The stone was eventually auctioned for $75,000. The episode was released on October 7, 2026. Most people who pass a kidney stone would happily never see it again, but William Shatner’s experience took an unexpected turn. The Star Trek actor’s small black kidney stone, which he assumed had been discarded after removal, became an unusual fundraising item when a Canadian gambling company expressed interest in buying it. Combined with a contribution from his Boston Legal co-stars, the proceeds helped provide a home in Louisiana for a family of five. Nearly two decades later, Shatner revisited the story on Dropping Names …and other things with Brent & Jonny, hosted by fellow Star Trek actors Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes.
Shatner said the funds helped provide a home in Louisiana for a family of five. Recalling the outcome on the podcast, the actor said he believed the family was still living in the house the last time he checked. The money raised through the auction and the cast’s contribution went to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organisation that helps people access safe and affordable housing. His account brought the story back to its central purpose: using an unusual fundraising opportunity to help people secure a place to live.
Its collection reportedly included a partially eaten cheese sandwich said to resemble the Virgin Mary. The company behind the unusual proposal was GoldenPalace.com, an online casino known for acquiring bizarre objects as publicity stunts. For GoldenPalace.com, the purchase offered an unconventional way to attract attention. Shatner explained that the company faced restrictions on conventional advertising and was looking for alternative ways to generate publicity. Buying a celebrity’s kidney stone provided a distinctive story that attracted media coverage.