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“I’m going to be a ‘Rocket Man’”: Captain Kirk is going where few men have gone before

By Stephen Iervolino Oct 4, 2021 | 3:30 PM


ABC News/Stephen Iervolino

Space. The final frontier.

Sure, it’s old hat for the starship Enterprise‘s Captain James Tiberius Kirk, but it will be a whole new experience for his alter-ego, 90-year-old William Shatner

The actor will be among the next group of passengers on Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos‘ New Shepard spacecraft from his Blue Origin company. The trip is slated for October 12.

“So now I can say something. Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a “rocket man!” Shatner confirmed via Twitter on Monday, perhaps referring to his infamous cover of the Elton John hit. 

Shatner’s news was met with tons of support from fans and celebs, including Vincent D’Onofrio, who replied “Wow! That’s amazing dude,” and English actor and writer Stephen Fry, who said the news is “EVERYTHING.” 

Cheekily, Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, replied to Shatner, “Congrats, @WilliamShatner! If you really [get] to go to space, I hope I can really figure out how to get an invisible plane.”

Similarly, Jason Alexander referenced his own famous alter-ego, Seinfeld‘s George Costanzaby saying, “@WilliamShatner is going to space? My man! I guess this means I have to become a marine biologist.”

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