Khan. Denny Crane. Three words that put a smile on my face. Every single time.
William Shatner is 95. His memoir is "Wisdom & Worries: Reflections on Life, Death, and Everything in Between." Wisdom comes first. Worries comes second. We got to both.
I told him he has accumulated a century's worth of wisdom and still has immense joy for life. Then I put the title to him. What's the one worry that keeps you up at night now that didn't bother you 20, or even 10, years ago?
Next, why does poetry help him tell his story better? He goes to painters and dancers. The poems in this book started as lyrics. Five albums of them, every one autobiographical. They stand on their own as poetry and you can hear them on the records too.
Beyond the Mic is where public figures stop performing and start talking. The promise is the story behind the story. A Short Cut leaves no room to warm up, so every question has to count. We sneak in a couple more.
The best thing he ever found on a trail ride. His favorite song he has written the words for. His favorite thing about his grandchildren. What they call him. I asked about a trail ride and got a tree. Amazing. The name goes back to a crib and his youngest daughter.
One big question to close. He has looked at our planet from the outside and felt a deep sense of worry for how fragile it is. The book turns that lens inward. How did looking out at the universe change the way he looks at the time he has left here on Earth? His answer starts with awe.
He keeps going. A second book. A podcast with his daughter. A heavy metal album. He is 95 and he has more coming.
Read "Wisdom & Worries: Reflections on Life, Death, and Everything in Between." Then press play on William Shatner. If you only have a few minutes, spend them here. Let's go.
