William Shatner was “this shut” to “beam me up, Scottie” mode when CNN+ host Chris Wallace launched a clip of the “Star Trek” icon performing a spoken-word rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” on the 1978 Saturn Awards.
Final 12 months, Shatner grew to become a “rocket man” of types when he joined Jeff Bezos on his Blue Origin flight to house. However lengthy earlier than that, Shatner pursued a musical profession with spoken-word recordings of widespread songs. His debut album, The Remodeled Man, had his interpretive renditions of the whole lot from “Mr. Tambourine Man” to “Lucy within the Sky With Diamonds.”
However Wallace pulled a shock on the actor throughout a latest interview on his CNN+ present, first giving a warning, jesting that the “Boston Authorized” star would “kill” him for what he was about to do.
“No, I might by no means kill you, I’d torture you,” Shatner assured him.
And… Wallace confirmed it. Shatner, donned in a wide-lapeled tuxedo and a ruffled shirt, took an extended drag on a cigarette, and appeared intensely into the digital camera as he started, “Rocket man… burning out his fuse up right here…”
Following the video, Shatner stated to Wallace, “Now your viewers goes to observe Chris die as I kill you,” prompting a hearty chuckle from the newsman.
Shatner shared that he was requested to do the rendition on the awards present, which wasn’t being broadcast, by its producers for the leisure of the viewers. He opted for a neo-noir-esque, Frank Sinatra strategy.
“So I used to be simply kidding round,” the two-time Emmy winner stated of his perception that the efficiency was only for attendees. “I didn’t know they had been recording it. They launched that factor.”
“Properly then don’t kill me, kill them,” Wallace joked.
“They’re useless, you by no means heard from them once more,” Shatner stated, persevering with the gag. “It’s not my proudest second. However then I re-recorded it on one other album the way in which I assumed it ought to go.”
Followers of Shatner might know that he has had an virtually equally lengthy profession as a recording artist, courting again to 1968, when he launched his debut album “The Remodeled Man.” His singing fashion largely options sprechstimme basic covers, and has lengthy been the topic of fascination, lending it a cult standing. In 2018, the actor even launched a Christmas album.
