William Shatner hunts down Mashable editor for calling him a ‘teenage girl’
Star Trek actor William Shatner has shown he is not to be messed with on social media after calling out news site Mashable for calling him a ‘teenage girl’.
Mashable's jibe referred to Shatner asking musician Justin Bieber to follow him on Twitter – as tens of millions of Bieber’s teenage girl fans would historically do on a daily basis.
Shatner was not amused with the headline which was sparked with the following conversation.
@WilliamShatner followed
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) August 2, 2015
@justinbieber I sent you a DM
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) August 2, 2015
The low-key conversation saw Shatner ask Bieber to participate in a charity event. It didn’t go by unnoticed by Mashable which invoked the ire of the star with this headline.
Teen girl William Shatner asked Justin Bieber to follow him on Twitter: http://t.co/MKmJQkMH5L pic.twitter.com/2uUTwqC55i
— Mashable (@mashable) August 3, 2015
Less than an hour later Shatner set his sights on Mashable editor Lance Ulanoff who distanced himself from the headline.
@WilliamShatner Do not look at me. I did NOT write that headline. I will find who did and mail them to you.
— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) August 3, 2015
Ulanoff was apologetic.
@WilliamShatner I am mostly just muck. Never saw this, do not condone anyone calling my idol a "teen girl."
— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) August 3, 2015
Although it did little to placate Shatner.
@WilliamShatner The team assures me it was done with a wink and lots of love. No offense was intended.
— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) August 3, 2015
This particular incident goes to show how quickly insults or inaccuracies can reach the recipients in the age of social media.