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Joy and Disappointment

April, 2001

April, 2001, LOS ANGELES - March came in like a lion, as the song goes. On the first Saturday, the Japanese American National Museum's gala annual dinner was held at the fabled Hollywood Palladium. Supporters gathered from throughout the nation -- from coast to coast, from New York to Honolulu and parts in between.

Singing star Pat Suzuki dazzled the audience as she did decades ago on Broadway in "Flower Drum Song." She was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Also recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award was Iwao Takamoto, the gifted animator whose artistry developed such endearing characters as Scooby Doo, Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear -- work as unheralded as Pat Suzuki's was brightly spotlighted. But his contribution to American popular culture has been as dearly beloved. President of NBC West Coast, Scott Sassa's extraordinary achievement in entertainment management was lauded with the Award for Excellence. He oversaw the development of one of my favorite television series, "West Wing." Presenting the award to Sassa was the lion of the Japanese American community, the senior U.S. Senator from Hawaii, Daniel Inouye. The Senator's initiative in Congress was responsible for a $20 million federal grant to the Japanese American National Museum for which we are deeply grateful. It was a hugely successful sell out affair and altogether an enchanted evening.

As chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum, I am delighted to note that the museum launched a new exhibit this past month with the works of the artist, Henry Sugimoto. The opening night celebration was another glittering event. The celebrants in the museum lobby and the great hall flowed through the exhibit that sprawled into galleries in both of the museum's two buildings. Titled "Henry Sugimoto: Painting an American Experience," the exhibit chronicles the experience of a Japanese American artist before World War II, then his internment behind barbed wires during the conflict, and, after the war, his struggle to re-establish himself in New York. It is a powerful collection of paintings on an important chapter of America's history.

March wrapped up with the annual Grand Slam Star Trek Convention. As always, Trekkers from throughout the world gathered in Pasadena, California, for a weekend of Star Trek revels. All of the living members of the original cast appeared. It was wonderful to see Jimmy Doohan again because I hadn't seen him in many, many moons. Jimmy is now living in the Seattle area with wife Wende and a new baby -- again! And at 80 years old! This engineer has got some engine!

Amazingly, this September will mark the 35th anniversary of Star Trek. For all of us, the past 35 years have been shaped in ways we never dreamed by the shining vision of Gene Roddenberry. And in that time, Star Trek has made an undeniable imprint on our society. The show Gene created back in 1966 was science fiction with philosophy, sci-fi with sound scientific speculation on future technology and it was rip-snortin' good space opera to boot. Today, we can find parallels in recent world history with many of the plots from Star Trek. Technology that was science fiction 35 years ago -- like our communicator or consoles -- have become very real and very necessary tools of today, such as our cell phones and our computers. Sci-fi phrases we used on the show back in the 60's such as "beam me up" and "warp speed" have entered the common language of our times today. The past 35 years have made Gene's vision seem quite prophetic. Star Trek then was forward looking. There was the shock of the new -- new technologies, fresh challenges, cutting edge discoveries and unimagined civilizations. It was a bracing engagement with the future.

For the past year, an international association of fans calling itself the Excelsior Campaign, spearheaded by Russ Haslage of Ohio, has been advocating for a new Star Trek series called "Star Trek: Excelsior." It was their idea to recapture that invigorating spirit of adventure with Captain Sulu commanding the Starship Excelsior. It was an amazing effort. Wherever I went in the world, whether Europe, Asia or Latin America, there were groups of fans organized as part of the Excelsior Campaign. They were dedicated, energetic activists. Whether German, British, Japanese or Brazilian, they were the kind of fans who, throughout the 35-year history of the show, galvanized and directed the course of Gene's creation. I was impressed, honored and most certainly humbled by their dedication and devotion.

Alas, it was not to be. I learned recently that Paramount producer Rick Berman had decided to go in another direction -- backward, to be precise. The next Star Trek series he has decided on is to go back to the beginning of the Federation -- to a time our generation had long gone past. I understand that they are now casting for this new show so this project is moving ahead. I wish him well in this endeavor.

