It's been one of the weirdest stories we've covered lately, and now it seems there's a conclusion. Last October, William Shatner passed an excruciatingly painful kidney stone (related story), and then the following month he announced on late-night TV that he would auction off that piece of himself on eBay for charity (related story). Well, the deal is done, and it's going to an online casino famed for its collection of oddities.

GoldenPalace.com paid $25,000 for the notorious specimen, and the entire amount will go to benefit Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for the needy.

"This takes organ donors to a new height, to a new low, maybe," Shatner said in an Associated Press article. "How much is a piece of me worth?"

The stone will join Golden Palace's other unusual collectibles such as a partially-eaten cheese sandwich presumably bearing the image of the Virgin Mary. "This is a bold new addition to our fleet," said Richard Rowe, CEO of the online casino.

On the GoldenPalace.com site, Shatner notes, "I retain visitation rights."

More about this story can be found on this CNN.com page, which includes a video segment of Shatner speaking with CNN's Showbiz Tonight.

Stewart's "Eleventh Hour" Premieres in U.K. Thursday

A new mystery mini-series starring Patrick Stewart premieres Thursday, January 19, at 9:00 p.m. on ITV1 in Great Britain. In Eleventh Hour, Stewart plays "Professor Ian Hood," a government scientist who chases down threats to society.

"Playing a man of science is no stretch for Patrick Stewart, and he brings all the authority of his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and 'The X-Men' to the part of a professor who investigates spooky goings-on for the British government," states a review in The Hollywood Reporter.

Four 90-minute episodes will air on consecutive Thursdays. Check your local listings. You can also visit Patrick Stewart Network for more info.

Creation's London Convention Postponed

This year's London "Sci-Fi Summit" convention by Creation Entertainment — originally scheduled for April 21-23 — has been postponed until further notice. "We apologize to everyone but we have been in discussions with a renowned (and hugely popular) actor to headline this event and we are still trying to get his very busy schedule to match up to the hotel's availability," Creation stated on their Web site. Those who have already purchased tickets may transfer them to the new date (when announced) and hold the same seats, or request a credit for future events or a full refund. Visit www.creationent.com for updates.

Virginia Madsen Teams with Jim Carrey

Virginia Madsen, the award-winning "Sideways" actress who appeared in Voyager's "Unforgettable" as "Kellin," has been cast opposite Jim Carrey in a new thriller called "The Number 23," reports Daily Variety.

Madsen is replacing Elizabeth Shue in the movie, which starts shooting, coincidentally, on the 23rd of January. Directed by Joel Schumacher, "23" is about a man who becomes obsessed with a book that seems to be about his life but ends with a murder, with the number 23 woven through the plot. The cast includes Rhona Mitra, who co-stars with William Shatner in Boston Legal.

Madsen will soon be seen opposite Harrison Ford in "Firewall," and then in "A Prairie Home Companion."

"Living in TV Land: William Shatner" Airs March 22

Speaking once again of Shatner — will this man ever slow down? — the bold captain has another new show coming up on the TV Land cable network. A new season of "Living in TV Land" premieres on Wednesday, March 22, with a 60-minute intimate look at Shatner's life. A TV Land press release calls it "television's first musical-reality hybrid show combining musical performances with segments exploring the reality of [Shatner's] everyday life."

Many of those segments include events covered by this site, including a Las Vegas Star Trek convention, the Hollywood Charity Horse Show and the Emmy Awards, along with other places where cameras followed Shatner, including the set of Boston Legal and the maternity ward where his grandchild was born. As bridges between segments, Shatner will perform comedic spoken-word, biographical songs from his album "Has Been," backed by his musical partner Ben Folds.

The special will feature appearances by Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew.

Did You See... George Takei's "Best Week Ever"?

In last weekend's episode of Best Week Ever on VH1, George Takei was the topic of a two-minute segment commenting on all his recent publicity (related story). The segment began, "When Star Trek's George Takei came out of the closet last year, it was pretty big news. But now, he's the guest announcer for the new Howard Stern Show. So put your phasers on 'Stunning.' George Takei is having the best week ever!"

They played footage of Takei announcing for the Stern show, interspersed with comments from Best Week's resident comedians. One said, "I mean, first he conquered the nerds on Star Trek, then he had the fan base with the gays when he came out in 2005-- And now, he's got the frat boys that beat up on the gays and the nerds!"

Takei himself appeared on the show, basically to make fun of himself. When another comedian commented, "C'mon, he's Sulu. He'll always be Sulu!" while making the Vulcan salute, Takei went into a mock tirade: "No!! I will not always be Sulu!! I'm George Takei, dammit! I am an actor! Now grow up!" Then the camera pans out, showing crew people wearing pointy ears and Starfleet uniforms. "And that goes for all of you!"

Then a Stormtrooper walks up with a cup of coffee saying, "Um, I think you ordered some pumpkin spice latte, Mr. Sulu?" "That's not even a Star Trek outfit!!" Takei huffed.