With over 50 years in show business, William Shatner has done it all: drama (Star Trek, Boston Legal), comedy (The Transformed Man), and now game shows. Tonight, Show Me the Money, ABC’s latest stab at reality game show programming premieres. Billed as “Shat-tastic,” Shat-tackular,” and “Shat-stounding,” SMTM is like no other show on television, combining variety, comedy, and lots o’ sexy dancers (including its Shat-terrific host). We were fortunate to speak with Mr. Tambourine Man, live via conference call. Here’s what he has to say about Howie Mandel, Star Trek XI, and his infamous call for fans to get a life.
What drew you to Show Me the Money?
Game shows are usually cut and dry, spin the wheel, there’s your answer. This [one] was more of like a variety show. It had dancers and music. There was a sense of fun about the game that I hadn’t thought of before. I saw a deeper complexity in terms of entertainment. How do you build the drama? When someone is winning a lot of money, can you make them feel self-doubt?
Can you make the audience teeter on the edge of every question? And then use the various tools that the game show provides -- like the dancing girls, for one — to provide a sense of excitement and entertainment. All of that was much more complex than I had ever thought of. I think Howie Mandel does a really lovely job of being dignified and interested in the people and letting the people play. Deal or No Deal is really the most interesting show I’ve seen based on that thing.
The host is vulnerable, because very little is scripted. They’re in totally improvisational areas, and that’s very risky in terms of your entertaining. It’s risky, in case you’re not entertaining. It’s risky that you might say something inadvertently. There’s a great deal of theatrical jeopardy there. That appealed to me. 
Do you think your dance moves will surprise your fans?
I’m not a dancer, but I like to dance. Very much like I’m a not a singer, but I like to sing. I guess I dance as well as I sing, which is not at all, and yet I enjoy it. So maybe I can communicate my sense of fun and enjoying these emotions and the movement to the audience. They’re going to quickly realize that I can’t dance, but I’m having fun.
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