George Takei Reheats William Shatner Feud After Blue Origin Spaceflight

Some feuds never die. George Takei, Star Trek actor and internet favorite, has reignited his 40-year back-and-forth battle of words with co-star William Shatner over Shatner’s recent trip into space.

Takei, 84, was asked what he thought of Shatner’s recent flight on Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket, which went briefly into orbit. Takei said that Captain Kirk was “not the fittest specimen.”

“He’s boldly going where other people have gone before,” Takei said.

Takei also claimed that Shatner going into space was more of an experiment than anything else.

“He’s a guinea pig, 90 years old and it’s important to find out what happens,” Takei said. “So 90 years old is going to show a great deal more on the wear and tear on the human body, so he’ll be a good specimen to study. Although he’s not the fittest specimen of 90 years old, so he’ll be a specimen that’s unfit!”

This is just the latest in a feud that dates back to when both actors were on the original Star Trek TV series.

Takei has called Shatner “very self-centered” and accused him of changing the script for Star Trek 5 so that Hikaru Sulu (Takei’s role in the franchise) wouldn’t become a captain of a starship.

Shatner, for his part, has attacked Takei’s mental health, saying that “there’s a psychosis there,” and that “there must be something else inside George that is festering, and it makes him unhappy that he takes it out on me.”

“Why would he go out of his way to denigrate me?” Shatner has said. “It’s sad, I feel nothing but pity for him.”

Shatner was apparently upset that Takei didn’t invite him to his wedding in 2008. Takei said he invited Shatner but was rebuffed. In 2013, Takei was asked who was the biggest douche on Star Trek, to which he replied: “Oh, well, I think most fans know.”