Roddenberry Son Talks 'Trek Nation'

Rod Roddenberry, son of the late Gene Roddenberry, has spoken about the upcoming documentary Trek Nation.

""One of the ideas behind the documentary is to explore how far Star Trek has gone, how many cultures it's touched, how many boundaries it's pierced," Roddenberry told SyFy Portal. "Finding out day after day about different countries, different kinds of people who have found this idea, and that it's permeated in so many places, it says something."

In contrast to the Trekkies documentary, which took a comical look at Trek fandom, Roddenberry said Trek Nation will be different. "You like Star Trek? That's nerdy, that's dumb," said Roddenberry, giving examples of some people's perceptions to Star Trek. However, he doesn't agree. "When you look at the people who were inspired by Star Trek, look at where they are now, look at what it's done for them ... it's done a lot more than what any politician has, and more than what some parents have. It's not the best thing in the world, but I'm so amazed that a TV show has inspired so many people in a powerful way, that it's changed their life for the better."

Reflecting on his father, Roddenberry is under no illusions. "I think a good chunk of (the negative things about Gene) were true," he said. "My father was a human being, he was the producer of Star Trek. When someone submitted a script, when it didn't fit my father's vision or the budget, my father rewrote it. I know he did drugs, I know that he had affairs, but the fact that he was flawed makes me love him more. My father proved that anyone can do this, anyone can accomplish what he did."

The full interview can be found here at SyFy Portal.

The official website for the Trek Nation documentary can be found here, and has recently been updated with a trailer.

Roddenberry.com is offering the chance for fans to donate Trek scripts to troops currently at war in Iraq.

"In the last couple of years working here at Roddenberry.com, I've come across quite a few duplicates of shooting scripts from all the Star Trek series," said Eugene W. Roddenberry. "I have since been trying to figure out what to do with them. In some cases, I've simply handed them out as door prizes at conventions.

"However, I have recently spoken to a few individuals in the military who have expressed their interest in Star Trek, and have also informed me that military personnel enjoy reading during downtime. With this information, I have decided to donate our excess of scripts to the coalition forces in Iraq."

The service costs $1, and fans can choose to add their name to a letter which will be sent with a script overseas.

You can find out more here at Roddenberry.com.

Thanks to SyFy Portal!

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