JANUARY 24, 2023 - After promising never to complain about William Shatner again, Geroge Takei just can’t resist a back handed un-compliment! In an interview with the UK tabloid The Mirror, George made it clear that in his opinion, Shatner did not in fact go into outer space.

In 2021, Shatner made his famous ride in the Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket to an altitude of 66.5 miles which is above the Karman line, the boundary that separates Earth's atmosphere from space.  It however is not high enough to sustain a stable orbit.

It may be described by scientists as a joyride to the farthest reaches of our planet's stratosphere where one can see the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space. This is still far, far away from the type of space travel being done today by the world’s astronauts.  They would also describe it as an exciting rollercoaster ride for the few who can afford it, but not much more than that.

Which means that George is only too happy to use it as a disclaimer against his longtime (self-imposed) rival in an interview with The Mirror.

Well, he wasn’t really in outer space and it wasn’t for very long…I’ve also been in zero gravity but I did it for longer.  I took a parabolic flight and experienced five minutes of weightlessness, whereas William only experienced three minutes. So I’ve spent more time in zero gravity than him.

In another similar interview, George stated;

So 90-years-old is going to show a great deal more on the wear and tear on the human body, so he’ll be a good specimen to study.  He’s boldly going where other people have gone before.

While it’s true that Blue Origin and, for that matter, Virgin Galactic have yet to actually establish an actual orbit or go deep into space, But this particular journalist would remind you, sir, that in 1961, a Russian by the name of Yuri Gagarin traveled a similar trajectory in a tiny capsule attached to an R-7 ballistic Missile for 106 - 108 minutes, depending on who you ask at an altitude of roughly 200 miles.  And he is considered a Cosmonaut (astronaut) and is credited with being the first person in space.  

Takei’s feud against Shatner goes back decades. The two have repeatedly butted heads over the years, with Takei calling Shatner a "cantankerous old man" and an "egocentric, self-involved prima donna."

It looks like, no matter how much he tries, George is just not able to put that beef back in the fridge! 

For Takei’s complete rant, lower your orbit over to TheMirrorUK and see more.