William Shatner Rates Captain Kirk vs. Picard | Late Night with Conan O’Brien

(Original Air Date: 4/15/98) William Shatner talks about his relationship with fellow "captain" Patrick Stewart, and his financial struggles when Star Trek ended.
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Running from 1993-2009, Late Night with Conan O’Brien is one of the most beloved late night shows in television history. Known for its absurdist humor, hilarious celebrity interviews and featuring the best stand-up comedians and musical acts of the ‘90s and early 2000s. Hosted by Conan O’Brien alongside sidekick Andy Richter and house band Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg 7, Late Night with Conan O’Brien featured unforgettable segments like “If They Mated”, “In the Year 2000”, “Desk Drive”, and made a breakout star of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

[@DavidSmith-lp6yt]

He's alive and funny, as always. Saw him at Steel City Con in Monroeville, PA on August 11, 2023. Got his autograph and got a picture of him and me together. Long live Captain Kirk.

[@damianlopez7630]

Yes...Amen.

[@jeffreymacintyre2711]

I used to play at the Monroeville Racket Club near the Monroeville Mall in the 70s

[@jeremiah6462]

It's unbelievable that he is 90 something and spry as ever. (Not this interview, obviously).

[@ZamboniZone]

Yeah I saw him there the previous year at that event

[@jamesh.5765]

That must've been awesome!!!

[@saraeastman40]

Shatner has that old fashioned, articulate, deep and peculiar voice that actors had in the 1940’s. I heard it a lot in 1970’s from the Dean Martin, Peter O’Toole, Humphrey Bogart generation. I could listen to it all day

[@SirRandom]

Shakespearean training, Patrick Stewart has it too.

[@claudiocorleone7856]

⁠@@SirRandomadd to that list Canadian great actors with Shakespearean training Christopher Plummer,Lorne Greene and Raymond Burr with deep voices from that era.

[@123pb]

It's a fake accent, called mid atlantic

[@saraeastman40]

@@123pb Thanks, I didn’t know it had a name. It’s wonderful, that accent needs to make a comeback

[@saraeastman40]

@@123pb He also has a naturally deep voice which is very attractive, even though he’s not as attractive as when he was younger

[@my3dviews]

"If it was Captain Kirk, I would really be in trouble". 😂 Good one.

[@AcmeRacing]

Kirk vs. Picard couldn't be a fight to the death. They both always spare their adversaries at the last moment, proving the goodness of mankind. Remember the Gorn?

[@STho205]

I have had ENOUGH of YOU!

[@ejkalegal3145]

No I won't do it. You hear? I won't kill him. You'll have to get your entertainment someplace else!

[@rroes7319]

Um... It depends if you're the main baddie or just a henchmen. If you're of lower importance, less likely you'll be spared. (It's just how media does violence. I find it a disappointing plot hole, still)

[@antonnym214]

That anectdote with the kid and the spaceship is wonderful and heartwarming. I'm glad Bill saw fit to include it in his book and Conan made light of it, as is his job, but Bill deserved more credit for that. He made that kid's day, week, month, and year.

[@ChuckWortman]

If that 'kid' is still alive, he probably still tells that story. I know I would!

[@maitreyas.4902]

"Are you Captain Kirk" ? Very heartwarming.

[@heroicnarwhal]

Especially with the timing of this interview, I wonder if maybe this story was part of the inspiration for Galaxy Quest.

[@Gamevet]

Gotta love Shatner's humor.

[@johnkuehl6163]

He does have that droll comedic delivery … I like Shatner , wish he could make up with Takei and the rest .

[@theodorejay1046]

Denny Crane on Boston Legal was one of Shatners best roles.

[@realPromotememedia]

@todd3382lol yep and not a few ST references and cast.. … loved it when they wheeled 7 / 9

[@johnholborn563]

Live long & prosper, William Shatner! Thank You for being a great part of my childhood!

[@guysalzmann9302]

Picard had his moments- but there is really only one Captain Kirk... live forever Bill.

[@Anne6621]

love Mr Shatner but his work on Boston Legal is his best work ever , he just fires on all 8 cylinders and how can you beat Denny Crane and Allen Shore , an underrated comedy duo

[@Supersquigi]

Probably 6 cylinders dude

[@Anne6621]

@@Supersquigi i don't think so Ma'am

[@19buseye71]

Cpt. Picard was more of a diplomat than anything else,you really have to shake him hard to bring out the fight in him but Cpt. Kirk was a cold warrior who has no fear of launching Starfleet regulations out into space and blast it into a billion pieces.

