An Interview with William Shatner
By Alan Davies


  
   The last week of July, I read that William Shatner was coming to EMR Paintball Park in New Milford, Pa.. He would be coming for SPPLAT (Society for Paintball Players and Teams) Attack II. William Shatner would be leading a team to raise money for his charity for handicapped children. The first Shatner Event was held last year in Joliet, Illinois, and between $25,000 and $35,000 was raised for the charity of handicapped and physically challenged children.

    Since I live at Heart Lake, which is two miles away, and I also do the Heart Lake Newspaper, HeartBeat, I immediately went to EMR to see if could get to meet William Shatner. Eric Fetterman, manager of EMR, and Mike "Blue" Hanse, the owner of EMR said sure, and that they could put me on the press list. EMR was one of six playfields in the nation who offered to host this event.

   On Saturday, August 30, I had a personal interview with William Shatner. The following are my questions and his responses:
Alan Davies: Is this your first time in this area of the country?
William Shatner: No, I learned to fly -soar in soaring planes in Elmira. I was playing in the Corning Playhouse. Play in the afternoon and evenings. In Elmira learning to soar in the morning.

AD: What is your impression of this area of the country?
WS: Very dangerous area. And the danger is being caught up in the beauty and the serenity of it.

AD: Anything that you would like to say to the people of Northeast PA?
WS: I wish I could have told them to come and play paint ball. It's for a great charitable cause, which is handy capped kids. Physically challenged children, but perhaps next year.

AD: How did you get into paintball? Was it through JJ Brookshire (founder of the SPPLAT Organization)?
WS:  Actually that's true. JJ's the son of a horse trainer and the horse trainer is a friend of mine. He introduced me to his son, and his son introduced me to paintball.

AD: When on the playing field, do you ever get flashbacks of shooting phasers at Klingons or other aliens?
WS: I do. I have flashbacks all the time. Call them nightmares.

 William Shatner's home is in California, and he also has a place in Lexington, Kentucky. He is very active in the horse business. Bill wears racing silks in the competitions. He loves horses, and enjoys paintball. He and his wife, Elizabeth, recently won several championships in the Kentucky State Fair World Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Kentucky, around the end of August. William and Elizabeth Shatner were named king and queen of the Kentucky State Fair.


William Shatner, Alan Davies (author of this article), and Mancow Muller (syndicated radio show host in Chicago) - More than 700 people participated in SPPLAT Attack II in New Milford on August 30, 2003. The event pitted the "Cavalry," commanded by Shatner, and the "Posse," led by Muller against the "Cybors" and the "Raiders." The Cavalry/Posse won the event which was a benefit for Hollywood Charity Horse Show children's charities. William Shatner is best known for his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek.