In our most recent poll, we asked readers how years of toupee-wearing have affected Bill Shatner's personality. 9% said that it hasn't had any notable effect; 13% said that the effect was more chemical (toupee glue) than anything else; 33% said that it has made him more confident and vigorous; the greatest number, 43%, said that it's made Bill Shatner more guarded and defensive.
Thanks for voting!
Recently, a member of our relatively small (only a few thousand permanent staff) Department of Toupological Artistry and Abstract Expressionism approached us with a composite image they had created. Our response was one of unanimous excitement (coupled with: "can we get that on a T-shirt?!?!"). Here is what this staff member showed us:
Is this a lost fifth version of Munch's "The Scream"? It perhaps so perfectly captures the ultimate Bill Shatner nightmare scenario - public touplessness! Was Bill Shatner the anonymous $120 million bidder at the recent Sotheby's auction?
The duality of the man-toupee that is Bill Shatner has inspired some rather interesting real artworks. One piece we came across (sourced here) was by artist Andrea Lam:
We don't know the story behind this image, but the younger visage on top of the older head, carefully controlled by Bill Shatner - if this isn't toupological symbolism, then what is?
Perhaps it was partially based on this image of another person wearing Bill Shatner's toupee!
We'll have more on Halloween in the future - speaking of which, Shatner's Toupee is undertaking its annual spring cleaning so we're taking a three week break! Thanks, as always to our devoted readers for your continued interest, insights and information...
Oh, and if anyone really wants to make a T-shirt or print out a Shatner-Munch poster, then click to here to download this high resolution image:
Here you go:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cafepress.com/shatnerium
I would simply comment that it seems the QUALITY of his toupee is in direct correlation with his confidence. The Lost Years saw an insecure and beaten Shatner adorned with a ratty, out-of-pocket toup. But Ten years before the world was still his oyster, and his toupees were of higher quality (being provided by DesiLu). And roughly ten years after the Lost Years his confidence returned right along with the higher quality TJ Curly. Today, with the advent of new toup-technology a la Denny-Katz, we see a vibrant and almost youthful Shatner parading in the limelight. Does the toup make the man, or vice versa? Will we ever know for sure?
ReplyDeleteThe Lost Years may have been an example of a conventionally bad toupee, while the TJ curly represented Shatner's personality at the time: kind of weird, out of control, wanting to be taken seriously but unintentionally funny.
ReplyDeleteWe often malign the "Lost Years" toupes on this blog. Yes they are rats nests and reflect the state of Shat's career at the time. They also mark of birth of new branch of science. That's right friends, the modern study of Toupology was born in 1972! As I see it, in 1966 no TV viewers knew the JKL was actually a Toup. It only became evident in the early 70's that something was awry . At that point the gig was up and the secret was out. All previous and subsequent hairstyles would be subject to intense study. These scholarly pursuits gave birth to the modern day Toupascope and Toupashop. Of course it could never all been done without the hard work of thousands of Toupologists. While in their parents basements and between Big Bang Theory episodes and comic book conventions, they have painstakingly studied and cataloged these wonderful toupes for future generations. ShatToup today. ShatToup tomorrow. ShatToup forever.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is a labor of love.
ReplyDeleteYesterday i saw Star Trek the Original Movie and i felt the need to come here to give my modest contribute in the Touposhop contest:
ReplyDeletehttp://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5323/stomtouposhopped.jpg
@Touposhopper Wannabe Thanks, that looks really great! -ST
ReplyDeletethe flawed toupee: no one has a hairline that even. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/playing2.jpg/
ReplyDeleteThe poll results indicate most believe Shat has become more guarded about the toupee. The Kids in the Hall perfectly captured this paranoia in the sketch "My Horrible Secret."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpvBdf40uy0
Its a good one id say. Richard
ReplyDeleteWe're back from our spring break and will have a new story up later this week. -ST
ReplyDeleteBill shatner was on the british tv show, "have I got news for you“ goodness knows exactly what "the shat“ was doing in london, but there you go...boy does his hair look “fake and touplike" my words of course...hope you can find, that last one or two, 58-59 toupless apperance one day. I reviewed a still from a show, (sorry did'ot note the appearance) and it, maybe the real deal, so maybe he was toupless after july 58! As you had notice, he still had very much, a full frontal hair line, which may have been there untill early 1960, but was certainly well caving in by 1962..looking forward to your next update.
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