William Shatner's Riot Fest Rider Demands Are Hilariously Outrageous: DeLorean, Boat, and John Stamos Jersey

William Shatner is proving that age really is just a number. The 95-year-old Star Trek legend will be performing metal music at Chicago’s Riot Fest on September 20, 2026, and his rider demands are absolutely wild. We’re not talking about the typical bottled water and green room fruit platter here. Shatner’s asking for a boat renamed in his honor so he can captain the vessel, a DeLorean to transport him to the stage, and a dressing room themed as“Shatner’s Shag Shack.”The backstage demands include four feet of Polish sausage, eight pallets of Faygo soda, adoptable puppies to keep him company, and a Montreal Canadiens jersey signed by John Stamos. But it doesn’t stop there—he also wants to sing the national anthem at a Chicago baseball game and co-anchor the weather on local television.

What makes this story even better is the origin. Riot Fest founder Mike Petryshyn has been writing letters to Shatner for years, trying to convince him to perform at the festival. Apparently, this outrageous and hilarious rider is exactly what finally got Shatner to say yes. You have to admire the persistence, and you have to respect Shatner’s sense of humor. He’s not showing up to sleepwalk through a festival performance. The show will feature an intro video created by the metal band GWAR and will include plenty of fire breathers because, well, why not go big?

This whole situation tells you everything about William Shatner’s personality and his approach to entertainment. The man hasn’t lost his spark or his sense of humor. He’s still finding ways to be bold, creative, and entertaining. At an age when most people are thinking about retirement, Shatner’s embracing metal music and demanding DeLoreans. That’s the kind of spirit that keeps life interesting. Are you planning to catch this performance, or do you think Shatner’s taking things a little too far with the rider demands?