George Takei Releases New Book LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS (THE INTERNET STRIKES BACK)

Actor, activist, and social media icon George Takei publishes his newest book, Lions and Tigers and Bears (The Internet Strikes Back), the much anticipated follow up to his best-selling book, Oh Myyy (There Goes the Internet).

Released earlier this week in a full paperback edition and electronically just prior to Christmas, Lions and Tigers and Bears caps another year at the top of the Internet, with more hilarious compilations and commentary on the best memes in the galaxy, covering everything from Admiral Ackbar to Siri to Grumpy Cat.

In this groundbreaking book, Takei reveals that his reign isn't all fun and LOLs, chronicling the "dark side" of the Net - how he has battled the haters, spammers and trolls, and even how some of his once-loyal fans were quick to turn on him. Takei's musings on the nature of our increasingly connected world - why people share, what it really means, and how the developing world gets the true value of social media - is required reading for anyone trying to understand and leverage its power.

Takei has used his own vast powers as a social media juggernaut for the good of humanity both at home and abroad. Recently, he has taken on the forces of inequality and LGBT oppression in Putin's Russia and the Sochi Olympics while maintaining his full-throated advocacy for marriage equality in the United States, proving that "Uncle George" is not just fabulously funny, but an emphatic champion for social justice.

With a career spanning five decades, George Takei is known around the world for his founding role in the acclaimed television series Star Trek, in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise. Takei starred in three seasons of Star Trek and later reprised his iconic role in six movies.

Mashable named Takei the #1 most-influential person on Facebook (2012) after garnering the #1 Twitter Feed from Buzzfeed (2011). Today, Takei counts more than 5.5 million followers on Facebook and nearly 1 million on Twitter. "Oh Myyy! (There Goes the Internet), released in e-book and paperback earlier in 2013, ranked #10 on the New York Times E-book nonfiction list.

Takei is featured in the comedy film Larry Crowne, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, released in July 2011 by Universal Pictures.

Takei also starred in the action-comedy series Supah Ninjas, which premiered in April 2011 on Nickelodeon and recently was the voice of S.T.E.V.E. in Freebirds, an animated film starring Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson.

Takei and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga will star in a new musical called Allegiance, an epic story of love, family and heroism during the Japanese American internment. Allegiance's successful world premiere run at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego will be followed by a Broadway engagement.

Takei's on-camera television credits also include guest appearances on The Neighbors, Hawaii Five-0, The New Normal, Malcolm in the Middle, Scrubs, Miami Vice, MacGyver, Hawaii Five-0, The Six Million Dollar Man, Mission: Impossible, My Three Sons, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and The Twilight Zone. He has appeared on The Big Bang Theory, Psych, 3rd Rock from the Sun and Will & Grace.

Takei has brought his voiceover talent to hundreds of characters in film, television, video games and commercials during his prolific career. In film, Takei can be heard voicing characters in such films as Mulan, Mulan II and Batman Beyond: The Movie. He has voiced characters for numerous animated series including The Simpsons, Scooby-Do and the Samurai Sword, Transformers: Animated, Kim Possible, Futurama, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Hey Arnold!, Samurai Jack, Hercules, Spider-Man, The Smurfs and George Lucas' Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Adding to his resume, Takei has provided narration on many projects including the 2009 PBS series The National Parks: America's Best Idea, the 2006 Peabody Award-winning radio documentary, Crossing East, centered on the history of Asian American immigration to the United States and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (cassette) which garnered Takei a 1987 Grammy Award nomination for Best Spoken Word Album.

In addition to a busy acting career, Takei regularly appears on Howard Stern's Sirius XM satellite radio show.

Takei, a Japanese American who from age 4 to 8 was unjustly interned in two U.S. internment camps during World War II, is an outspoken supporter of human right issues and community activist. Takei is chairman emeritus and a trustee of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Takei has served as the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign "Coming Out Project," and was cultural affairs chairman of the Japanese American Citizens League. He was appointed to the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission by former President Clinton and the government of Japan awarded Takei the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contribution to U.S. - Japanese relations. The decoration was conferred by His Majesty, Emperor Akihito, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In 2007, Asteroid 7307 Takei, located between Mars and Jupiter, was named in the performer's honor in appreciation for his social work.

Takei currently lives in Los Angeles with his husband Brad Takei. They were married at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo on Sept. 14, 2008.

For more information go to www.georgetakei.com and for orders go to www.amazon.com.