Takei celebrates legacy of diversity

At the Hilton's "Star Trek" convention this weekend, George Takei signed autographs for hours while hundreds of fans -- baby boomers, Gen-Xers with kids and grandparents -- congratulated him on his upcoming wedding to a man.

Takei was, of course, Sulu in the original "Star Trek" show. Now 71, his star has risen again. Sometimes, he is Howard Stern's funny announcer on Sirius satellite radio. Sometimes, he plays Hiro's dead-but-still-appearing dad on NBC's "Heroes."

And he's a leading public face in California's gay-marriage movement. After the autograph session, Takei and fiance Brad Altman moved to a private room where I asked Takei whether they're planning bachelor parties before their Sept. 14 nuptials.

"We haven't been bachelors, so that would not be credible," Takei says. "We've been living in sin for 21 years, and the California Supreme Court (in May) said, 'All right boys, it's about time you legalize it.' So we clicked our heels and said, 'Yes, sir!' "

Ever since the 1960s, "Star Trek" has espoused universal acceptance of different peoples. But Takei says there has been some backlash online from religious conservatives.

"What we always point out to them is: infinite diversity in infinite combinations -- 'IDIC,' as 'Star Trek' called it. The strength of the 'Star Trek' Enterprise was in its diversity, coming together and working in concert, finding that common ground, and to be able to tap different vantage points on the same challenge that we face," Takei says.

"We have to be respectful of each other's faiths. And what one faith doesn't have is a right to write their faith and their values into civil law that applies to everybody," he says. "This nation was founded by people who were fleeing religious persecution. So these people don't understand American history and what America is about."

He's not worried about a ballot measure to amend the California Constitution against gay marriage because legal experts say amendments first require two-third votes in the legislature. Polls show the proposition losing.

Even when Takei has been offstage, he's been politically active. In the 1970s, he helped shape the L.A. subway system, which is not New York-sprawling, but it was a start and has gained ridership because of expensive gasoline.

While in Vegas, Takei takes the monorail.

"I think it's wonderful except," he says, "it just goes to the key areas. You need to go downtown. You need to go where the density of both destination and trip-origination are."

The high prices of gasoline and flying in a sour economy and rising unemployment hurt turnout at the Hilton's convention, he says.

"This is all affecting everything, including 'Star Trek' conventions, as dedicated as fans are, bless their hearts."

But the convention was still Vegas-y in that fans were international.

"People come from all over. Regionally, there are cultural differences," he says. "In the South, they say, 'Yes sir,' 'No sir,' and to a woman they say, 'Yes, ma'am,' 'No, ma'am.' There's that kind of civility. You go to the Northeast, there's that pushy assertive quality. It's all regional. And I love regionalism. That's what makes diversity of America so engaging."

Takei (who was interned during World War II) added diversity to "Star Trek" in the 1960s, when Japanese-Americans just weren't on TV. Yet, there is one person who still can't, or won't, pronounce his name right.

"I've been working with Bill Shatner yea these 40-plus years. He never seems to get it right. I gave him, 'It's Takei, as in way.' I even said, 'as in gay,' '' he says. Finally, "I told him, 'It's Takei, rhymes with toupee.' I thought that would do it."

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Doug Elfman's column appears on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Contact him at 702-383-0391 and delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.