At the Grand Slam Convention, I expressed my heartfelt gratitude to all the fans there with the Excelsior Campaign. I repeat that thanks to all those that were not there in Pasadena but joined in this amazing global effort. Interestingly, this phenomenal campaign was made possible by new advances in technology -- the global linkage we now have through the internet. At its core, however, this glorious crusade was reminiscent of the spirit of the "Star Trek Lives" campaign of the 70's that brought Star Trek back from cancellation as a major motion picture. I have always believed that the real course of Star Trek has been set, not by the studio, not by the networks and not by the "powers that be," but ultimately by the fans. The future of Star Trek has always been determined by the fans. And I will always hold near my heart, my deep appreciation for the constancy of the fans' support.

The Human Spirit

April, 2003

The Human Spirit

April, 2003, LOS ANGELES -- As Halle Berry glided center stage, the tension in the Kodak Theater became electric. The Oscar for Best Actor of the year was now going to be announced. The air was tense with the buzz for Jack Nicholson or Daniel Day Lewis. Both actors had turned in wonderful performances. But I had voted for neither. I voted for the underdog -- Adrian Brody. His was an extraordinary achievement. It is, of course, impossible to measure an actor's performance quantitatively. The success of his work lies in the singular impact that his performance has on his audience. For me, Adrian Brody as Wladyslaw Szpilman in "The Pianist" was the most profoundly moving motion picture experience this year. It was a compellingly soul felt performance. Underdog or not, my vote was for Adrian Brody.

"And the Oscar goes to..." Halle Berry's struggle opening the envelope was torturous. "Adrian Brody!" As a body, the theater gasped, then, broke out in astounded applause. Brody himself seemed momentarily stunned. Then, with a nervous brush of his fingers through his unruly hair, he climbed on stage. Halle Berry waited smiling with his Oscar. In spontaneous exuberance, he embraced the beautiful Ms. Berry bowling her over and planted on her the most celebratory kiss in the history of Academy Award moments. The audience howled in appreciative joy. As he expressed his gratitude to the Academy for the recognition, he at the same time reminded us that his work on "The Pianist" kept him ever mindful of the dehumanization of war. Even in celebration, he rooted his art in the reality of life. The U.S. had invaded Iraq just three days before. Adrian Brody marked this year's Academy Awards, not only with his singular act of joy, but with a graceful, meaningful acceptance speech as well.

As I write this on my laptop in New York City, we are now into the third week of war. The U.S. just took control of Baghdad International Airport and coalition troops are now only miles from the city limits of the capital. The days of the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein now seem numbered. But our coalition's body count and the number of those wounded also continue to climb. Despite the much-vaunted technical precision of our bombing, the pain of civilian casualties continues to mount as well. They are what are called the collateral damages. "Body count," "collateral damage" - those sterile, dehumanized euphemisms of war. Soldier or civilian, each is a human life ended by warfare. This was what Adrian Brody was talking about.

Determined not to see death turned into euphemisms, three days ago, I went down to Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan. I had made my first pilgrimage to the site of the World Trade Center devastation on a cold January day fifteen months ago. I wanted to go once again to pay my respects. The people who died there will never become euphemisms. They are now a part of American history. They will be remembered with a memorial on the site that will be both warmly human and spiritually evocative. A striking plan by the brilliant architect Daniel Libeskind has been selected. The excavated site of the former towers will remain open with a contemplative green sunken garden in its place. The great slurry wall holding back the waters of the Hudson River will remain exposed. Soaring up beside the memorial garden will be a magnificent building towering a symbolic 1776 ft. high into the sky. That is taller than the former World Trade Center structures - the new height symbolic of the beginning of our nation's independence. It is a soaring statement of the triumph of freedom over terrorism. The peak of the building will taper into a spire merging with the heavens.

In that apex of the structure will be a lush, living garden in the sky. There is to be life, both on earth at the foot of the tower as well as at its very pinnacle.

When I first visited the scene of devastation on that January morning, snowflakes were falling. Those white flakes reminded me of the ashes that came down that awful morning of September 11. This time, my visit was in early April. But again, it was cold and gray and a light snow started to fall. Again, it was a chilly reminder of that terrible day. However, the site was now dramatically changed. The debris of the wreckage had been completely cleared away and there was preliminary construction beginning at the far bottom of the excavation. We were moving forward. After intensely spirited competition, an architectural plan had been selected for rebuilding on the site. We were working to build the future. There is a vision to replace the past with something better, something even more dimensioned.

