William Shatner Says Wil Wheaton ‘Must Need the Publicity’ After Bad Encounter Story

Taking to Twitter the 91-year-old wrote: “I have no recollection of this event. Others on set say it never happened.”

“I actually have apologized to him a few times even though I don’t remember it & he accepted my apology. Now that must also be forgotten? He must need the publicity for some project.”

Wil, in fact, is promoting a new book — an update to his 2004 memoir now titled “Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir.”

In an excerpt of the book obtained by Page Six, the former child star recalls shooting “Star Trek: The Next Generation” next door to “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” when he was 16 years old.

Wheaton describes summoning up his courage to march over to the movie set to find his hero but admitted “it took about eight steps for my confidence to evaporate.”

“So you’re the kid on that show?” Wheaton recalls Shatner saying.

When the young actor then tried to introduce himself and shake his hand, he claims Capt. James T. Kirk ignored the gesture.

“What is that, your spacesuit?” Wheaton asserts the legendary star said to him.

He then claims Shatner insisted the boy tell him what he did “over there” on TNG. When he described his role as an acting ensign who occasionally pilots the ship, he writes that Shatner responded by saying, “Well, I’d never let a kid come onto my bridge.”

A crushed Wheaton says he left the film set and returned to TNG, finding comfort with Brent Spiner (Data), Michael Dorn (Worf), and Jonathan Frakes (Captain William Riker).

But it allegedly didn’t stop there.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry supposedly called the teen to his office, as Wheaton claims he’d already heard about the encounter.

“Wil, Bill Shatner is an ass, don’t you worry about him, okay?” he recalls the legendary TV and film producer saying. “I am so proud to have you on my show. Don’t you ever forget that.”

The following morning a letter was waiting for Wheaton on his dressing room table.

Wheaton, now 49, writes that the envelope was addressed “To Master Wil Wheaton” and the return “From the Office of William Shatner.”

The message allegedly read, “Dear Wil, You are a fine young actor, and I would be honored to have you on my bridge any day. Sincerely yours, Bill.”

While it was typed, the signature Wil says was in ink.

Soon after Roddenberry called him, relaying, “I spoke with Bill Shatner yesterday, and he should be dropping a note off for you today.”

Of the scene, as remembered by Wheaton, it was an overwhelming moment.

“I couldn’t believe it,” the blogger recalled. “Gene Roddenberry, the Great Bird of the Galaxy and creator of ‘Star Trek,’ had called WILLIAM F–KING SHATNER, Captain James T. Kirk and director of ‘Star Trek V,’ and asked him to apologize to me, Wil Wheaton, 16-year-old acting ensign and drooling fanboy.”

“Of all the wonderful gifts Gene gave me across the years, that is one of the most fondly remembered, because I know that without Gene’s intervention that note would never have been written.”

“Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir” hits shelves and virtual stores April 12.