Thoughts on June 11: Spock again illuminates McCoy

Or, rather, Leonard Nimoy illuminates DeForest Kelley.

It seems here in the Blog Age I've settled into a tradition each year of celebrating De's life career on his Jan. 20 birthday ... and using the anniversary of his passing on June 11, 1999—today—to reflect on what he's meant to me, to fandom, and to the world. Nothing radical there.


But I look back at my Trekland posts on the major markers of his death—the tenth anniversary, and then the fifteenth—and realize that, like all history and anything connected with the non-Prophets' linear existence, the passing years only shed more light, more texture and more nuance on what it is we already know.

So it was this year with Leonard Nimoy's own passing Feb. 27, and how I caught my own thoughts and reaction, upon hearing the news, first shifting to 6/11/99 and De—and then comparing and contrasting the two, and reflecting on first fandom and then our culture's reaction and modes of today... as I wrote about for Star Trek Magazine just a few days later for the rushed first edition after Leonard's passing. Very proud of that piece, as once again sometimes the simplest writing turns into my favorite.

Come to think of it, it's where my thoughts went when we lost Majel in 2008, and even grand old producer A.C. Lyles a year back. With Gene so long gone, De continues to be my adult anchor and reference point to all Trek, it seems. Hmmmmm.

One thing that has not changed, in fact perhaps accelerated by Leonard's passing, is the ongoing stampede of fans and appreciators of De's role of McCoy and his humble, understated performance overall. What I wrote about that explosion last year, sparked by finding my first Trek T-shirts (above), has not only mushroomed, but the awareness of it as well — especially among younger fans who can take their 24/7 remastered streaming fandom and see it all for themselves, much quicker, and go online and spread it further.

When I finally shed a professional veneer during our last interview and confessed to De that he and McCoy were both my favorites, he laughingly cracked a great retort: "Well, where were you in the 60s when I coulda used you up, against Bill and Leonard?" I've told that story more than once, but it occurs to me now: I think he'd love to shoot it back at all his new fans today, as well...and be just as appreciative.

What a jam-packed weekend of good news in Trekland!

Well. THIS has been some weekend. Look what ALL just happened:

—"Fairest of Them All," the third episode of Star Trek Continues, just debuted online Sunday (and before a cast-fronted live con crowd in Sydney, Australia) to thunderous fan approval, from all I've read initially, as of tonight. I'm proud to not only remain in the think-tank for STC but to promote and cover its talented family and the "making of" each show as well. That includes both new and catch-up STC videos out now on "Trekland STV", and those still to come—you ain't seen nothing yet! Not to mention future episodes of STC itself.

So stay tuned and subscribe to Trekland as well as my YouTube Channel to know when they go up even ahead of their posting on the STC Facebook (and have you Liked there yet?)

—The second Kickstarter for the Hollywood Sci-Fi Museum, whose non-profit board I sit on that grew from the "Save the Bridge" New Starship project, raised over 50% of its goal just these last two weeks and finally BUSTED right through to success Sunday with 12 hours to go—and ended up with over $11,000 extra in the pot by the time its midnight deadline arrived. Yes, I was nervous a couple weeks ago, and even knew that a lapse here was not fatal—with so many industry and corporate donors and supporters lining up. 

But this was a solid sign of the basic support for such a new Hollywood tourist landmark and museum, much less its planned educational mission. This drive helps fund some of the major bridging pieces of the puzzle to make this thing really work—the budget is on the KS site. It was also a nice affirmation of the hours of professional yet volunteer planning that's going in, and faith that this is not a gaudy pipe dream. Don't forget our Facebook, too! And get the latest at Comic-Con San Diego too—the Bridge is back for free photo ops, of course, at Booth 3631!

—And THEN, on a bit less lofty but every bit as fun level, we were madly making fans aware that this was the last weekend to register for the 2014 edition of the "LA2Vegas" Trek Film Site Tour that I lead for Geek Nation Tours and Terrace Cassidy. Quick! Jump aboard now if you'd like! 

—Plus, I was honored to talk about De Kelley Saturday for the 15th anniversary of his passing June 11 in another new online media "thing," a recorded Google+ Hangout sponsored by In Memory and Honor of Deforest Kelley Facebook group. 

—And THEN…there's the other nonprofit I'm honored to sit on the board for, Enterprise in Space—and its amazing, public-oriented mission that we will SOON be telling the world about, even as there's details and deadlines to chase down now. IT just became "official" and is jumping into gear—much more later!

—Oh, and also... hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day—both those of the fatherly persuasion, and those who enjoy their love!

(Oh, yeah—and thanks for that whole "stand by me while the overblown misquoting monster made-up story" thing blew over. Whether on Facebook, Twitter or comment threads, the Trekland Army was awesome the way you all knocked down the bizarre report every time other unaware—or lazy—news websites picked up the story to run it, without editing it first.

Whew. I'll just pack for BayouCon, now…!