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Shatner Encounter

Apologies for the delay….

So up I went to Tower Records on Sunset early in the AM on the 5th to get the new CD and wristband. I realized that the demand was not really great and that I could have just come later. Oh well. Flash forward to around 7pm.

I am standing in line at the store and I have convinced the guy behind me in line to get a shot of me getting Shatner’s autograph with the Gorn. First, the Tower people say as long as you don’t hold up the line, you can take the photo. Then Shatner shows up with his wife in a Chevy Tahoe. He mulls around outside for a bit to talk to the entertainment reporters that have staked out the site. I was going to go over and try and get someone to hold the Gorn, but since I was going to get the inside photo, I wasn’t too concerned.

After Shatner goes inside Tower to get ready, a new security person shows up and says no photos at all inside. Crud. All my planning down the drain. Around 8:30 or so it is my turn. As I am waiting to get my turn, the security guy inside says its OK to photo after I get my autograph.

I walk over to Bill and here is what transpired:
Me: It’s such an honor to meet you. I really enjoyed your album – I have been listening to it all day. I was surprised by it really..
Shatner: Really? What surprised you about it?
Me: Well, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, and I was surprised at how much of your feelings you put into the album. I really enjoyed the song “Common People” as well as the poem about your late wife.
Shatner: That’s great. Maybe you can help answer a question that I have been trying to without much success. What kind of album is this? Is it a music album or a spoken word album.
Me: Hmmm… I think the album is really you. A little bit of fun with some seriousness. Its the best kind of album because it is you for all people to see.
Shatner: Well thank you Josh
Me: Thank you too.

My answer to his question sucked. I should have said something along the lines of “Its a performance album – a little singing, some spoken word, and a lot of feeling.” Oh well.

So after the exchange (which from the group I saw was one of the longest), I go to take my photo and the security guy on the other side says keep moving. SO no photo of the Gorn with Bill. By this time, I am shaking a bit and head back to the car. When I get there, I decide to go back and wait for him to leave to try and get some more shots.

While I am waiting, I start talking to the Prize people from KROQ Radio in LA. They had been giving tickets out to the Shatner-Ben Folds concert, but I didn’t win. I told them all about the Gorn and we had a good time passing the time. When Shatner came out of Tower, I managed to get some good candid shots of him, but still didn’t have the chance to get one with the Gorn. He was moving too fast, and since it was dark, very few of the shots came out. I left a bit disappointed, but I did manage to get some photos taken (one by a paparazzi with my camera, and then some other guy took like 10 photos of me and the Gorn with his camera. Who knows, I might make it into People.)

So that is the story. You can see what photos I managed at: The Gorn and William Shatner.