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Actor and activist George Takei will speak in the Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas October 27. Perhaps the role for which Takei is best known is his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in Star Trek; since Star Trek he has appeared in dozens other films and shows (including my favorite, as the voice of Ricardio the Ice King’s heart in an episode of Adventure Time), even recently making his Broadway debut in the musical Allegiance. His cinematic popularity is eclipsed, however, by his activism and social media savvy. His 9.8 million Facebook fans and 1.8 million Twitter followers speak to his wide popularity, which he uses to bring awareness to social issues.
Awareness of social injustice for Takei began with the treatment he and his family received in 1942 from the US government as they and thousands other Japanese-Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes to internment camps. Two of these camps, Rohwer and Jerome, were built in Arkansas. Takei, a child at the time, was sent with his family to Rohwer, an experience he relates on an audio recording at the Rohwer heritage site. As he grew up and began his acting career, Takei involved himself in civil rights movements for Japanese-Americans and those of the LGBTQ community. He has been vocal about both promoting diversity in casting and fighting stereotyping in Hollywood. Takei approaches serious issues with a candor his fans appreciate, often bringing attention to important issues using sarcasm or tongue-in-cheek witticisms as he shares them through social media platforms.
Takei posts approximately 20 times a day, apparently using a scheduler, and an average post of his collects anywhere from several thousand to several hundred thousand likes, shares or other responses from his fans and followers. His posts feature a variety of trending stories, from parenting to workplace conditions and from technological advances to civil rights and legal fights. Additionally, as if to keep the mood light, he shares cute viral videos and amusing memes. His signature catchphrase, “oh myyy,” now a popular internet meme and hashtag, serves as a go-to comment for outlandish stories in his posts as well as the web address for his contact email, teamtakei@ohmyyy.gt.
Some seats remain, so buy your tickets now to listen to the comedic, amusing and insightful George Takei as he delivers a speech spanning his experiences from space to cyberspace and discusses relevant topics such as civil rights, culture and the upcoming election.
Banner photo credit:
“David Henry Hwang and George Takei discussing Allegiance at Columbia University in late 2015,”by Alex Lozupone is licensed under CC ASA 4.0
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