George Takei to counsel Trump at gay marriage lunch
George Takei will tackle Donald Trump’s views on gay marriage over a lunch, the Star Trek actor has said.
The actor and activist who was voted off Trump’s US Celebrity Apprentice show at the weekend, will aim to reverse the billionaire’s opposition to marriage equality over a civilised meal.
He tweeted: “Donald Trump has accepted my lunch invitation to hear me out on same-sex marriage. Hope I can change his mind! #OneStateOnePersonAtaTime”.
The Daily News said Takei had said to Trump in a phone call made in front of reporters: “Next time I’m in New York, Mr. Trump, I might take you to Jean Georges for lunch, and maybe we can discuss marriage equality.”
Twice-divorced Trump reportedly told Takei, who married his partner in California before equal marriage rights were revoked by Proposition 8: “You would be the perfect guy to teach me. You have a deal.”
Takei described to PinkNews.co.uk the moment he heard of the 2008 Californian Supreme Court ruling which struck down a constitutional gay marriage ban: “We knew a ruling was coming and so Brad [Altman] and I had the news on all the time. We were having lunch as a matter of fact, when there was breaking news. I’d been planning on asking him, but when the news came on CNN I had a mouthful of sandwich. Brad got down at that moment and said, ‘George would you marry me?’ I was like: ‘Darn it! You beat me to it!’”
After flirting with a bid to run as the Republican presidential candidate in this year’s US elections, Trump endorsed gay marriage opponent Mitt Romney last month.
Takei told the paper: “I’m looking forward to the lunch.
“I really was serious. I think Mr. Trump is a decent, fair-minded guy, and I think we can have a very good discussion.”
He added: “I want to listen to his views and respond specifically to his concerns. The sense I get in my bones is that he’s a decent, sophisticated guy. I’m sure he knows many people who are gay or lesbian.”
