In 1966, “Star Trek” was launched on television, then unceremoniously canceled due to low ratings. In 2002, fans mourned the death of the franchise after a movie and new TV series were both poorly received. In 2009, a time-traveling reboot has relaunched the Enterprise — and filled Grauman’s Chinese Theatre with fans renewed in their belief that “Trek” will live long and prosper. “I’ve only seen about half the movie,” grinned Leonard Nimoy on the movie premiere’s massive black carpet, admitting that the emotion of passing the Spock torch to Zachary Quinto left him unable to sit through the film’s heart-tugging second half with dry eyes. “I’m very proud of him.” “I couldn’t love him any more; I’ve just been so honored to get to know him,” Quinto returned, adding that Thursday night’s celebratory atmosphere would even prove infectious for the logical character the two men share. “Spock loves to party; he loves to let his bangs down every once in a while.” In addition to the movie’s stars, such proud Trekkies as Amanda Bynes, Neil Patrick Harris, Leighton Meester, Rainn Wilson and Heidi Klum walked the event’s massive stage shaped like the “Trek” logo. “This is like Cinco de Mayo and Yom Kippur all rolled into one for me,” “Inglourious Basterds” actor Samm Levine marveled. Director Robert Rodriguez was equally excited, saying he was torn over his favorite “Trek” character: “I love Captain Kirk, but I love the Vulcan grip too, so I’ve gotta go with Spock.” New Kirk Chris Pine insisted that the film, which comes out May 8, stays true to Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a harmonious future. “To present a positive image of the world, there’s nothing better than that,” he said. “I can’t believe this amazing series has lived for 40-something years,” beamed Zoe Saldana, the new Uhura. “And now we’re here.” “This is definitely the craziest premiere I’ve been to, and definitely the biggest,” explained Rachel Nichols, one of the movie’s sexy alien green girls. “It’s the hottest ticket in town.” The death of “Trek,” it seems, was greatly exaggerated when the series hit a speed bump in the early part of this decade. And down to a person, all the new crew members credited the well-reviewed 2009 film to the brave resurrection efforts of J.J. Abrams and his creative team. “Three years ago, J.J. called me and was like ‘Is “Star Trek” dead?’ ” recalled Damon Lindelof, a producer on Abrams’ “Trek” and “Lost,” as hundreds of pointy-eared fans shrieked at the stars. “Now, three years later, we’re here.” “‘Star Trek’ is cool again,” said an amped-up Karl Urban, who plays the new “Bones” McCoy in the film. “It’s hip; it’s sexy. It’s ballistic.”

Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek was to create a series where hope, prosperity and unity were the hallmarks of a bold new vision of the future. When Star Trek was created, there was still so much racial unrest in this country that it seemed like absolute science fiction that people of different races (and species) could co-exist in a semi-peaceful future landscape. You may know that the original Star Trek series provided US television with its first interracial kiss (between James T. Kirk and Uhura). So much has happened since Trek first blazed its way on our televisions. Abrams’s new vision for Star Trek is nothing short of epic … but I’ll get to my review of the film a little later on. After the jump, check out which Star Trek stars from days of yore came out for the premiere and see which celebs count themselves as rabid Trekkie fans …

Here are a few of the Star Trek actors that we already know and love:

It was a thrill to be able to see Leonard Nimoy, George Takei and Walter Koenig all together in the same place. They are sci-fi icons and being that close to them was an absolute thrill. In the lobby, I found myself standing next to Johnathan Frakes (who played First Officer William T. Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation) and almost lost my shizz. He is a very tall man and still looks damn good. He came to the premiere with Marina Sirits, who played Counselor Deanna Troy also on ST: TNG. But, they weren’t the only celebs in the hiz last night … here are a few pics of some of the celebs who came out for last night’s premiere:

As you can see, it was a who’s who of celebs on the red carpet. I was able to chat for a bit with Trent Reznor (who is also a huge Trek fan) and his guest Mariqueen Maandig and we all agreed that we loved the movie. I tried not to geek out too much in front of them because I really don’t like embarrassing myself … but it invariably happens all the damn time.

I will go into more detail about my thoughts on the movie a bit later on … I will say now, tho, that it is a bit misleading to call this film a prequel. Because of things that happen in the film, I think it’s more correct to refer to the film as a new sequel to the Star Trek timeline … or at the very least, a fresh and totally new reboot. I will explain more on that later ;)

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

George Takei and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, were wed Sunday evening in a Buddhist ceremony in downtown Los Angeles. “All I can remember is what the priest said,” Takei told PEOPLE after the ceremony. “That this moment will never happen again. It’s something to savor.” Nearly 200 of the couple’s friends attended the event, which began as a kimono-clad koto player plucked out tunes on the ancient Japanese stringed instrument. Afterward, the couple sipped sake from red lacquer cups, then said their vows to one another while standing within a circle of yellow rose petals. A Scottish bagpiper led Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, to the reception on the grounds of the Japanese American National Museum. On the way, the couple, along with their maid of honor and best man (Takei’s former Star Trek co-stars Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig) flashed the “live long and prosper” hand sign to photographers and friends. “I was fighting back the tears,” said Nichols, who played Uhura on the Star Trek series. “But they came oozing out anyway. I’m so happy that they’re both able to legally proclaim their commitment to one another after spending the past 21 years together.”

