Shatner: Conan 'Holds Me Close'

After he mockingly reads from her book, she returns favor

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin made a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien tonight—and turned the tables on actor William Shatner. Shatner mockingly read passages from Palin's blockbuster Going Rogue—including ones about rapper Kid Rock and stalking sheep. Afterward, it was Palin's turn to read from Shatner's Up Till Now. The former Alaska governor's selections included one in which Shatner talks about visiting an African elephant "in my underwear." After the readings, there appeared to be no hard feelings. The two left the stage arm-in-arm. More»

Conan O'Brien sorry for fake Tweets, but not too sorry

(NEWSER) - The Tonight Show got the last laugh on Levi Johnston. The soon-to-be Playgirl model threatened to sue if Conan O’Brien didn’t retract Wednesday’s poetry session, featuring William Shatner dramatically reading Levi’s supposed Tweets. So O'Brien admitted they were actually written by “a clever impostor posing as the witty Levi Johnston”—then brought Shatner back to read some “real, verified quotes.” Highlights: More»

William Shatner back on Conan for dramatic reading of Johnston's posts

(NEWSER) - Only a dramatic reading by William Shatner can give Levi Johnston’s tweets the gravity they truly deserve. Shatner visited The Tonight Show yesterday to poeticize Twitter gems such as, “Maybe I’m a genius and not even know it. Maybe I don’t exist and it only seems like I do. Maybe this is a parallel universe where I don’t,” and the follow-up, “Anybody know where I can get some good weed?” Watch the video at left. More»

This time, drawn from her Twitter feed

(NEWSER) - After realizing Sarah Palin’s incoherent resignation address was not actually a speech but rather poetry, Conan O’Brien started investigating her Twitter feed. “Some people have found her tweets to be a little rambling, confusing, and off-topic,” O’Brien said on last night’s Tonight Show, but that’s because “these are not tweets. This is beautiful free verse!” Once again, “master thespian” William Shatner did the honors. Watch the clip at left. More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin’s farewell speech may have sounded like random meandering gibberish, but it was actually random meandering performance poetry, Conan O’Brien explained last night on NBC's Tonight Show. To celebrate her obvious gifts, he enlisted William Shatner for a Beat-style reading—and yes, it's as amazing as you suspect. See the video at left. More»