universally panned album, "The Transformed Man," for some people, ranks along with the Hindenburg crash, as one of the great disasters of the 20th century.

The Album Was Bad, But Was It a Failure?

"The Transformed Man" would have been a warning light to lesser men, but not to William Tiberius Shatner. Somehow Shatner rose from the ashes to record two more albums. The first album was bad, Shatner gets the joke, but it doesn't stop him. In the Shatnerverse, even as he still makes fun of his first album, his next two win critical acclaim.

Shatner's great humor is at it's absolute finest in his new book. I had to put the book down several times because I was laughing outloud, and had to recompose myself before I could continue reading.

For example, here are some of his rebuttals to his roasters on "The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner":

Patton Oswalt held up a paper bag and said, "Settle a bet - act you way out of this."
Shatner response: " I would, but I need to go pick up my two Emmys at the trophy polisher."

"Bill, you are one of our greatest actors. And I think I'm quoting you correctly, right?"
Shatner: "If I looked like I was enjoying myself at the roast,then I am indeed one of your greatest actors.Go ahead and quote me!"

Still Exploring New Galaxies

But, in his new book, Shatner is again blazing a trail for us, by sharing with us the truly inspiring message: "Say, yes."

As Shatner points out that saying "yes" to things means opportunity. You don't know where those opportunities are going to lead, but Shatner assures us, they always lead to interesting places. "No" closes doors. "Yes" kicks them wide open.

Shatner elaborates, "My musical career is one of the best examples of the might power of saying "yes." I said "yes" to doing a trippy, experimental album in 1968. I was certainly flogged aplenty for it,but a few years later a young man said "yes" to buying it, enjoyed it, (and which led to) performing in a series of Priceline commercials, which were seen by David E. Kelley, (which led to) me as Denny Crane in The Practice and Boston Legal, and two Emmy awards."

 Be Shatneresque, Say "Yes"

In Shatner's world, you say "yes" to opportunity, and doors open up. Even when it may look like you fell flat on your face, in the long-term you are redeemed, and even more doors open for you.

Shatner gets it. You make mistakes, you take them lightly, make fun of them, and you keep on saying "yes."

To Bill Shatner, "the praises of "yes" are certainly worth singing, or at least speak-singing."

Upcoming Radio Interviews

wher I "boldly" discuss"Carve Out Your Niche"

Week of Nov 21st, 7:40 am, with Gary Sutton & Jim Horn, 910 AM WSBA, York, PA. Listen live at http://www.wsba910.com/.

November 23rd, 8:30 am, with Dave Gillian, KRSN 1490 AM, Los Alamos, NM