Stewart: Picard or Xavier could kick Kirk's butt

Gauntlet flies at X-Men press conference

By Mike Whybark     October 21, 2002
Source: X-MEN 2 press conference

Ever wonder who would win the ultimate fanboy slugfest between Captains Kirk and Picard? Well franchise favorite Patrick Stewart, promoting his upcoming comic book-turned-feature film sequel X-MEN 2 at a Vancouver press conference, offered up the "final word" on the matter.

"I would like to make it absolutely clear that both Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier could kick Captain Kirk's butt," joked the TREK actor, who also portrays the wheelchair bound leader of the mutant superhero group The X-Men.

Stewart's remark concerning the butt-kicking came in the context of his comparing Xavier to Picard.

"Charles Xavier needs more time. Jean-Luc has had 16 years, and therefore more opportunities. With the same opportunities any studio people who are here perhaps we will see him develop as richly as Jean-Luc."

Turning to X-MEN 2's director, Bryan Singer, Stewart asked him to stand up and show what he was wearing. Singer revealed a tee-shirt promoting the upcoming STAR TREK: NEMESIS.

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