[@OfficialTransformers]

My uncle was the biggest Star Trek fan I know, He liked the original first season I loved all of the new shows‼️ I just made a StarTrek Stop Motion tribute with one of my Enterprises 🎬📸🎞️ Hope you enjoy it 🖖🏻

[@devinreese1397]

Picard did plenty of diplomacy, but he was a man of high moral standards and principle. However, I remember him wooping ass.

[@MrMegamike2k]

You can't defend against a Kirk jump kick.

[@winterbas8927]

​@@MrMegamike2k AHH, you mean Kirk Fu!

[@Haircut474]

Don't forget they are acting . It's not a real starship . They are not real captains . A tv show.

[@marianavalle3997]

William Shatner & Patrick Stewart are legends and the best Captain s from Starfleet It’s impressive how well is Mr Shatner for a man his age

[@jamesh.5765]

Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway was great, too.

[@sharpo]

Shatner is GOAT.

[@chrisheffernan6600]

I have always appreciated watching the interviews with William Shatner. Funny guy. Great actor.

[@robinheil]

It's hard to tell where the truth ends and where the make believe begins, but it's easy to believe that at some point William Shatner, Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise, really was living out of a pickup truck camper going from appearance to appearance. It kind of reminds me of the characters from the film Galaxy Quest, except perhaps even worse off. It's interesting to think about how a celebrity can go from fame to obscurity, and then back to fame based partially on the nostalgia of a maturing audience.

[@jeanieperkins4023]

He and I was,,, and my 2 childhoods buddies surely played rolls,,, including Spock!!!

[@jjsalas2434]

People don't realize how little money the actors did in the 50's and 60's shows, they were living paycheck to paycheck.

[@christianlorre]

​@@GarretGrayCamerawell he had divorces, 3 daughters to take care of, times when he was between jobs especially right after star trek ended, because the idea of residuals for reruns didn't exist yet. Only shows that had their first airings after the new rules were passed get actor residuals so 50s and 60s shows are still much cheaper to air.

[@mikearchibald744]

He had NO money, the WHOLE cast, who admittedly kind of hated each other, did the voices for the cartoon. He recorded that album because there was WAY more money in music.

[@datacipher]

They say it’s true and there’s pics of the camper! Yes shatter has said it was the divorce that really wiped him out and she took the home etc… so … he lived in his vehicle for a while!

[@escos0410]

Captain James T Kirk is the chuck Norris of the 23rd century

[@cesaralejandrocannilla6754]

QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE JAJAJAJAJAJJA

[@CoreIreland]

Remember when late-night TV was entertaining and the guests were hocking books and such instead of lecturing you on politics? Good times

[@my3dviews]

That was back when I actually used to watch late night talk shows. Now they are all first rate garbage.

[@surfguy87]

He tells a similar story about this period in his life. On one particular day, thinking about how ironic it was, that he was gazing up to the moon listening to a broadcast of the moonlanding, while he "the man of the stars" was laying in the back of his car homeless and feeling forgotten by the world. That day was July 29 1969, when Niel Armstrong became the first man on the moon. Shatner has lived quite a life. Legend.

[@dpfitforlife81]

He still looks good for his age. But obviously he was 25 years younger since this originally aired in 1998.

[@musoangelo]

He would have been 67 at that point.

[@NefisaUK]

This is a useless comment but its funny

[@growinsane9123]

No, he still looks good for his age hah

[@tylerdude1982]

Having seen him recently he’d look better if he lost some weight, but all things considered he looks damn good for 92.

[@michaelandersen7638]

Still my favorite Captain!

[@deltaromeo1515]

God bless William Shatner.

[@robertlworley]

When I was a kid, Capt. Kirk was my hero. I wanted to be just like him and I really liked his hair - wanted mine to be the same. I was balding badly by age 19. Life is irony!!

[@3rdEyeWide]

Kirk at heart, Picard at head! (Patrick Stewart - Picard - went bald at 19, but perhaps you knew that: "Life is irony"?).

[@jonathanfarley2023]

Shatner actually was an excellent actor in "Star Trek."

[@crystalheart9]

I've always loved the drop kick he would do.

[@johnvasiliou9095]

Everybody knows that Kirk would beat the shit out of Picard. 🤣

[@NefisaUK]

First he would slap him, then do that two handed thump thing 😂😂

[@NefisaUK]

Then he would be like, “ I , have had, enough of YOU!”

[@shuboy05]

I think even Patrick Stewart would admit Picard isn’t a strong hand to hand fighter. Captain Picard would more likely talk his way out of a dangerous situation.

