In case anyone missed the news on Tuesday, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that passed in November that revoked the right for gay couples to marry in the state. However, even though the Supreme Court upheld Prop 8, they also ruled that all of the gay couples who had married before the election would be remain legally married. Which is a very strange legal argument, and I’m not any kind of lawyer. The court is basically saying that they’ll uphold the will of the majority with the passage of Prop 8, but no harm, no foul on the thousands of married gay couples.

After Prop 8 was passed in November, many celebrities spoke out about gay marriage rights. People like Tom Hanks, Ellen Degeneres (who married Portia de Rossi before Prop 8’s passage) and Chris Evans (amongst many, many others) all spoke out, most likely in the hopes of influencing not only popular opinion about gay marriage, but to also influence the California political establishment. Now that the CA Supreme Court upheld the majority of Prop 8, we have a line of celebrities coming out again. Ellen DeGeneres, Lance Bass, and Melissa Etheridge were among the first gay celebrities to speak out:

“The decision to uphold Prop 8 is deeply disappointing,” former *NSYNC band member Lance Bass wrote in a statement to Access Hollywood. “I can only hope to one day live in a country that grants equal rights, opportunity, and freedom to all citizens.”

“I’m sure you heard the Prop 8 news. One day when everyone is treated with full equality, we’ll look back and realize how wrong this was,” Ellen DeGeneres said in a statement to Access.

Melissa Etheridge, who has been very vocal about the passing of Prop 8, also released a statement to Access over the ruling.

“So, will anyone be sleeping better tonight? Those full of hate and fear will surely be disappointed that 18,000 same sex couples will be living in wedded bliss, kissing their spouses goodnight, checking off those little ‘married’ boxes on all those forms we fill out nowadays. That’s really going to drive them crazy,” Melissa said in her statement.

Melissa, who planned to legally marry her longtime partner, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels, said the ruling was tough on her family.

[From Access Hollywood]

Also speaking out after the Supreme Court ruling was Elton John, who told a Canadian television show that the ruling was “just awful… California is supposed to be a progressive state [and] it just defies logic to me, and I’m very disappointed with that.”

George Takei, star of Star Trek and one of the thousands of gay Californians to marry before Prop 8’s passage, also spoke out (to TV Guide), saying: “They decided to be indecisive… It was a ruling that doesn’t resolve anything because there is still inequality. It’s like [George Orwell's Animal Farm] — some pigs are more equal than other pigs. We’re more equal than some of the other gays and lesbians. This Supreme Court, which only 12 months ago — last year in May — ruled that it is a fundamental constitutional right that marriage equality extend to gays and lesbians, did a flip-flop. This so-called ruling by the California Supreme Court will ultimately be condemned by history. [It] is going to be the same song and dance over again, but by that time, I think the vote will have changed and we will prevail.”

I’m sure in the days to come, more celebrities will be speaking out on this issue. My guess, and the guess of many who watch California politics, is that a measure in some form repealing Prop 8 will be put on the ballot for California’s 2010 election, and the California gay community will pour millions of dollars into a huge ad campaign to win their marriage rights. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Here are photos of celebrities marching against Prop 8 yesterday including Drew Barrymore, Pete Wentz, Emmy Rossum, Sophia Bush, Eliza Dushku, Kathy Griffin, Luke Worrall, Kelly Osbourne, Perez Hilton, Shanna Moakler, Lance Bass, Haylie Duff and Emmy Rossum. Credit: WENN.com. Photos of Drew Barrymore credit: Fame Pictures

I’m not sure if William Shatner is actually crazy, or it is a persona he’s created to play upon his on screen roles, but this particular rant on YouTube adds fuel to the ‘time for some psychological help’ fire.

William, who wasn’t invited to fellow Trekkie George Takei’s wedding and was left out of a role in the latest film (due to his character’s death) decides to rant on George Takei, telling an interviewer that he doesn’t understand why George had to tell the media all about not inviting him to his wedding, and that he wasn’t fun to work with due to ego issues.

“There’s such a sickness there, it’s so painfully obvious that there’s a psychosis there, I don’t know what his original thing about me was, I have no idea, I didn’t read his book that was printed many years ago…

“I didn’t know him very well on the series, he’d come in for a day or two, as evidenced by the role he played…

“He was obviously hiding his sexuality…

“There must be something else inside George that is festering, and it makes him so unhappy that he takes it out on me, in effect a total stranger.

