Patrick Stewart carries the Olympic Torch
July 23, 2012 11:57 AM   Subscribe

 
Another short interview.

I didn't manage to catch Sir Patrick - if only I'd known he was going to do this ahead of time! - but I did see the torch relay earlier today, and the buzz is exactly as he's describing, like a rolling street party and parade.
posted by philipy at 12:03 PM on July 23, 2012


Please tell me he is competing for a medal in Dressage (horse dancing)? With his custom saddle and everything.
posted by Chekhovian at 12:08 PM on July 23, 2012


After he handed off the torch, did he have to tug his shirt back into place?

(I would have done with the "saw everything", but Burhanistan was too quick for me.)
posted by BeeDo at 12:09 PM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]


There are FOUR torches!
posted by Rob Rockets at 12:10 PM on July 23, 2012 [32 favorites]


Make it glow, Number One.
posted by Dr. Zira at 12:12 PM on July 23, 2012 [10 favorites]


Stewart, best known as Star Trek's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, said carrying the torch through well wishers in Croydon was an experience he will 'never forget', adding that it was better than any movie premiere.

Certainly was paced better.
posted by hal9k at 12:16 PM on July 23, 2012


It would be awesome if he tried cutting across the grass and a policewoman said "oy, you can't do that!". To which, he'd cock an eyebrow and reply "oh no?".
posted by dr_dank at 12:21 PM on July 23, 2012 [8 favorites]


Make It Gold.
posted by haley_joel_osteen at 12:25 PM on July 23, 2012


We are IOC. Branding is futile. Prepare to be assimilated (into the Coca-Cola family of products).
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]


So... if anyone here has got a Shinzon joke handy, this is pretty much the time for it.
posted by greenland at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012


Call me when he does it in star fleet dress uniform.
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 12:34 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's sad that a professional actor should find "excitement and sense of pleasure and pride" in what is to his profession a pinnacle event and documentation of achievement? Interesting.
posted by kjs3 at 12:37 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


Call me when he does it in star fleet dress uniform.

I think that would require Paramount giving the IOC nine million dollars.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:39 PM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]


He has a goatee. He is clearly mirror-world Stewart.
posted by Peevish at 12:42 PM on July 23, 2012 [17 favorites]


I am confused by this post. Was this the first leg of the torch carrying or something? What is the significance?
posted by ericost at 12:42 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


a rolling street party and parade

MAKE IT SO AWESOME.
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:44 PM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]


Is a movie premier really the pinnacle event and documentation of achievement in his profession? I would have thought that would be the Oscars or some other event where achievement is recognized by the profession.
Depends on whether you value the recognition of your peers or the recognition of your audience.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:45 PM on July 23, 2012


It's a little sad that his top example and touchstone for "excitement and sense of pleasure and pride" is attending a movie premier.

If I were to carry the torch, it would still pale in comparison to that time when I overthrew Cuba that one time, with Fidel and his brother Dennis.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:47 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


*facepalme d'or*
posted by argonauta at 12:52 PM on July 23, 2012 [9 favorites]


Oh, was he going to hand it off to Dr. Crusher next?
posted by smirkette at 1:08 PM on July 23, 2012


I'm surprised by the lack of comments about his sublime physical form and overall attractiveness. I carry a torch for him! *Swoon*
posted by loquat at 1:12 PM on July 23, 2012 [18 favorites]




ericost: "What is the significance?"

It's Patrick Stewart. Who is awesome.
posted by zarq at 1:17 PM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]


After he handed off the torch, did he have to tug his shirt back into place?

This is referred to as the Picard Maneuver.
posted by tommasz at 1:19 PM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]




As put off as I am by the Olympics, by the unrepentantly venal IOC, by their assorted goons and thugs, by the blithering Lord Coe, and by all the hoorays in the Tory party, I can really only say one thing after viewing this video:

HOLY SHIT PATRICK STEWART LOOKS GOOD FOR 72!
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:38 PM on July 23, 2012 [9 favorites]


Captain's Log: London, Earth, Sector 001:

The bus that was following me lacked replicators. Therefore, I seem to have requested tea, Earl Grey, hot, from some kind of loo.

I recommend no further contact with this world.
posted by Danf at 1:42 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


Is a movie premier really the pinnacle event and documentation of achievement in his profession? I would have thought that would be the Oscars or some other event where achievement is recognized by the profession.

Ask him.

I'm going to go for it was something he thought of to mention because he's an actor and he used it as an example. End of.
posted by juiceCake at 1:44 PM on July 23, 2012


When will he make the inevitable appearance on Community?
posted by blue_beetle at 2:01 PM on July 23, 2012


He'd make a great 12th doctor.
posted by jenkinsEar at 2:06 PM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]


I would have thought that would be the Oscars or some other event where achievement is recognized by the profession.

