Fresh off celebrating his 95th birthday last week, pop culture icon William “Bill” Shatner took the stage as the premier celebrity guest at Planet Comicon Kansas City. His panel kicked off Saturday at noon in the Grand Ballroom, the massive main stage of the Kansas City Convention Center. Bringing one of the most recognizable figures in the geek community for the day’s first major event was a stroke of genius.
Bill walked out to a thunderous standing ovation from the crowd. He immediately began connecting with the audience by discussing his long-standing history with Kansas City—a relationship that has spanned decades.
Horses, History, and T.J. Hooker
What brought Shatner to KC all those years? The answer is the American Royal National Championship Horse Show. Shatner shared that it all started on the set of his police drama, T.J. Hooker, during a car chase filmed around horse stables. He noticed that most horses were easily spooked by the vehicles, but one breed remained completely unfazed: the American Saddlebred.
This led Shatner on a journey to Kentucky to buy his own Saddlebreds and hire a master trainer. Eventually, he wanted to show them at the highest level, which brought him to Kansas City’s American Royal. His detailed (and humorous) explanation of the “Bill story” took up about 25 minutes of the 45-minute panel, offering a fascinating look into his life outside of Hollywood.
Metal, Poetry, and Modern Medicine
Shatner also touched on his diverse musical career, announcing a heavy metal album slated for release this summer. He admitted that when the project was first pitched, he didn’t actually know what heavy metal was! However, after collaborating with several well-known bands, he grew to love the raw emotion of the genre. His lyrics for the album will reportedly focus on the realities of aging. Additionally, a book of poetry featuring lyrics from his various albums is expected later this year.
In a moment of candid transparency, Shatner discussed his recent reverse total shoulder replacement surgery. Incredibly, the surgery took place only two weeks ago; he was in at 8:00 AM and home by 5:00 PM. He demonstrated his full range of motion, noting that he is finally free of the chronic pain he endured for a decade.
Resiliency and Legacy
The panel took a more serious turn as Shatner discussed his and his daughter Melanie’s simultaneous battles with Stage 4 cancer (Melanoma for him, breast cancer for her). Both are now in full remission, and the two are collaborating on a new podcast centered on life, health, and longevity.
When asked about his view on legacy, the 95-year-old gave a profound answer. He argued that a legacy isn’t about naming buildings or having the biggest tombstone—things that eventually fade or are forgotten. Instead, he defined legacy as the “little shimmering pools of good deeds.”
“It is about doing the small things… kindness ripples through life like the waves of a stone thrown in a pond.”
Embracing the Joy
To close out his time, Shatner encouraged the audience to balance life’s inevitable heartaches by focusing on joy. To him, that joy can be found in the simplest places: “Can there be anything better than picking an ear of corn, putting it on the grill, and eating it?”
It was a true delight to attend this panel. Seeing Shatner’s energy and wit at 95 is nothing short of incredible. Interestingly, despite the “Trekkie” presence, not a single question was asked about specific Star Trek scenes. I’ll admit, I was secretly hoping he might tell someone to “get a life,” but the 2026 Planet Comicon audience was far too captivated by the man himself to look back at old scripts from a Saturday Night Live skit.
Thank you, Bill Shatner, for sharing your time and your wisdom with us once again.
Stay Geeky!
