Who is George Takei? The Star Trek actor is a truly nice guy. Even though he caught flack from the Orange County Choppers guy, Paul Sr., for being too meek hocking sandwiches for charity on the show that aired February 19th, 2012, he is probably one of the funniest guys. Saying he was a meeker person by nature, Paul tried to throw him under the bus. Takei, as a Japanese American grew up in barbed wire internment camps, and from the time he was a child he says he learned how to survive and overcome. Then, he acted as a civil rights leader advocating for gays and lesbians to have equal rights. When Donald Trump pointed out that some of the strongest people he had ever met were very often the quietest guys, Paul back peddled on his stance about George. Since the men won the challenge, fortunately he was safe that night.
George Takei, best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on the original Star Trek television show and in the blockbuster movie series, is participating on Donald Trump‘s Celebrity Apprentice 2012. George will be trying to win $250,000 for the Japanese American National Museum. Many younger people won’t recognize the name, but Mr. Sulu. George Takei is of Japanese heritage, born in San Francisco, California, and Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry was one of the first people to attempt to demonstrate that Asians, often depicted as bad guys in films at the time, could be just as beneficent as the next guy.
The franchise wanted to demonstrate that people of all nationalities had something to offer in the futuristic enterprise. While Takei has chosen to represent a charity that celebrates Japanese heritage, he also is a strong supporter of gay rights. He recently married his partner Brad Altman, agreeing in Star Trek fashion to “live long and prosper” together, according to Fox News.
“I vow to care for you as you’ve cared for me … and to love you as my husband and the only man in my life,” Takei said as he held Altman’s hands.
But whatever his support of gay rights, green celebrity George Takei represents his Japanese heritage first. As the son of Japanese parents, his father, an Anglophile, named him George, after King George VI, whose coronation was in 1937. Following the end of WWII, his family relocated to Los Angeles; after several transfers to multiple locations in California which were not Japanese friendly in the years during WWII, he finally got a break in acting. Since that time he’s worked steadily on a variety of television projects and big screen movie roles related to the Star Trek franchise.
Also a charitable Democrat, Takei was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in California in 1972. He ran for the city council there, but lost by just over 1,500 votes, nevertheless coming in at second place. Then California mayor Tom Bradley assigned Takei to the board of directors of the Southern California Rapid Transit District, making him the one of the first men assigned to help design the Los Angeles subway system.
One of the major projects of the Japanese American National Museum is the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, which aims to teach democracy, fight for the preservation and exhibition of democracy, and to work on professional development programs to advance democracy in the United States and worldwide.
As an activist and formerly a victim of racism, George Takei has dedicated his life to the advancement of democracy and equality, making him a true humanitarian and green celebrity of the highest order.
If you are looking for a fun celebrity to follow on Facebook or Twitter, he is also your man. Follow @georgetakei and georgehtakei.
His sense of wit and wisdom is always inspiring.
Cheers, George, for being a green celebrity good guy!