[@tylerdude1982]

@@shuboy05saying Picard isn’t a strong fighter is just flat out wrong. In his youth he was shown to take on several Nausicaan’s at once and was pretty much dominating until he was attacked from behind. He obviously got less reckless after that, but he still knew how to handle himself. He just prefers diplomacy.

[@shuboy05]

@@tylerdude1982 I do remember Picard being capable of fighting back in his youth but I also remember Soren kicking Picard's ass while Kirk was able to handle Soren later in the movie. Granted that is an issue I had with Generations' script.

[@Shapes_Quality_Control]

If that cab driver pulled that shit with Janeway we’d preserve the crater as a historical landmark.

[@arthurwatt5162]

Picard wasn't a fighter he used his intellect but so did kirk. Lol. That was brought out in the movie where Picard needed Kirk's physical ability to defeat malcolm McDowell.

[@vi0letcr1me]

I think Picard was tougher than people realise and Kirk was smarter than people realise. Both were great captains in their own right.

[@deandeck]

@@vi0letcr1me I was thinking of saying something similar but you said it better 👍

[@robertswift6101]

@@vi0letcr1me kirk beat khan....enough said,,,his greatest foe ever

[@scottmcneely1927]

Picard has knocked out Klingons so he can throw down when he wants to.

[@shootincoyotes]

Kirk was obviously the better Captain, you never see Picard without a shirt.

[@barnyfraggles]

It's like comparing coffee and tea, they're so different, it can only come down to preference...or equally enjoying both.

[@flappospammo]

A true living legend

[@mikehall7189]

Actually, technically he wasn’t the first captain, captain Christopher Pike played by Jeff Hunter was.

[@captin3149]

Yeah, but for a long time the pilot was practically forgotten. If it wasn't for the rise of networking and reruns, then we may never have known that.

[@garycleveland6410]

Actually, Captain Robert April was the 1st Captain of the Enterprise.

[@mikehall7189]

@@garycleveland6410 True, but we didn’t actually see him at that time.

[@Frankie5Angels150]

@@garycleveland6410 Jonathan Archer, dude.

[@garycleveland6410]

@@Frankie5Angels150 The USS Enterprise NCC-1701, not the NX-01.

[@181cameron]

Not a trekkie or a trekker, but I'm well awarer of the main studf. I met the guy who played Riker (i think... Dude with a beard on TNG?) in Toronto at a bar, and spoke to him for a bit. Mentioned that i wasn't necessarily a fan, but i appreciated his work. Ended the conversation with, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shatner." Didn't just get a laugh... Man called William freaking Shatner to tell him about our conversation. Asked "Want to speak to him? He's also Canadian." And then said to me, "looks like he hung up."

[@KINGH4L0]

William Shatner! So sharp!

[@steveconn]

Bill! Saw him at Trek Con in Vegas! Basically the same since he turned seventy.

[@valueofnothing2487]

Captain Picard never rolled around in the dirt.

[@lpdog82]

the star trek timeline is amazing, the enterprise when new was commanded by captain april, then changed hands to captain pike , the enterprise was constructed in the year 2245 so it was already 21 years old when james kirk took command , spock had already been on the ship 11 years with captain pike

[@biosaari]

Wow. That end is so retro.

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Long live William Shatner and Cpt Kirk. I am enjoying the new Picard series and Strange New Worlds.

[@enjoyer6201]

Oh. You’re the one who likes those.

[@tomascernak6112]

He is not original captain. Pike is original captain, although majority of people did not see The Cage pilot before The Man Trap.

[@robertswift6101]

boop !!!!! beep !!!! boop !!!! beep !!!

[@tomascernak6112]

@@robertswift6101 didnt get it.

[@joshr8666]

The first captain of the starship enterprise so far is Captain Archer

[@Rob-z7k]

Jonathan Archer!

[@MagicAl5F4781]

I'd argue Pike shouldn't be counted in the lineup with Kirk, Picard, Sisko, etc. because his pilot didn't go to series. It's just not the same thing. He was officially a guest star in the series when the pilot footage was reused. Not to take away from his significance. William Shatner watched Jeffrey Hunter's performance before playing Kirk.

[@MarkMcAllister-ni9sf]

He will outlive us all.

[@Can0spam]

Oh man I remember phone cards. I didn't know there where Kirk themed versions!

[@NorsePJ]

Actually, the original first captain was Christopher Pike which was played by Jeffrey Hunter. This was the pilot and it was called "The Cage" from 1965.

