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Sunday, October 21, 2012

STAR TREK TV Captains Unite at London Convention


Okay, it's not quite Doctor Who's "The Five Doctors," but it's pretty damned close.

BBC News has details on the United Kingdom's first official Star Trek convention in over a decade, Destination Star Trek at London's Excel Centre.  In addition to hosting the UK's first Klingon wedding with a Swedish couple and breaking the Guinness World Record for largest gathering of fans dressed as Star Trek characters, Destination Star Trek brought together all five principal Star Trek captains for the first time outside the United States and just the second time ever.

Yes, that means William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek), Sir Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation), Avery Brooks (Captain Benjamin Sisko from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager) and Scott Bakula (Captain Jonathan Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise).  I take it Chris Pine's invitation was lost in the mail?

According to the article, there was some initial concern when Stewart failed to appear for the group's press photocall to promote the gathering of captains.  However, he did arrive later on stage for a question and answer session, which hundreds of fans paid £95 each (currently about $152 American) to attend.  VIP tickets for spending time with the stars sold out at £3,000 (over $4,800 American) each.

The session was hosted by none other than Torchwood and Doctor Who star John Barrowman, who kept things light-hearted.  Questions to the five actors ranged from if they believe in alien life, which all said they do, to titles of their favorite books and what they would be doing if they weren't actors.  Among other responses:

If you could add anything to the captain's chair, what would it be?  "A Twitter account," replied Stewart, while Shatner suggested "A toilet."

Most embarrassing fan moment?  "The lady who brought out her left breast to be signed," said Shatner, who went ahead and obliged.  Bakula remarked that he had yet to experience an embarrassing fan, so apparently Barrowman went across the stage and pulled his jeans down so that Bakula could sign his right buttock.

One fan asked the group to sing "Happy Birthday" to him to celebrate his day, which resulted in a rendition from Stewart, Shatner and Mulgrew.

What one thing would they change about their series?  "To be renewed for another three years," replied Shatner and Bakula, whose shows were cancelled after their third and fourth seasons respectively.

And of course, what's the one thing missing from your Star Trek jumpsuit?  According to Avery Brooks..."Pockets."

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