What's the deal with Sulu?

[Ricky Retardo]

I was going through my old print issues of FT and re-discovered this gem where writer Kevin Burke gets under William Shatner's skin during the filming of Loaded Weapon 1 . Enjoy this mini-interview from the Feb 93 issue of Film Threat.


FT-Do people mistakenly call you "Captain Kirk"?
WS-Nobody makes that mistake more than once.

FT-So what's the deal with Sulu?
WS-What's the deal with Sulu? (Shatner's tired smile begins to fade.) What's the deal with Sulu...Well I think about $150,000 a day and 10% of the gross. That's the deal with Sulu.

FT-What happens to...?
WS-(rudely interupting) What do you mean by "What's the deal with Sulu?"?! What does that mean?

FT-I don't know. I just always wanted to ask that question.
WS-Oh, really? It's just a non-sequitur question then?

FT-Exactly
WS-And I should treat the rest of your questions the same?

FT-No, no. What was the last Star Trek convention you went to?
WS-I was just on a three-city tour with Leonard (Nimoy), in front of tens of thousands of people, just a couple of weeks ago.

FT-Do you get a lot of odd questions?
WS-No odder than yours.

FT-What's the strangest question you've ever been asked?
WS-"What's the deal with Sulu." I think that's the oddest question.

FT-Really? I have the honor of asking the oddest question? By the way, who are you going to vote for in the fall?
WS-Sulu. That's one of the deals with Sulu.

FT-I spoke with Sam Jackson earlier, and he asked me for a subcription to Film Threat. Do you want to subscribe?
WS-No-I don't want to subscribe. I'd rather buy it on the, uh, newsstand. Is it on sale at the newsstand?

FT-Yes, it's on sale in a lot of places. You's be suprised. Well, thanks a lot. It was a very interesting interview.
WS-Yes. I wish I could say the same.


After the interview, FILM THREAT resolved to start the "What's the Deal With Sulu?" National Movement. If you see Shatner or happen to write him a letter, be sure to ask him waht the deal is? He may even tell you!

[Furious D]

I think he answered it...

Well I think about $150,000 a day and 10% of the gross. That's the deal with Sulu.

I think the more pressing question is "What's with the pointy sideburns?"

That's the real earth-shaker.

;) :rolleyes: :D

[bronsonseven]

That could very well be the greatest interview I ever read. I actually laughed out loud. I never do that while staring at a computer screen.

Bring on more greats like that Retardo!

Edit: The Film Threat Store should now make it their mission to sell, "What's the deal with Sulu?" shirts. I'd buy it. And I'd wear it 3 times a week. It should be a simple design - just a plain T-shirt with the quote on the front. Not even in quotes, just the question. With a little Film Threat logo on the sleeve.

[Ricky Retardo]

I had been thinking about transcribing some of the more manageable articles from my old print FT's. The FEB '93 ish has several articles touting the arrival of a certain hotshot new director at the premier of his debut feature Resevoir Dogs . Plus I have some of the original Frigid 50 features. With this the 20th year of Film Threat, perhaps this would be a good way for me to show tribute.

[Furious D]

Edit: The Film Threat Store should now make it their mission to sell, "What's the deal with Sulu?" shirts.

Good idea.

You could start a whole line of 'What's the deal with...?' t-shirts to provide pithy, and often obscure, non-sequitor commentary on Hollywood and pop culture in general. ;)

Get one on some vaccuous celebrity and you could make a fortune.:D

[Bongwater]

FT-So what's the deal with Sulu?
WS-What's the deal with Sulu? (Shatner's tired smile begins to fade.) What's the deal with Sulu...Well I think about $150,000 a day and 10% of the gross. That's the deal with Sulu.

Shatner kicks several shades of ass right there.

[Mr B Natural]

Edit: The Film Threat Store should now make it their mission to sell, "What's the deal with Sulu?" shirts. I'd buy it. And I'd wear it 3 times a week. It should be a simple design - just a plain T-shirt with the quote on the front. Not even in quotes, just the question. With a little Film Threat logo on the sleeve.

I would totally wear a shirt like that.

