Scotland Erupts in Culture War...Over Scotty

Scottish Cities Scuffle Over 'Birthplace' of Star Trek Character

from AFP

It is an unusual spat to say the least: four places in Scotland all vying to be the recognised home of someone not even due to be born for another 200-plus years.

Nonetheless, a spat has broken out over boasting rights to fictional Star Trek engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott following the death last month of the actor who played him, James Doohan, The Times reported Tuesday.

Linlithgow, central Scotland, was first off the mark, claiming as its own the character from the science fiction series set two centuries into the future - the recipient of famous command "Beam me up, Scotty" - soon after Doohan's death.

Local councillor Willie Dunn told the newspaper that Linlithgow had "information" Scotty was supposed to have been born in the city in 2222, and that a plaque honouring him would be put up to boost tourism.

But now, the cities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Elgin have all made their own claims on the character.

Aberdeen believes Scotty was born there in 2220, citing a fan website which lists an episode in which the USS Enterprise's engineer refers to himself as an "Aberdeen pub crawler," or serial bar drinker.

Doohan, who died on July 20 aged 85, was open about the fact that his occasionally shaky Scottish accent was based on someone from Aberdeen he met during military service in Britain in World War II.

However, Edinburgh has its own claim, based on another website which lists Scotty's birthplace as "Edinburgh, Earth", while Elgin bases its boast on an interview with Doohan in which he supposedly names it as his character's home.

Linlithgow's Dunn, who has accused his city's rivals of "boldly clinging onto our coat-tails", had a solution, he told The Times.

"We should all agree to meet up in 2222 and see who was right," he said.