Cigar Aficionado Interviews Cover Model William Shatner - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 08-15-2012, 02:14 PM

William Shatner Appeared on the Sept./Oct. 2006 Edition of Cigar Aficionado

When William Shatner appeared on the cover in 2006, he was at the height of his "Boston Legal" powers as attorney Denny Crane, a role that brought him two Emmy Awards.

The first captain of the Starship Enterprise on the original "Star Trek", Shatner has had several TV series since the end of "Boston Legal" (including the sitcom "$#*! My Dad Says" and the talk show "Shatner's Raw Nerve") and his documentary William Shatner's Get a Life about his exploration of "Star Trek" conventions, just started airing on the EPIX pay-cable network.

WS: Before we start, if you're going to ask my favorite cigar and I have to go do some research, I'm probably just going to click on some Cuban thing and I won't really know whether I mean that.

So I'd rather talk about the feeling and the meaning of a cigar, rather than have to name some specific brand I like.

CA: Fair enough. Let's start with this:

What did it mean for you to be on the cover of Cigar Aficionado?

WS: The Aficionado is a cultural elite magazine aimed at a specific type of person. You don't have to be intelligent or rich or knowledgeable to smoke cigars but, given the mystique of cigars, it helps.

Now I don't smoke often, but when I do, I want the subtlety taste of the part of the Earth that this tobacco came from. Like good wine and good cheese, a good cigar requires a subtle palate. And I think I have that.

So it gave me a sense of pride to be on the magazine's cover.

CA: What is your favorite cigar memory?

WS: I'm sitting in front of my house, sitting on a hill overlooking my property and my wife and I are smoking cigars.

Now, how many men have their wife with them when they smoke instead of saying, "Get away from me! You smell,"?

CA: At the end of most episodes of "Boston Legal", you and James Spader would sit on Denny Crane's balcony and share a smoke and drink.

Is there a downside to something like that?

WS: You shoot the first take at the beginning of the morning and the camera has to be moved to shoot the scene from 20 different angles. So you're lighting and smoking cigars all day long.

They did say to me, "Well, don't smoke them, just hold it in your hand." But I couldn't do that because I wanted to show the richness of his life and the enjoyment of smoking a good cigar.

But 20 in one day is 19 too many. It took me a while to come back from that.

CA: Was the cigar boom of the 1990s a good thing or a bad thing?

WS: A boom is good, why not? Obviously, you have to do everything in moderation.

So smoking a great cigar is a pleasure I would wish upon anyone in moderation.

* Taken from the October 2012 Edition of Cigar Aficionado.

08-15-2012, 02:14 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,129	Cigar Aficionado Interviews Cover Model William Shatner William Shatner Appeared on the Sept./Oct. 2006 Edition of Cigar Aficionado When William Shatner appeared on the cover in 2006, he was at the height of his "Boston Legal" powers as attorney Denny Crane, a role that brought him two Emmy Awards. The first captain of the Starship Enterprise on the original "Star Trek", Shatner has had several TV series since the end of "Boston Legal" (including the sitcom "$#! My Dad Says" and the talk show "Shatner's Raw Nerve") and his documentary William Shatner's Get a Life* about his exploration of "Star Trek" conventions, just started airing on the EPIX pay-cable network. WS: Before we start, if you're going to ask my favorite cigar and I have to go do some research, I'm probably just going to click on some Cuban thing and I won't really know whether I mean that. So I'd rather talk about the feeling and the meaning of a cigar, rather than have to name some specific brand I like. CA: Fair enough. Let's start with this: What did it mean for you to be on the cover of Cigar Aficionado? WS: The Aficionado is a cultural elite magazine aimed at a specific type of person. You don't have to be intelligent or rich or knowledgeable to smoke cigars but, given the mystique of cigars, it helps. Now I don't smoke often, but when I do, I want the subtlety taste of the part of the Earth that this tobacco came from. Like good wine and good cheese, a good cigar requires a subtle palate. And I think I have that. So it gave me a sense of pride to be on the magazine's cover. CA: What is your favorite cigar memory? WS: I'm sitting in front of my house, sitting on a hill overlooking my property and my wife and I are smoking cigars. Now, how many men have their wife with them when they smoke instead of saying, "Get away from me! You smell,"? CA: At the end of most episodes of "Boston Legal", you and James Spader would sit on Denny Crane's balcony and share a smoke and drink. Is there a downside to something like that? WS: You shoot the first take at the beginning of the morning and the camera has to be moved to shoot the scene from 20 different angles. So you're lighting and smoking cigars all day long. They did say to me, "Well, don't smoke them, just hold it in your hand." But I couldn't do that because I wanted to show the richness of his life and the enjoyment of smoking a good cigar. But 20 in one day is 19 too many. It took me a while to come back from that. CA: Was the cigar boom of the 1990s a good thing or a bad thing? WS: A boom is good, why not? Obviously, you have to do everything in moderation. So smoking a great cigar is a pleasure I would wish upon anyone in moderation. * Taken from the October 2012 Edition of Cigar Aficionado.