Awww … I love these two together. It’s couples like this that make me so happy that same-sex marriage has finally been legalized in the great State of California. Much love and congrats goes out to the newlyweds … may they live long and happy lives together full of bliss and happiness. Mazel Tov!

[Source]

Star Trek’s George Takei is one step closer to the altar. The 71-year-old actor and longtime partner Brad Altman, 54, received a marriage license from the City of West Hollywood on Tuesday morning, becoming one of the first gay Californians to obtain a license since the state Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages last month. “We are first and foremost beyond delighted!” an ecstatic Takei told PEOPLE minutes after he obtained the license. “It’s a landmark day.” Just days after the California ruling, Takei announced his plans to marry Altman, his partner of 21 years. The couple plan to wed on September 14 in front of family and friends, including some of Takei’s Star Trek cast mates. Immediately after obtaining their marriage license, “I started singing ‘One Singular Sensation,’” Takei said. “(Brad) said ‘I love you’ and I looked at him and said, ‘I love you.’” Takei and Altman were the first couple to receive a marriage license from West Hollywood, a city that previously did not issue licenses to gay or straight couples. The wedding will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

While George and Brad are among the first celeb couples to enjoy full marriage equality here in California there were among hundreds of same-sex couples who received marriage licenses yesterday … and many of those hundreds immediately exercised their right to marry and tied the knot.

Here are a few really great pics, from the New York Times, of some of the couples who were married thruout California yesterday:

With a quiet pride and a sense of history, hundreds of gay and lesbian couples across California wed on Tuesday, giving a human face to a landmark court decision and a powerful opening salvo in what is expected to be a bruising fall campaign here over the issue of same-sex marriage. The marriages here and in many counties began just after 8 a.m. Pacific time, with the opening of the clerk’s office. But unlike 2004, when San Francisco broke state law to wed thousands of gay couples in a mad rush, many of Tuesday’s ceremonies had a sense of calm and permanence for gay newlyweds. “It was so legally ambiguous last time,” said Lorie Franks, 43, who had come to City Hall to marry her partner, AnneMary Franks, in 2004 as well. “It was really touching, but we kind of knew it was on thin ice. This time, to me, feels more real.” The Franks wedding, conducted in one of 19 locations arranged around San Francisco’s ornate City Hall building, was attended by her three daughters, who wore matching pink dresses and tiaras. “It was entirely their idea,” Lorie Franks said of their costumes. “As soon as they heard we were getting married, they said they wanted dresses.” In Bakersfield, where couples exchanged vows on a tree-lined patio outside the clerk’s office, reporters and photographers outnumbered people applying for marriage licenses on Tuesday morning. There were no protesters in sight. “We are so happy, we can’t stop smiling,” said Kathi Gose, 52, who wed Karen Briefer, 45, in Bakersfield on Tuesday morning. The couple, who have been together for 11 years, plan to change their surnames to Briefer-Gose. “We want to have the same rights as any other American citizen,” Ms. Gose said. The weddings began in a handful of locations around the state at exactly 5:01 p.m. on Monday, the earliest time allowed by the decision by the California Supreme Court. County clerks’ offices in all 58 counties in the state were authorized to begin issuing the licenses on Tuesday … In more liberal parts of the state, however, the weddings are being warmly embraced. In Contra Costa County, a steady but slower stream of couples than in San Francisco descended on the clerk-recorders office on Tuesday. By noon, officials had performed 12 of the 22 weddings scheduled by same-sex couples anxious to tie the knot. The first to marry was a hometown son, Steve Weir, 59, the county clerk recorder and his longtime companion, John Hemm, 53. More than 150 family and friends attended the couples ceremony, with vows exchanged in Alhambra Park in Martinez, the county seat. “He always said that if the state ever legalized same-sex marriage, he wanted to be the first to wed and to issue his own license,” said the assistant county clerk-recorder, Barbara Chambers, who officiated the wedding.. “It was a little daunting to perform the ceremony for my boss but I was excited to be asked and to be part of history.” Ms. Chambers said another 13 weddings have been scheduled for Wednesday, nine for Thursday and 20 for Friday; most but not all involve same-sex couples. “I did have some couples say they did not want to marry the first week,” said Ms. Chambers. “They don’t want to deal with the rush or the craziness. They want to finalize their commitment quietly and without the press.” But she added, “They have also been sure to schedule the weddings before November.”

I hadn’t planned on posting about the same-sex marriages here in California again but the NYTimes piece was so well written … and the photos of the happy couples (esp. the last pic with the men wearing “Just Married” signs) are just too amazing to not share. I just don’t understand how people can be so hateful when it comes to something as simple as love. Love should be shared and celebrated … not vilified and squelched. I am so proud of California and New York. I’m sure that this moment in time will be remembered well into the future as the start of a new age of freedom and equality for our country. Remember this moment, your children and grandchildren will be learning about it for years to come.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]