When I tell you William Shatner has done everything in the 95 years he's been on Earth, I'm not exaggerating. I mean, just recently, the man performed with his metal band. Wildly enough, though, I just learned a very interesting fact about the beloved Captain Kirk actor. Apparently, he once sold a kidney stone to charity in order to buy a house for a family.
This kidney story is discussed the latest episode of Dropping Names With Brent And Jonny (my favorite Star Trek podcast that has little to do with the franchise). Shatner was a guest on the podcast, and amidst many other stories, they got on the topic of the pain of kidney stones. This prompted the legend to bring up the time GoldenPalace.com asked him for his kidney stone after it was removed, and had a strange reason for doing so:
So, they said to me on the phone, ‘We’ll buy your kidney stone.’ And I thought, ‘A bloody kidney stone? It’s been thrown away a week ago.’ So I went to the doctor. I said, ‘Have you got [my] kidney stone?’ He handed me the kidney stone, and I gave it to them, and they auctioned it off for $75,000.
GoldenPalace.com, as a Canadian betting site, is not allowed to legally advertise. So auctioning off William Shatner's kidney stone was a workaround that gained a lot of publicity for the sheer weirdness of what happened, but it wasn't technically an ad. The gambling site got what it wanted out of exposure, and Shatner pocketed $75,000 that he put to good use.
Using that money, plus some additional funds from one of his popular shows not named Star Trek, Shatner got to work with Habitat for Humanity. He shared how he used those funds to help change one family's life:
A home in Louisiana and a family of five, last time I checked, was living in that house. My kidney stone plus $25,000 for raised from the cast [of Boston Legal]. We gave Habitat for Humanity $100,000 to make a home for a family.
Captain Kirk may be one of Star Trek's best characters, but William Shatner is without question one of its best humanitarians. He does the little things, such as easing people's fears during COVID, and the big things, like raising funds to build a home for families. He may not be able to recite sci-fi information like the average Trekkie, but he embodies the spirit of the franchise.
I've said it so many times this year, but I cannot believe what a rich life Shatner has led in 90+ years. Just listening to this latest podcast appearance where he brings up hanging out with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and then talks about seeing Judy Garland perform not long before her tragic death. He's had a life well-lived, outside of never watching Star Trek, and I'm continually hoping I can live a life half as interesting as his.
On that note, I can't wait to see where William Shatner pops up next, and to hear whatever stories he tells along the way. Especially at this time when new Star Trek news is few and far between, it's great to hear former cast members sharing wild stories.