New York celebrates the human spirit, and, for me, the theater does it best with joy, passion and insight. In so many different ways, the plays I have been taking in are just that - a celebration of the human spirit. The British comedy, "The Play What I Wrote," did it with laughter. The award winning British drama, "Vincent in Brixton," did it with love. The big Broadway hit musical, "Hairspray" rejoices with both love and laughter. "Last Sunday in June," an off-Broadway original celebrated the bonds of friendship and community

The Pulitzer Prize nominated new drama, "Take Me Out" celebrates the diversity of life with the metaphor of baseball. The quintessential celebration of the human spirit, however, is the great musical, "Man of La Mancha," now revived on Broadway starring the glorious voice of Brian Stokes Mitchell.

As I sat in the theater enthralled by its stirring anthem, "To Dream the Impossible Dream," I sensed the entire house connect as one and soar with the shining words of the song. How can anyone's spirit not soar to these ideals? How can anyone's soul not glory in its humanity?

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go!

And the world will be better for this,
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable stars!

George H. Takei

George H. Takei

George Takei is best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television and film series Star Trek. He's an actor, social justice activist, social media mega-power, New York Times bestselling author, originated the role of Sam Kimura and Ojii-Chan in the Broadway musical Allegiance, and subject of To Be Takei, a documentary on his life and career.

Takei's acting career has spanned five decades, with more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television guest-starring roles to his credit. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Actors' Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

With the outbreak of World War II, Los Angeles, California-born Takei and his family were placed behind the barbed-wire enclosures of United States internment camps along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans. He spent most of his childhood at Camp Rohwer in the swamps of Arkansas and at wind-swept Camp Tule Lake in northern California. At the end of the war, Takei's family returned to their native Los Angeles.

Inspired by this difficult chapter of American history, Takei developed the Broadway musical Allegiance, an epic story of love, family and heroism in which he starred alongside Tony Award winner Lea Salonga. Allegiance's record-breaking world premiere, at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in 2012, won multiple awards, and was followed by a Broadway run in 2015-2016.

Now a community activist, Takei serves as chair of the council of governors of East West Players, the nation's foremost Asian Pacific American theater. He is also a member of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender political organization. Takei is Chairman Emeritus of the Japanese American National Museum's Board of Trustees; a member of the US-Japan Bridging Foundation Board of Directors; and served on the Board of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission under President Bill Clinton. In recognition of his contribution to the Japan-United States relationship, in 2004, Takei was conferred with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, by His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan.

With Takei's expansion into social media, interest in his personal life grew. In January 2014, To Be Takei, a Jennifer M. Kroot documentary on George's life and career, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival that January, and was later released in select theaters across North America.

Among his many accomplishments is a Grammy nomination Takei shared with Leonard Nimoy, in 1987, in the Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Recording category. He received a star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame in 1986. And in 1991, Takei left his signature and hand print, in cement, in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

As an author, Takei's first book, his autobiography, To the Stars, was published in 1994; and in 2012 and 2013 he published his second and third books, Oh Myyy! There Goes The Internet, and its sequel, Lions And Tigers And Bears: The Internet Strikes Back. The latter two books explored his forays on social media and the Internet, earning placement on the Amazon e-book and paperback best-seller lists in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Takei's social media dominance is best denoted by his numerous awards. Mashable.com named George a "social media superstar" on Facebook in 2012, where he currently has over 19.6 million combined fans. In 2013, Takei won the Shorty Award for Distinguished Achievement in Internet Culture. He has 2.8 million followers on Twitter, and posts on various social media platforms. He expanded his internet presence with the 2015 YouTube series, "It Takeis Two," starring with husband, Brad Takei. The "reality" series shared the couple's daily navigation of their world, with George's vibrant sense of humor and Brad's less-than-optimistic pragmatism.

In 2015, Cosmopolitan Magazine named Takei "One of the Internet's 50 Most Fascinating People."

Takei and his husband, Brad, were married at the Japanese American National Museum on September 14, 2008. The Takeis reside in Los Angeles, California.


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