Guilty pleasures: William Shatner

Amongst other achievements, William Shatner has commandeered the Starship Enterprise, wrestled sexy aliens, recorded albums, was once employed by actual NASA and starred in Airplane 2: The Sequel, arguably the most underrated movie of 1982. This man has achieved so much you would expect a God like him to submerse himself in only the finest, purest things the human world has to offer, yet, no, here's the dirty rotten things he really likes to enjoy...

Movies with explosions

I'm never guilty about any pleasure. If you find it pleasurable you should do it, as long as it doesn’t harm anybody. That said I always feel bit of remorse regarding my love of action films. Movies with rockets and guns and big bangs. I like the running and I like jumping in particular. As an actor I know I should probably not like these things as there is not much acting involved, but in all honesty I do not care.

Daniel Craig

What's his name, Bond, the Bond man, he's terrific, the newest of the James Bonds is definitely a guilty pleasure. Daniel Craig. Oh Daniel Craig. I have never been offered a part in a James Bond film, perhaps saying this here to help start the ball rolling to change that great injustice. I would make a good Bond villain. I think so. I would like to go up against Daniel Craig.

Strictly Come Dancing

Some of these so called reality shows are extraordinary. I'm totally fascinated with what we in America call Dancing With The Stars, what you call something else. I have enjoyed both the American and English versions, but I believe you guys invented this show. I get offered a slot on it every year. "Come and dance," they say, "it'll just take four months," they say. I cannot afford the time, and now at my age, I cannot afford the energy. I used to be a good dancer, now I stand in one place and wave my hands. Surprisingly this seems to be acceptable.

Prog rock

I love jazz, but I've come to like progressive rock a little when nobody is looking. The beat and the energy. It really is something. Having come to record some of my own music now, I have an insight into the psychical pure energy that is involved in making it. Rock and roll, that kind of thing. It gets you going, but that said, I think I might actually make a blues record next. I would like that I think.

Sofa dwelling

Unfortunately I can't go out and about without getting mobbed by people wanting autographs and photos. It is actually a pain, so I don't go out. I have no reason to leave my home really. I have my family, my movies, my dogs. I compete with horses, so aside from work, the only time I really go out is to horse shows. When people ask for autographs, "I say I'm sorry but I can't sign autographs at horse shows." For some reasons this makes sense to them.

Steak

I love a great steak and I know you shouldn't eat too much red meat, but a great steak is a fine thing. I just recently was in Boston doing something and I had a 100 year old aged steak. Actually no, that would be insane. I had a 100 day old aged steak. That was just about the best thing I have ever eaten, and someone else was paying for it, so I don’t even know how much this thing cost.

Smoking pork butt

I'm good on a grill. I've inherited the masculine technique of wanting to grill everything I can get my hands on - chicken, turkey, but let me tell you this also I smoke. I'm sure it's not good for you, but I've got a great smoker. I smoke a mean pork butt. Unhealthy yes, but my smoker is stuff of legend, ask anyone. Honestly, people say my smoked pork butt is almost a spiritual experience.

Vanity Fair

I like the magazine. I like reading it as a proper magazine too, not on a computer or iPad or anything. Someone once asked me what kind of talk show I would like to host, and I said I want to make the talk show version of Vanity Fair. Never happened.

Wine

I've started making podcasts, about a month ago I didn't even know what a podcast was, but now I'm making them. I'm doing them about wine. I walk down the street making strangers drink wine with me. I've met a lot of interesting people. Drunk a lot of interesting wine. I understand wine, I have an insight into what makes it precious, but unfortunately I'm not a "sommelier". I know what I like enjoying but have no idea what it is.

Free dinners

I love coming to England, I have many English friends, amongst them Patrick Stewart. There is little more I like in life than to fly over to London, hang out with Patrick, for him to then take me to his favourite restaurant, and for me to then somehow get him to pay the bill. Making him pay for a fine dinner, that is not a guilty pleasure at all actually, it is what I would call an exultant pleasure.

William Shatner will be appearing at DESTINATION STAR TREK LONDON, which will ‘beam down’ to the ExCeL Centre on 19th – 21st October 2012 www.startreklondon.com

(Images: Rex Features, All Star, Shutterstock, Flickr Creative Commons: styler*)