Friday, July 8, 2011

Poll result and thank toup it's Friday!



After numerous multiple choice polls, we thought it was time for something simple. Two questions. Two choices. Is it fair to say that Bill Shatner has never admitted to wearing a toupee?

The poll seemed very close as voting began, but in the end one option moved to a significant lead. 34% thought that no, it was not fair to say that. 64%, a clear majority, thought that it was fair and that Bill Shatner's various jokes and hints on the subject over the years do not in and of themselves qualify as clear admissions of toupee-wearing.

Thanks for voting!


Now, one rather extraordinary toupological item via the Shatnerologists at More Shat, Less Shame: In September 1981, Bill Shatner made a guest appearance on the short-lived late night comedy series Fridays. Inexplicably, in one sketch Bill Shatner's "hair" is combed forward in a hitherto unseen style.


Watch the scene, which refers to an air traffic controller's strike taking place at the time, below:


For the rest of the show, Bill Shatner's toupee is standard in style for the time, meaning the cap-like first phase of the "TJ Curly" (around 1983, this toupee style was replaced with one that also went down to the sides - see here for more).


This obviously begs the question: why was the hair changed for this one sketch? You've probably all seen that classic scene in a number of movies where someone says something so shocking that everyone in the room instantly stops talking and the music playing in the background screeches to a halt. Is that what happened here? Did some unknowing creative at Fridays say to Bill Shatner "Hey, why don't we comb your hair forward for this sketch?"


Silence. The entire production team stares at the guy. He begins to sweat and blush.

"What did I say?" The poor guy knows nothing about how sensitive this subject actually is.


Bill Shatner finally calms the situation, putting his arm around the now trembling producer.

"Sure. Sounds like a great idea." A huge sigh of relief is heard from everyone else. Only later is the producer informed of just what kind of a minefield he inadvertently trod on.

"I had no idea! I thought it the hair was real. Otherwise, I would never have made such a suggestion."


We'll have a new - and we think timely - toupological analysis for you early next week! Oh, and want to join in on "The Long Khan"?

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for this feature. Looks like you've read my mind (or my comments over at More Shat) ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Tintorera - we have to confess to not having read comments (or minds). But we're curious as to what they were! Can you re-express them for us? -ST

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, first of all he boldly ruffled his real hair. Found that quite interesting. And second, I wondered how they'd dare to grease his perfectly clean and blow-dried toup! I suggested they might have added or replaced some parts, but the others thought that it was just a little wet.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i think the audience laughing at the state of the toup!

    i think Shatner used elements of the character he created for this skit in Airplane II (maybe he was filming it at the same time? or maybe he was busy filming TJ or Wrath of Khan...shat was one busy dude back then..)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This may be the most elaborate version of the patented Shatner real hair reflex. Absolutely mesmerizing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Matthew BlanchetteJuly 10, 2011 at 5:54 AM

    So, he wore the toup backwards for the sketch? Huh... :-/

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Matthew I guess you're right. XD

    ReplyDelete
  8. darla crane + denny crane. awesomeness

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ratty Lost Years PieceJuly 13, 2011 at 9:24 PM

    Brilliant -- A reversible toupee! Only in the '80's...

    ReplyDelete