“Why would he go out of his way to denigrate me?

“It’s sad, I feel nothing but pity for him.”

[Transcribed from interview with William Shatner, shown above]

Will, he’s basically said nothing about you, and called the feud ‘media hype’. As you point out yourself, you barely knew each other, so why would he invite you to his wedding?

As to George’s comments on William Shatner’s on-set Star Trek antics, those comments have been echoed by other co-stars, so I’m beginning to think that he might have been something of an ass.

The new Star Trek film, directed by J.J Abrams of Armageddon fame, is coming out in May 2009 and is a prequel to the earlier films. My resident Trekkie says that odd numbered films ‘suck’ and even ones are good, but this film is the eleventh Star Trek film so we could be in to break the ‘curse’. I’m not sure what is going to end the curse within my own house, however.

J.J. Abrams says the new film promotes unity.

“I think a movie that shows people of various races working together and surviving hundreds of years from now is not a bad message to put out right now,” he says. “In a world where a movie as incredibly produced as ‘The Dark Knight’ is raking in gazillions of dollars, ‘Star Trek’ stands in stark contrast. It was important to me that optimism be cool again.”

Associated Press

Abrams also says ‘my favorite thing is turning on YouTube and seeing William Shatner talk to me,’ commenting on Will’s YouTube rants.

Check out some pictures of the young Spock and company. The new Star Trek movie directed by JJ Abrams is due for release in the US in May of next year.

William Shatner and his wife Elizabeth are shown below at the “5th Annual Runway For Life Benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital” on 10/11/08. Credit: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

In a spectacularly fabulous ceremony, George Takei married his partner of 21 years, Brad Altman, on Sunday at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The groom and groom were dressed alike in white dinner jackets and black pants. Hopefully the waiters were not.

Takei and Altman walked down the aisle together to “One Singular Sensation”.  I wish I would have thought of that when I got married.  I was bummed I didn’t see Muriel’s Wedding until after I got married because I would have made my dad walk me down the aisle to ABBA, but a song from A Chorus Line?  Too excellent!  My ex probably would have picked the tits and ass one, though, which, obviously, is why he’s my ex.

But, I digress.

At the altar, the wedding couple stood in a circle of yellow roses and lillies, where a Buddhist priest wed them in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.  They exchanged Native American wedding bands and walked out amongst cheers to the music of a Scottish bagpipe.  I think they had all their ethnic bases covered.

Takei, who is 71, and Altman, 54, wrote their own vows.

Altman said that he had called Takei many things during their two decades together — “life partner, significant other” — but that their marriage represented “a dream come true for me.”

“I can add ‘my husband’ to the list of things I call you,” he said.

Takei called his longtime partner an “organized, detail-obsessed, punctuality-driven control freak.”

“I’m easygoing with details, so we’re a good fit,” he said in the trademark baritone recognizable to all “Star Trek” and Howard Stern fans.

“I vow to care for you as you’ve cared for me … and to love you as my husband and the only man in my life,” Takei said as he held Altman’s hands.

The priest then pronounced them “spouses for life.”

[AP via Google News]

Star Trek alumn Walter Koenig (Cmdr. Chekov) and Nichelle Nichols (Cmdr. Uhura) were the couple’s Best Man and Best Lady.

And no, I’m not going to make the Live Long and Prosper joke.

I can’t explain why, but gay love makes me really happy. Significantly happier than straight love. Perhaps it’s the romantic in me, and the fact that they have to overcome so many obstacles. Which is the same reason I love inspirational sports movies. Obstacles suck, but make for a better storyline. Now that gay marriage is happening in California, many longtime couples are finally getting hitched, including a few famous ones.

Star Trek’s George Takei and his boyfriend of 21 years, Brad Altman, have taken out a marriage license in preparation for their September wedding.

Takei, 71, tells ET that his 54-year-old partner Brad proposed to him as the two were eating, just after the news was announced that the California Supreme Court had legalized marriage for same-sex couples. “He said George, will you marry me? And I said, ‘Darn it,’ with my mouth full, ‘I meant to do that, you beat me to it,’” Takei said.

The couple, who have been together for more than 21 years, arrived to a throng of reporters at West Hollywood’s auditorium and were first in line to pay $70 for a marriage license during a ceremony to honor same-sex couples.

Takei, who played Sulu in the “Star Trek” series, said a few of his TV co-stars will take pary in the wedding, planned for September 14th. “Our best man is going to be my colleague from “Star Trek,” WALTER KOENIG, who played Chekov, and the matron of honor is NICHELLE NICHOLS, who played Uhura.”