[@devenhologram]

You want to remember him as Captain Kirk....I want to remember him as Robert "Rack" Hanson....town veterinarian in over his head in "The Kingdom of the Spiders"

[@supercalifragelistik]

Love Shatner.

[@Kragatar]

26 years later and he's barely aged since this interview.

[@hansbier5198]

5:00 I miss this Audiobook/Book-Adventure. A Shame is, that there where only 9 of them :-) A Full dramatization with all Original-Voices would be a dream , that never comes true....

[@BobGolob]

Live long and prosper, Captain Kirk.

[@scottpessognelli1962]

LONG LIVE CAPTAIN KIRK!!!

[@1002l]

remember watching this live, time flies

[@SanchoPanza-wg5xf]

Somebody would probably be willing to pay a pretty penny today for a vintage William Shatner AT&T prepaid phone card.

[@AC3handle]

Is bill the last of the core group of Original series actors that were left?

[@Ilyathe2nd]

George Takei (b. 1937) and Walter Koenig (b. 1936) are still around, but Shatner at 92 is the oldest.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

George Takei doesn't count.

[@theJohnGaltLine]

​@@lucasoheyze4597he seems pretty literate. I bet he can count too.

[@DanK123]

@@lucasoheyze4597Oh he most certainly does, ya tool

[@EdwardD-q5p]

@@lucasoheyze4597 Oh myyy

[@dinkmartini3236]

Kirk has one ability that Picard didn't have and probably couldn't comprehend: Fisticuffs.

[@MikeHamilton-hw8ik]

Christopher Pike was the first captain in Star Trek before Captain Kirk

[@cappaculla]

you're clever

[@Bitcoinzero]

​@@cappacullaI think was Jonathan Archer

[@alanstephen3371]

Jeffrey Hunter did pop up again in the series as Pike

[@MichaelFougere]

​@@alanstephen3371 unless you're talking about the reused footage from the Cage, the person playing the severely burned and paralyzed Captain Pike in that episode was not Jeffrey Hunter.

[@PawełPopielczyk]

Kapitan Kirk William shatner is the best forewer😂❤ 2:46

[@strahdvonzarovich...]

I bet you would do great at a Spelling Cee or Dee?!

[@shauny2285]

Back when late night talks shows were entertaining.

[@bobdalton2062]

Shatner is the only one that made it entertaining

[@theloner6063]

I love Picard, but Kirk is Kirk!

[@devinreese1397]

The problem lies in Picard vs Kirk--->>> VS is the problem.

[@robertcornelius3514]

Captain Kirk would never be caught dead catching a cab.

[@debbiemartin8523]

Debs husband says comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges. Captain Kirk was high energy and spontaneous whereas Captain Picard was stoic and reserved. Both were decisive and were both great captains.

[@crosswordpuzzle2952]

Captain Kirk NEVER gave up his ship and would die to protect her and his crew. No other captain has carried himself as captain Kirk. He is the original. I grew up watching the original series. 63 yrs later, I still watch the original series on DVD. One of my ringtones is the original series theme song. I worked at INTEL manufacturing wafers, microchips. TRUE STORY: at an event at Intel, on stage an individual made a mistake recalling Capt. Kirk's passing the Kobayashi Maru claiming Capt. Kirk failed the test. I stood up and straighten him out and told him how Capt. Kirk was given a commendation for original thinking. I was later awarded a prize from Intel for my efforts.

[@tubian323]

Jeffery Hunter was technically the first captain on Star Trek.

[@eleweyter4462]

I first noticed, how old this interview was, when they showed the AT&T-Cards. XD

[@ultramaximusreviews]

The camper story is great

[@andrewscott743]

That Boy can Ball!!

[@usnbostx2]

Trying to guess the time period then he whips out the phone card…

[@geraldstiling3735]

He could sit back in the Captain's Chair💺 absolutely without a doubt👨🏻‍🚀

[@benjacobs6531]

Im glad it wasnt kirk or id be in real trouble....this was hilarius and soooo true.

[@mercurusblastomus879]

Quinessential William Shatner, love the guy, greatest of all the Star Trek captains along with supporting staff unbeatable.

[@saraeastman40]

That deep voice, I’m so in love with it

[@MrMegamike2k]

Was this filmed before Generations? There's no reference to Kirk/Picard fighting against Soran (Malcolm McDowell)

[@strahdvonzarovich...]

Oh, you mean when Picard fails to beat Soran the first time, when Veridian III and what's left of the Enterprise D (thanks a lot Deanna 🤬) gets obliterated from the level 10 shock wave? Or when Picard gets his ass saved (yet again) by Kirk from the Nexus, (a PlayStation restore point) on the replay?! That "Generations"? (It came out in '94, this was '98.)

