Dear Buzz, We Think You’re Awesome, But Please No More Bad TV

Buzz, how could you?

At least that’s what I was thinking last night when, to my horror, I discovered that Buzz Aldrin was a contestant on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars. I know, I know, I caught on a little late in the game, but you have to understand that I ignore these shows for my own sanity/the safety of everyone within remote-chucking distance. Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never be early for LOST again.

So picture, if you will, the complete look of WTF?! that swept across my face as I watched a legend stand along side the likes of the Gosselin mom under neon lights and a disco ball. I still shudder just thinking about it. This guy has movies dedicated to his career. He’s a character in Toy Story for crying out loud.

(More on Techland: Toy Story 3, the trailer: The Greatest Movie Trilogy of All Time?)

I understand that shows like DWTS are extremely popular (not that I get their appeal), and I’m sure that they do wonders for the careers of washed up boy band members and former reality TV stars, but I just have to gripe when famous astronauts join their ranks. I guess I just don’t understand what happened here. Did his agent misread the show’s description?

Stars? Oh, like space. Moon walking? Well, that’s perfect!

(More on Techland: The Astronaut Interview: Of iPods, Thunderstorms and Alarm Clocks in Space)

Fun fact: I met Mr. Aldrin about two years ago. I was ecstatic. I was only one degree from the moon. (The moon, you guys.) Now, I’ve got to add some dancing reality show to my Via Aldrin Web? … But I don’t want to. At the end of the episode, he was voted off the disco island and twirled his way through the closing credits to a standing ovation.

Dear Buzz: If you want to be on TV, that’s great. But what about The Discovery Channel next time? Just a thought.

alejandra315

LOL great article :X
bignumone

Yes, that was very funny, but brings up something serious.
Buzz is right, of all things to cut, why space funding?
It seems we are funding all sorts of garbage but when it is something that will benefit the country technologically, our government sees no value.
Sure, if every aspect of government were being cut there is no complaint from me. But we are hiring 16,000 new IRS agents and bought Nancy a new private jet!
Tech people, stand and be noticed! Let the government know we need to push forward in technology, not lag further behind!
gminnj

Putting Buzz on may appear misguided, both for the show and for him, but let’s give the parties involved a little credit.

The showrunners put him on because he brings in older audience members who don’t know what a Pussycat Doll is. He’s a great American, a sweet guy, and he will help promote that anyone, at any age, can go out and have fun dancing.

Buzz gets to go have fun and be on tv, having everyone in his life tell him how great he looked and how fun it was to see him. He’s actually relevant again.

And he can promote HIS mission – the space program. Every time the guy was interviewed, he was careful to work in the phrase “the future.” He is not stuck in ’69 – inadvertant painful image alert – but forward-looking and trying to get Americans to believe that the space program’s best days can still be ahead.

Now, as a highly competitive person, I didn’t like him on the show: He had ZERO chance of winning!