Oh Myyy!

At the end of Star Trek V Captain Kirk tells Sulu to plot a course:  "Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning."  It seems that Sulu did not make it to Neverland.  Instead, he navigated himself right into cyberspace and has taken over the internet. 

Oh Myyy! is a paperback version of George Takei's journey from science fiction icon to social media superstar, and is a good read for anyone who enjoys humor, social activism, science fiction, and the occasional dirty joke. 

You know, I never thought of Mr. Sulu as a particularly funny guy, but I have to say, that George Takei has a very good sense of humor.  He is a fan and purveyor of the clever, the punny, and the parody, and treats them all as equally as he wants to see all people treated.  Aside from his obvious science fiction connections and interests, it is clear from this book that he feels a great deal of passion for human rights.  Of particular interest, from his own background, are gay rights and the stories of the Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during the Second World War.  "Uncle George" himself spent time in one of these camps, and he has worked hard to bring this story to the forefront of the public's attention (my only other encounter with this part of history was reading A Farewell to Manzanar in high school).  This is, obviously, not a stellar piece of tolerance and open-mindedness in American history, but it should not be ignored, or covered up.  So, much of Takei's internet presence is devoted to the musical, Allegiance, that is based on his own history.

Science fiction, cats, and musical theater.  Truly, George Takei is a Renaissance man.  In Oh Myyy! we see how he, personally, has both drawn attention to particular internet trends, as well as contributed to the popularity of bacon, cats, and the spreading of rumors and false news (unwittingly, of course).

This is a short book, but it is highly entertaining, and along with learning about the George Takei social media conglomerate (really, him, his husband, and a couple of interns), we see some interactions with the people behind Facebook--the men behind the curtain, as it were.

George Takei: actor, social media guru, activist, lover of musical theater, and the most popular senior citizen on the internet.  Hopefully we will have the pleasure of his presence for a long time to come.