Depends on whether you value the recognition of your peers or the recognition of your audience.


Also if you'd been frickin nominated. Stewart, as far as I can tell, has been nominated about once for a SAG award he didn't win (2010: Macbeth). I'm sure his reflections on the Oscars are about the same as yours: from TV. Haters gonna eponysterically hate.

Conversely, Stewart knows exactly how cool the awards are and this, meh, not as much.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 2:28 PM on July 23, 2012


Want.
posted by infini at 3:00 PM on July 23, 2012


The BMX takedown was more interesting.
posted by Webbster at 3:40 PM on July 23, 2012


He'd make a great 12th doctor.

Isn't the rule that each doctor is younger than the previous one?

Also, yes, he'd be an amazing 12th doctor.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:52 PM on July 23, 2012


this on the day of the 25th anniversary of TNG with all the hoopla...

Er, the 25th anniversary of it being only 95 days until the premiere of TNG?
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:47 PM on July 23, 2012


Apparently.
posted by damo at 6:07 PM on July 23, 2012


I'm sorry, but this can only mean one thing for the Olympics.

Space vampires.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 6:08 PM on July 23, 2012


Is a movie premier really the pinnacle event and documentation of achievement in his profession?

Considering the tiny fraction of all professional actors that will ever be a "star", much less *the* star in a major motion picture that actually makes it to a theater, yes, it is in fact all those things.

I would have thought that would be the Oscars or some other event where achievement is recognized by the profession.

You would be wrong, for many reasons. Hint: Cary Grant, Albert Finney, Glenn Close, Ewan McGregor, Boris Karloff, Edward G Robinson, Johnny Depp, Annette Benning, Ed Harris, Richard Burton, Sigourney Weaver. Never got an Oscar.

Thanks for playing.
posted by kjs3 at 7:42 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]


The finish line must be drawn HERE!
THIS far!!
NO further!!!
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 8:15 PM on July 23, 2012 [4 favorites]


The man is forty years older than me, and I still get raised eyebrows when I mention it, but I have the largest school-girl crush on Patrick Stewart.
posted by nasayre at 8:23 PM on July 23, 2012


Patrick Stewart should leave this kind of thing to the real runners.
posted by markkraft at 9:10 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]



I'm surprised by the lack of comments about his sublime physical form and overall attractiveness. I carry a torch for him! *Swoon*


about a decade, maybe 15 years ago, Patrick Stewart was working on a production of THE TEMPEST in which he was also the star here in NYC. i can't remember why i was in the vicinity of the Public Theater (the production was for Shakespeare in the Park) all i remember was sitting in a restaurant i used to frequent right across from it and noticing there was much excited agitation at a table across from me.

then i heard THAT VOICE.

at first i couldn't place who was the carrier of THAT VOICE because Sir Patrick Stewart isnt supposed to be sitting at the table right across from me at a restaurant here in NYC, but helas, it was him.

someone recently wrote here in MeFi how Willem DeFoe took their breath away with his beauty and i laughed because i've seen Willehm up-close-and-personal and he is not. But Patrick Stewart? HOLY SHIT.

let me start with the fact he has the most tight and i mean MOST TIGHT body i've seen on a man, needless to say a senior citizen. he is insanely muscular and well built and jesus christ i just wanted to touch every ounce of that hard body. it was really surreal because he has the body of an olympic athlete. seriously, if you didn't reckon it was Stewart's face, you'd think he was in his 30s.

then there's that smile and the in-real-life BLUE STEEL of those eyes. his eyes are a blue i've never seen before. they're gorgeous and full of light and when he looks at you straight in the eye, you have to really try hard not to let the panties hit the ground.

i have never, and i mean, NEVER been rendered speechless by any man the way i was in the presence of Patrick Stewart ---and am not even a big fan.

he is absolutely demi-godish and i would have so totally hit that when he was then in his 60s and i would so totally hit that today.
posted by liza at 10:53 PM on July 23, 2012 [6 favorites]


Not in the mood? Mood's a thing for cattle and loveplay, not torch-bearing!

Dune fans represent
posted by Mezentian at 3:30 AM on July 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Years ago, when TNG was still at its peak, there was an NPR feature on the show, and they introduced the segment where they specifically talked to Patrick Stewart with a brief comment: "Patrick Stewart really does drink 'tea, Earl Gray, hot.' But he would like us to ask his fans to please stop sending it to him, as he has quite enough of a supply by now, thanks."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:49 PM on July 25, 2012


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