[From Entertainment Tonight]

Aww! That’s all I can say. It makes me all smushy inside. Supposedly George and Brad have created a nice bit of gossip drama by refusing to invite William Shatner to their wedding. But really, who would want such a scene stealer around on your big day? I can’t really blame them.

Here’s George Takei and Brad Altman receiving their marriage license in West Hollywood yesterday. Images thanks to WENN. Header video thanks to RedLasso.

Ellen Degeneres isn’t the only celebrity Californian to announce she’ll marry her partner after the state became the second in the union to legalize same sex marriage. George Takei, best known for his role on Star Trek as Sulu, has announced on his website that he will marry his partner of 21 years, Brad Altman:

The California Supreme Court has ruled that all Californians have a fundamental right to marry the person he or she loves. Brad and I have shared our lives together for over 21 years. We’ve worked in partnership; he manages the business side of my career and I do the performing. We’ve traveled the world together from Europe to Asia to Australia. We’ve shared the good times as well as struggled through the bad. He helped me care for my ailing mother who lived with us for the last years of her life. He is my love and I can’t imagine life without him. Now, we can have the dignity, as well as all the responsibilities, of marriage. We embrace it all heartily.

The California Supreme Court further ruled that our Constitution provides for equal protection for all and that it cannot have marriage for one group and another form - domestic partnership - for another group. No more “separate but equal.” No more second-class citizenship. Brad and I are going to be married as full citizens of our state.

[From GeorgeTakei.com]

It’s about time that same sex couples had the right to marry. Can you imagine not being able to see your long term partner in the hospital, or being told that you had no right to inherit after the person you spent most of your life with passed away? That’s what many same sex couples face, and it must be a scary situation that a lot of people have to plan for when they don’t have the right to marry. Now there are two states where same sex couples are recognized and have the same legal rights.

Congratulations to George and Brad for being able to make it official! 21 years is a long time to wait.

George Takei is 71, but he looks like he’s in his early 50s to me. Takei has several cameos in upcoming comedies and he keeps busy with speaking and convention appearances. He recently appeared on Heroes as the character Hiro’s father. He’s also an incredibly good sport, and has gone on the Howard Stern show multiple times and laughed through all the jokes at his expense. Takei was a guest announcer on Howard Stern for a week this March, and credits Stern for helping revive his career.

Thanks to Trekmovie.com for the header image and details for this story. Other details from Wikipedia.

Sometimes a star has something that I am crazy jealous of, like Reese Witherspoon’s Oscar dress. I am crazy jealous of this, as I could never get close to having something this cool named after me.

Star Trek actor George Takei has been chosen as the namesake of the asteroid formerly known as the 1994 GT9.

The asteroid, located between Mars and Jupiter, has been renamed 7307 Takei in honour of the actor, who is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek series.

“I am now a heavenly body,” Takei said today, laughing.

“I found out about it yesterday. … I was blown away. It came out of the clear, blue sky - just like an asteroid.”

The celestial rock, discovered by two Japanese astronomers in 1994, joins the 4659 Roddenberry (named for the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry) and the 68410 Nichols (for co-star Nichelle Nichols, who played Lieutenant Uhura).

Sydney Morning Herald

Now, I know you can have naming rights to stars – you can buy them at your local observatory. The Auckland observatory claim you can actually see the star you adopt, but that’s just probably because the stars you can see from new Zealand aren’t popular. They certainly aren’t as cool as having an asteroid named after you because you used to pretend to be on a space ship - the star ship Enterprise - which also has an asteroid named after it.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) point out that purchasing or adopting a star means very little in their community, but being given one by them means that astronomers themselves will use the name given.

Whoever discovers an asteroid, for you amateur stargazers out there, has ten years to give it a name. After that the IAU consider other suggestions, where it strongly warns against names in questionable taste, or military and political leaders less than 100 years dead. I guess George Bush has a few years before we can hurtle him through the universe…

In case you were wondering, some other famous names to grace our skies include Elvis, Lennon, McCartney, and Shakespeare.

And that’s your daily dose of space trivia.

For those of you who, like myself, aren’t Star Trek fans, George Takei is now seen on Heroes, as Hiro Nakamura’s father.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Header image is not Takei’s specific asteroid, and was found at Space-Travel.com. Picture of George Takei via MSNBC.