LOS ANGELES, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Going maybe where no other actor has gone before, “Star Trek” star William Shatner has sold a piece of his body for charity.
Shatner, famed for playing Captain James T. Kirk, commander of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise in the original “Star Trek” TV series, sold his kidney stone to online casino GoldenPalace.Com for $25,000. The money will be donated by Shatner to Habitat for Humanity to build houses for the poor.
But Shatner said it wasn’t easy parting with a kidney stone, even if it had already left his body. He also said he would never sell unless he had visitation rights.
“When I was contacted about selling my kidney stone to GoldenPalace.Com for an original price of $15,000 I turned it down, knowing that my tunics from Star Trek have commanded more than $100,000,” Shatner said, adding that he countered by offering to sell the ring-sized stone for $25,000.
By privately selling his kidney stone, Shatner gave up an offer to sell it at auction on television. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel interviewed Shatner about his painful stone on Nov. 14 and immediately called it “the ultimate Star Trek collectible” and offered to sell it on his show.
Kimmel claimed to be bitterly disappointed at being denied a chance to hold the first televised kidney stone auction.
“I feel like a part of my own body has been stolen — and there is no T.J. Hooker sight to answer my cry for help,” Kimmel told Reuters, referring to the cop character Shatner played on television.
GoldenPalace.Com plans to send the stone on tour with a collection of other unusual items.
A spokesman for Shatner said he didn’t know if the Emmy Award-winning actor would consider selling any other body parts.
“We are very pleased to own this piece of TV history and to be able to help a worthy charity like Habitat For Humanity,” said GoldenPalace.Com Chief Executive Officer Richard Rowe.
