INTERVIEW: George Takei, artist and activist

Photo: George Takei’s new podcast is called Oh Myyy Pod! Photo courtesy of Luke Fontana / Provided by Coyle Entertainment with permission.

---

Cultural icon George Takei, who first rose to fame as Sulu on Star Trek: The Original Series, has expressed his art and activism in so many different forms over the years. Of course, his TV work on the Enterprise is legendary, but there’s also his Broadway turn in Allegiance; his role in the AMC series The Terror: Infamy; his new graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy; and now his new podcast, Oh Myyy Pod!

Takei, who is openly gay, is also one of the leading LGBT activists in the United States. He recently shared his stories and insights at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, paying tribute that night to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, New York City.

On social media, he’s a force to be reckoned with, and his comedy, often satirical and filled with puns, offers his legions of fans biting satire and thoughtful commentary. His Facebook and Twitter followers number in the millions, and he still appears at Star Trek conventions, joining with fellow Trekkers in celebrating the vision of series creator Gene Roddenberry.

The first season of his new podcast looks at the serious issue of racially charged viral videos and how they impact society. This first series of episodes is dubbed Beckys, Bigots and Bros, Oh Myyy. Takei has a unique perspective on the topic — growing up, he had to spend time in two internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II. The experience was life-changing and informed his art and activism as he moved forward with his life. It wasn’t until later that he realized the horrors his parents went through to keep him and his siblings safe and distracted from the truths of the times.

Recently Takei took time from his busy schedule to exchange emails with Hollywood Soapbox. He discusses his new podcast, his love for the underlying message of Star Trek and his thoughts on President Donald Trump. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

How did you get the idea for Oh Myyy Pod!?

I’ve long had a love for the internet as a means to connect with fans and to bring issues I’m passionate about to light. And so a podcast seemed like the obvious next step for us. When we were developing Oh Myyy Pod!, we knew we wanted to focus on the nexus between internet virality and social justice, two things my team and I have some expertise in as well as a good amount of passion for.

What was the motivation behind exploring the impact of racially charged viral videos in season one? Why’d you settle on this topic versus other possible issues?

Sadly, these viral videos and the confrontations they reflect are all too common, even more so now with the rhetoric coming out of the White House. But we wanted to dig deeper and get to the bottom of the phenomenon. We’ve all seen these videos, but what happens to the people involved in them after their viral moment passes? And what is the psychology behind these incidents? We felt there was a rich store of content to mine here, and we were absolutely right.

Were you surprised by what you found out from your podcast guests? How deep did the conversations get?

The conversations did at times get quite personal, and it was certainly eye-opening to hear some of the stories behind the viral videos directly from those involved in them. While I am a person of color who has experienced discrimination in my life, I am at a privileged place in my life and so can not put myself in the shoes of those who experience the sorts of abuse and discrimination many people of color experience every day. So I was proud to center their stories, and I learned a lot about my own complicity in the racist system that perpetuates the sorts of abuse these videos expose. I hope it’s enlightening to our listeners as well.

What’s it like, from your perspective, to live in the United States at the time of President Donald Trump’s administration?

It’s a time of great concern and a time to steel ourselves to resist this administration. In times where we are tested so regularly by the sheer cruelty, ugly racism and utter disregard of norms practiced by the current White House, we rediscover our own values and strengths, and our commitment to principles of decency, freedom and equality grows stronger. 

Have these last two years made you even more socially engaged?

I have always been a social activist, but I have never been called upon to be a social warrior before. So yes, I am more engaged than ever and more committed to seeing Donald Trump defeated in 2020 than nearly anything I have ever fought for in my life.

What are you most proud of when you think about your work on The Terror: Infamy?

Through this story, we were able once again to shed light on a shameful part of our collective history, perhaps to an audience of horror film aficionados who might otherwise not have known about the internment of Japanese Americans. That has been my lifelong quest, and The Terror: Infamy provided an excellent and unique vehicle for that mission.

With a new graphic novel and so many projects in the works, how do you keep track of everything?

 Why, I have my husband Brad, of course! He keeps me sane and sound.

Do you still believe in the vision and dream behind Star Trek?

More so than ever. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, as Gene Roddenberry liked to say, that is a principle that has even greater importance and resonance in today’s troubled times.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

George Takei’s new podcast is called Oh Myyy Pod! Click here for more information.