Asked on Twitter last night if he was aware that his Star Trek co-star and gay right activist George Takei “was a racist,” William Shatner defended the actor and called on the media to “stop the spin doctoring”:

I am positive that George is not a racist. Let's stop the spin doctoring. https://t.co/LiolPBqufN

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 2, 2015

Shatner added:

Knowing the recent vote, I'm sure he was just showing some outrage. https://t.co/UXbCzn59bY

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 2, 2015

Upset about an opinion by a magistrate that impedes a basic right. We all should be upset by the dissenting opinion. https://t.co/1PP1y1hHq9

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 2, 2015

Shatner was responding to the recent comments made by Takei in reference to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ dissent in the same-sex marriage case. “He is a clown in blackface sitting on the Supreme Court,” Takei said this week after Thomas claimed slaves “did not lose their dignity (any more than they lost their humanity) because the government allowed them to be enslaved.” Later, Takei doubled down, insisting he did not intend his own comments to be perceived as “racist.”

Curiously, Shatner’s defense comes despite a long-standing feud between the two actors. During an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher last year, Takei called Shatner “very self-centered” and described the “difficulty” of their working relationship. But then, in an interview with The New York Times Magazine last month, Takei said, “It’s all coming from Bill. Whenever he needs a little publicity for a project, he pumps up the so-called controversy between us.”

Watch Takei’s original comments below, via Fox 10 Phoenix:

[Photo via screengrab]

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