Topic: William Shatner acknowledges the VIC-20

[RobertB]

     From the book, "Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large", by William Shatner, Dutton (a member of the Penguin Group), New York, c. 2011:

p. 142, "Don't get me wrong, I understand technology, but often I can't do technology. I get the mechanics, but I'm not that mechanical. I mean, I understand how to change a tire, but I usually call AAA when a tire needs to be changed."

p. 143-144, "I've been keeping it a secret for years, especially from the good people in advertising who employ me on occasion. In fact, if you visit YouTube (hopefully someone will show me how to do that soon), you can see me singing the praises of the Commodore VIC-20, 'the wonder computer of the eighties,' promising 'great games' and opportunities for 'the whole family to learn computing.' All for the bargain price of 'under three hundred dollars.' (You can get one of these VIC-20s on eBay for about ninety bucks now. Apparently, the wonders of this wonder computer ceased pretty quickly.)"

p. 145, "Oh yes, did I mention '$#*! My Dad Says [television show]? Thirty years ago, I was on the cutting edge of the 'wonder computer of the eighties,' and then I was on the first television show spun off a Twitter feed."

          Truly,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[Andrew Wiskow]

(You can get one of these VIC-20s on eBay for about ninety bucks now. Apparently, the wonders of this wonder computer ceased pretty quickly.)"

hmm... maybe for a mint condition VIC-20 in its original, unopened box... but I wouldn't expect to pay more than $20 for a used one.

[Hydrophilic]

I find it amazing that he actually remembers it; I wonder if he had to research it?  I mean, this guy has worked on several television shows, movies, and TV ads but I only remember one VIC ad with Shatner (although I've seen several other VIC ads).  Maybe CBM gave him one and that is when he discovered he "can't do technology" and that is why it sticks in his memory.
 
Speaking of Shatner ads, I was wondering if people outside the U.S. get to enjoy the ads he has done for Priceline?  These are usually pretty funny, and in the last one he falls off a bridge and dies (not unlike his alter ego's death in Star Trek Generations).  That particular commercial is memorable to me because at the beginning, like all the other Priceline commercials, you here the Priceline jingle and their logo pops up on screen.  But before the jingle completely mentions the product/service name, Shatner says "there's no time" and with a swipe of his hand brushes away the logo and stops the music.
 
It's almost unheard of for an advertiser to cut-off their own product name and jingle in a commercial.  That, and the fact Shatner dies, makes that particular commercial memorable to me.  But now I'm going WAY off topic, sorry.

[airship]

The latest Priceline commercial mentions his death - a nun by a pool, IIRC.


Don't forget he also appeared in print ads for the VIC-20.

[RobertB]

Don't forget he also appeared in print ads for the VIC-20.

     And print ads for the PET.

          Truly,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

P.S. At the William Shatner Weekend next weekend, I've decided to let Bill Shatner autograph the bottom of my PET 8296-D keyboard.