Most people who pass a kidney stone would happily never see it again, but William Shatner’s experience took an unexpected turn.
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experience → pass → turn
The Star Trek actor’s small black kidney stone, which he assumed had been discarded after removal, became an unusual fundraising item when a Canadian gambling company expressed interest in buying it.
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company → assume → it
The stone was eventually auctioned for $75,000.
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stone → auction → 75,000
Combined with a contribution from his Boston Legal co-stars, the proceeds helped provide a home in Louisiana for a family of five.
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proceeds → combine → five
Nearly two decades later, Shatner revisited the story on Dropping Names ...and other things with Brent & Jonny, hosted by fellow Star Trek actors Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes.
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Shatner → revisit → actors
The episode was released on October 7, 2026.
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episode → release → October
An offer William Shatner couldn't quite refuse
The company behind the unusual proposal was GoldenPalace.com, an online casino known for acquiring bizarre objects as publicity stunts.
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company → refuse → stunts
Its collection reportedly included a partially eaten cheese sandwich said to resemble the Virgin Mary.
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collection → include → Mary
When the casino approached Shatner, he checked with his doctor to see whether the kidney stone had been retained.
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stone → approach → doctor
Fortunately, it had.
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it → have → ?
What had once been a painful medical problem now offered an unexpected opportunity to raise money for charity.
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been → offer → charity
According to accounts of the 2006 transaction, the casino initially offered $15,000, which Shatner declined.
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Shatner → accord → which
The offer subsequently rose to $25,000.
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offer → rise → 25,000
Recognising the publicity potential of the deal, Shatner sought $75,000, and the company agreed.
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company → recognise → 75,000
The stone was later auctioned through Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles.
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stone → auction → Angeles
The fundraising effort also involved his Boston Legal co-stars.
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effort → involve → stars
Shatner recalled their contribution as $25,000 during his recent podcast appearance, although his account in 2006 put the figure at $20,000.
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account → recall → 20,000
Depending on which account is used, the combined total was either $100,000 or $95,000.
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total → depend → ?
The kidney stone became an unlikely publicity stunt
Shatner found humour in the unusual transaction, joking about the stone's size and the idea of turning it into jewellery.
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Shatner → become → jewellery
His willingness to laugh at himself helped make the story memorable, while the charitable purpose gave the sale significance beyond its novelty.
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purpose → laugh → novelty
For GoldenPalace.com, the purchase offered an unconventional way to attract attention.
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purchase → offer → attention
Shatner explained that the company faced restrictions on conventional advertising and was looking for alternative ways to generate publicity.
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company → explain → publicity
Buying a celebrity's kidney stone provided a distinctive story that attracted media coverage.
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that → buy → coverage
The company reportedly planned to display the stone on tour, turning the medical curiosity into a promotional attraction.
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company → plan → attraction
Meanwhile, the sale became part of a wider effort to support affordable housing.
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sale → become → housing
How the money helped a family in Louisiana
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money → help → Louisiana
The money raised through the auction and the cast's contribution went to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organisation that helps people access safe and affordable housing.
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people → raise → housing
Shatner said the funds helped provide a home in Louisiana for a family of five.
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funds → say → five
Recalling the outcome on the podcast, the actor said he believed the family was still living in the house the last time he checked.
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he → recall → house
His account brought the story back to its central purpose: using an unusual fundraising opportunity to help people secure a place to live.
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people → bring → place
The initiative brought together the casino's publicity ambitions, Shatner's willingness to part with an unusual personal possession and his co-stars' support for the cause.
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initiative → bring → cause
Together, their contributions helped turn an extraordinary auction into practical housing assistance.
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contributions → turn → assistance
The sale took place while Shatner was starring in Boston Legal, which ran from 2004 to 2008.
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which → take → 2008
He played attorney Denny Crane alongside James Spader, who portrayed Alan Shore.
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who → play → Shore
The series combined courtroom drama with comedy and became another notable chapter in Shatner's long career.
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series → combine → career
The Aporia