[@jameswest4692]

Oh wow, this is the guy off Boston Legal. I knew i recognised him from somewhere

[@BlkBugHunter]

*Facepalm*

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@BlkBugHunter In particular - 'Picard Facepalm'.

[@davidevans3227]

He did a cop show too I think?

[@elhanson5426]

TJ Hooker, Barbary Coast, and several Twight Zone episodes.

[@marklechman2225]

Dude looks great! The Captain will never die!

[@Jaque1961]

That was 25 years ago.

[@toronado455]

His suit seems to exactly match the color of the Captain Kirk uniform.

[@kbrich-nn8od]

Kirk never wore redd'/!!!🔴😵😱💀⚰

[@mrbransformer4184]

Oh I read that as a kid, it’s good.

[@clydeallen738]

Shatner is wearing a suit that matches the color of his shirt in the original series…. from a few episodes

[@jamesedinger7669]

They had Captain Kirk on the show as a warm up for Kathy Griffin!!? What planet is this?

[@jasras5003]

Imagine being 67 years old during this video in the late 90s and still being alive. w.t.f

[@milhouse147]

Does Conan say at the end "William Shatner, thank you very much, get out of here."?! 😅

[@mikecimerian6913]

Someone gave me a William Shatner / Captain Kirk Canadian post stamp today :)

[@OfficialTransformers]

My uncle was the biggest Star Trek fan I know, He liked the original first season I loved all of the new shows‼️ I just made a StarTrek Stop Motion tribute with one of my Enterprises 🎬📸🎞️ Hope you enjoy it 🖖🏻

[@mikecimerian6913]

@@OfficialTransformers Stop motion animation is work of love. Live long and prosper. 🖖

[@emperorwang0861]

Speaking of Shatner, Betty White just Shatner pants.

[@doughale1555]

Kirk was an explorer - Picard was an administrator

[@robfrydryck127]

Noobs, Christoper Pike was the original captain. Not Kirk :)

[@kurtsnyder4752]

25? Must have been smoking the stuff that Shaggy did to think his dog Scooby-Doo was actually talking.

[@gilbertrios5283]

Haahaa love the cab story!!

[@chrisrobinson679]

Captain Kirk! Is this your spaceship? LOL what a great story

[@timbuktu8069]

Love long and perspire Captain Kirk You are and will always be the best,

[@markfox1545]

Was that intentional or did you really misspell prosper as perspire?

[@timbuktu8069]

That's what happens if you love long.

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

The no-home home I really want is that flying saucer from The Invaders.

[@jamesanthony5681]

William Shatner was 85 years old on this Conan show.

[@strahdvonzarovich...]

Really... So he's 110 years-old?! (He's 92 now, was 67 then, and the best damn Captain, forever!)

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@strahdvonzarovich... The best!

[@Capt-Intrepid]

"I'm guessing that's computer related..."

[@miketobin2324]

Live Long & Prosper

[@cobaltace62]

The captain does not leave the ship. Capt Picard was more realistic. TOS was more Gunsmoke in space and Kirk was Marshal Dillan

[@leonpse]

Captains can have Battle of soliloquies.

[@jettsteari3062]

There is only one eneterprise captain ..James Tiberius Kirk.

[@pewterpirate4560]

It's an over the cab camper lol

[@Ganiscol]

Phone cards! I remember those... 😅

[@careful...Icarus]

Sisko would kick Kirk's ass. Picard would reprimand him. Janeway would serve drinks.

[@cdes68]

Both of them do not hold a candle compared to Captain Cavern who simply could not care less.

[@deavman]

Good thing the video ended right before Cathy Griffin showed up. It would have soured the whole affair...

[@joemasters2270]

Hard to believe he’s now a 90something

[@ThatsViews]

Both of them were Shakespearean actors.

[@strahdvonzarovich...]

Understudied Christopher Plumber's "Henry V", and got on stage one night when Plumber got sick... then, (40 years later) tried to kill him for it in Star Trek VI Undiscovered Country. Some people can just never let anything go?!

[@fucheduck]

Kirk and Picard have different approaches, their IS no critque of "better/worse" for anyione! Picard's words could ego-strike pretty smart and that can hurt worse than a fist, considering some of the aliens he was really disguested with. Kardasians for instance. never cared for reptile people myself. Kirk would have just ran up jumped over the desk and punched David Warner in the face and forget the damned 5 lights in a 4 lighted room!