William Shatner defends 1986 SNL ‘Get A Life’ sketch after Rod Roddenberry criticism – TrekMovie.com

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A late-night comedy sketch William Shatner did 35 years ago is making the news again, with Shatner defending himself from criticism from Star Trek creator’s son Gene Roddenberry.

1986: Shatner, SNL and “Get a Life”

In December 1986 – a month after the release of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – William Shatner hosted an episode of the 8th season of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. One of the skits, called “Star Trek Convention” – but more often known as the “Get a Life” skit – made fun of fans at Star Trek conventions. The skit (which you can see below) was written by SNL mainstay Robert Smigel, with help from SNL staff writers Jon Vitti and George Meyer, on the tacky details. It showed Shatner exasperated by increasingly picky questions from fans until he lamented fans, saying (in part):

You know, before I answer any other questions, there is something I wanted to say. Having received all of your letters over the years, and I’ve spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled… you know… hundreds of miles to be here, I just wanna say… you people ? I mean, to shout out loud, it’s just a TV show! I mean, look at yourself, look how you are dressed! You have turned a pleasant little job, which I did like a lark for a few years, into a HUGE WASTE OF TIME!

Although controversial with some fans at the time, many embraced it, including the detailed understanding of the Trek lore that it included, with references to Yeoman Janice Rand and Leslie Thompson and the episode “The Enemy. Within “. Shatner himself acknowledged how much he respected Star Trek fans. During his monologue for the show he said, I mean they’re really amazing, and I hope they have a sense of humor about tonight’s show, or j am in big trouble.

The idea for the sketch came from SNL writer Robert Smigel, who pitched it directly to Shatner. In 2018, Smigel stated that The Ringer Shatner was sold by the “Get a life!” slogan, saying that’s what made him laugh.

William Shatner in “Get a Life” sketch (NBC via Getty)

2021: Rod Roddenberry steps in

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote the upcoming Star Trek Day, Rod Roddenberry took issue with the 1986 sketch, stating:

I never really enjoyed this sketch because I think it was demeaning to the fans. I think it was disrespectful, especially for a character who was a smart, open-minded leader.

However, he also adds, “I do not condemn him in any way. It’s SaturdayNightLive, and all is fun.

On Sunday, in response to a tweet from THR about Roddenberry’s comments, Shatner replied, “Isn’t presentism just wonderful? with an eye-roll emoji.

Isn’t presentism just wonderful? #getalife https://t.co/kX6tj5hP7I

– William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) September 5, 2021

Shatner went on to clarify what he meant, noting how “presentism” applied today’s value system to times in the past.

Its presentism because it applies today’s value systems and beliefs about what bullying is and what is disrespectful in a time when it was not values ​​or opinions and no one he was really offended, but the mindset of people is that it makes them smart and caring. https://t.co/yIFT8IDGVe

– William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) September 5, 2021

1999: Shatner reflects with “Get a Life!” »… The fan book

At the time of making the sketch, Shatner was actually not active on the Star Trek convention circuit. The actor had had some tense times with some fans, including once when a fan tried to rip his shirt off in 1968 as he walked out of 30 Rockafeller Center. But after attending a number of conventions in the ’90s, the actor became more fascinated with the Trek fandom, which led to his 1999 book titled Get a Life!

In the book, Shatner explains how he learned he got it all wrong about his fans:

Who were these people? Were they sane? Were they sober? Did they really need to “have a life”? To put it bluntly, humiliatingly honestly, this now infamous “Saturday Night Live” sketch was to me, at the time, both comedy and catharsis. I didn’t know the facts. I bought into the stereotypes of ‘Trekkie’. In short, I was a dope.

However, in the same book, Shatner said in 1986 that he believed fans wouldn’t be offended by the SNL skit because it was “SO exaggerated and so stupid and so cartoonish.” And he was relieved to learn how Gene Roddenberry reacted:

In the coming weeks, I’m getting reviews for this sketch, but a lot more praise from fans, castmates, even Gene Roddenberry, which surprises me. No one has ever been more protective of Star Trek fans than Gene, and I really expected him to take me to task.

The SNL episode of Shatner came as Gene Roddenberry was developing the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Shatner’sGet A Life! The book includes a passage from Richard Arnold recounting how Roddenberry, DC Fontana, David Gerrold, and Bob Justman all watched a tape of the sketch together the following Monday. According to Arnold, “We were all in a mess, and no one was laughing louder than Gene. “

A decade later, Shatner followed the book with William Shatner’s documentary Get a Life! who also explored the world of Star Trek fandom. In the video below from Comic-Con 2012, Bill spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about how this skit spawned the book, and then the documentary.

After 35 years, people are still talking about that SNL skit as Smigel told The Ringer it was perhaps the most resonant skit I’ve ever written there.

Watch the sketch

Find more stories from the history of Star Trek at TrekMovie.com.

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