[Mark Bell]

Edit: The Film Threat Store should now make it their mission to sell, "What's the deal with Sulu?" shirts. I'd buy it. And I'd wear it 3 times a week. It should be a simple design - just a plain T-shirt with the quote on the front. Not even in quotes, just the question. With a little Film Threat logo on the sleeve.
Not outside the realm of possibility at all... how many people here would honestly buy one? Show of hands. I personally always wanted a t-shirt of "We hate it when our friends become successful" from the 10th anniversary issue of Film Threat (April 1995, Issue #21 for those keeping track).

And anyone at SXSW should swing by the "Film Threat Sucks" panel on Saturday, March 12th from 3-4pm. Gore, Campos, myself and a few other Film Threat'ers will no doubt be masterbating all over the "audience" (probably a guy who's in the wrong room) about the history of Film Threat. And we KNOW what the deal with Sulu truly is...

[Mr B Natural]

how many people here would honestly buy one? Show of hands.

I would buy one

[Furious D]

Not outside the realm of possibility at all... how many people here would honestly buy one? Show of hands.

I would if the price was right, but I'm a notoriously cheap bastard. ;)

I got a lot of fonts on my computer, I could whip up some sample looks for "What the deal with Sulu?"

[bronsonseven]

I would buy one for 20 dollars or less. I also like the other shirt idea: We hate it when our friends become successful.

Good stuff.

[bronsonseven]

I got a lot of fonts on my computer, I could whip up some sample looks for "What the deal with Sulu?"

The more simplistic, the better.

[Furious D]

The more simplistic, the better.

That's what I'm thinking.

I'll see what I can come up with and have something by tonight.

Viva Sulu! :D

[Rory L. Aronsky]

Not outside the realm of possibility at all... how many people here would honestly buy one? Show of hands.

Hell yes! I'd become poorer just for one of those.

[Jack Torrance]

Hamster69: "Not outside the realm of possibility at all... how many people here would honestly buy one? Show of hands."

I would definitely by a couple of these! "What's the deal with, Sulu?" was indeed a great interview!

Make the shirts and we will buy!

[Furious D]

Check these babies out...

Click on the attachments to see rough drafts of 4 different ideas.


SULU is a very simple design based on the Impact font.
SULU uses a 'Classic Trek' font
SULU sort of looks like the opening titles of a John Carpenter movie
SULU uses a very cartoony looking font.


Let me know what you think and I'll only take 50% of the profits, I'm not greedy. ;)

Okay, maybe I am greedy, but I'm not completely greedy. :rolleyes:

[GiGi]

Freakin' hilarious. Shatner is bizarre, but ya gotta love him.

[GiGi]

I'll put an order for design #1, D...and I'll mail you the size. LOL

[The Baron]

Hmm... Not that I would buy one for myself, but it seems to me that the Classic Star Trek would be the best font. Other Trekkies would recognize it. It could become all the geek rage.

[Mark Bell]

Hold tight, gang. We've heard your voices, and we're accepting the mission. More to be said in the next week or so, but you're going to like what's coming your way. Shatner might not get it though...

[bronsonseven]

D, I fucking love the Carpenter!!! Long live the Carpenter font! How fucking genius, Furious!

And uh, do I get like .004% of profits since I kind of suggested it? :)

People can dream, can't they?

But seriously, owning the shirt would be fun enough. Thanks for hearing our cry Hamster.

Film Threat really is the finest place on the Earth. We should do like those crazy conservative groups out in Hollywood and get ourselves a Billboard that ponders, "What's the Deal With Sulu?"

[Ricky Retardo]

I'd buy a shirt!

[Furious D]

Okay, we've got votes for the 3 top designs (nobody, understandably liked #4, not even me) so I'm going to tweak the top 3 designs. I'll start a new poll thread and we put it up to a vote.

As for the Classic Trek look, we could print off a run of that design and sell them at SF and Comic Book conventions. ;)

EDIT: The poll is up! You can see some updated designs and vote on the one you like best here (http://www.filmthreat.com:8000/forums/showthread.php?t=2374).

Be sure to read the first two posts to see all the samples.

[bronsonseven]

And for fun: The childhood font...

[GiGi]

That would be cute on a baby t-shirt for a baby....not a 19 year old. LOL
You know like you see an infant in a grateful dead shirt...well now they could be early trekkies.

[Mark Bell]

And uh, do I get like .004% of profits since I kind of suggested it?
I'll give you a hug. It'll mean more as time goes on...