‘Star Trek’ Icon William Shatner Talks Senior Guardianship, Hippo Attacks on ‘Last Week Tonight’

Star Trek icon William Shatner stopped by HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to share a very important warning: hippos are killing machines.

Actually, Shatner was one of several senior citizen celebrities who shot a package for Last Week Tonight to end Oliver’s segment on senior guardianship, but Shatner and the rest may have gotten a little off topic.

In the video above, Shatner talks about how supple his cheeks are thanks to the kind of skin care that is only available to celebrities as well as about the dangers of hippos, saying “they kill hundreds of people each year” and “Hippos are terrible.”

Eventually, the 87-year-old Shatner and other celebrities including Rita Moreno, Fred Willard, Cloris Leachman, and Lily Tomlin do get back on topic to discuss the importance of setting up proper senior guardianship so that you aren’t taken advantage of during your golden years. You can watch the full video above.

Shatner recently visited a recreation of the Star Trek: The Original Series Enterprise bridge set that allows fans to tour the “ship.” Shatner was impressed with the set’s authenticity.

“When I left the set (for the last time), I think I had the flu,” Shatner recalled. “I think I was a little ill. I went on my way. And now I’m back! Maybe we can do it again.”

He took the opportunity to look back and his time playing Captain Kirk and what he may have done differently in those early days if he could back now.

“I brought myself to it,” he said. “What would I do now? Quite different, I think, because 50 years have gone by. If I weren’t going to do something different 50 years later, I’d be stuck in a time warp, and that’s too science fiction-y for me. So, the evolution of the human being… if you’re a good actor you bring all that you have lived. I was quite callow in those years and, 50 years later, I have more depth, having lived, and I’d hopefully bring something more.”

What do you think? Did Captain Kirk convince you to start considering your own elder care? Are you now terrified of hippos? Let us know in the comments!