HUMOR FOR LIGHTYEARS
Quick— what do Tom Hanks, Bill Nye the Science Guy and Buzz Aldrin (whose real name is Edwin, by the way) have in common? Well… Hanks and Nye (sort of) are actors… Nye and Aldrin became famous via science… Aldrin went to the moon, and Hanks played an astronaut who was going to land on the moon, but had to circle around it and slingshot back to Earth instead…
Still scratching your head?
They actually all volunteer on the World Space Week Board of Directors. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to sit in on that board meeting? It sounds anything but boring. For those of you who don’t know, World Space Week is an annual “intentional celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition,” which begins on October 4 (the anniversary of Sputnik 1). Based on the week Nye had on Dancing with the Stars (injuring himself in a dance and then being voted off the show), I’m guessing he could use a good science pick-me-up. So, in honor of World Space Week (which runs until October 10), this Funny Friday, we’re bringing you five funny space-related videos.
5. Rocket Man, Nuns and Safety at NASA
Really, this entire movie is hilarious—but the best part in this clip by far is when they show the nuns and school children wandering around NASA unsupervised. Speaking of safety, that seems like a dangerous situation. Don’t let the habits fool you, NASA; they could be spies.
4. Space Camp Orientation… not really
Perhaps Legends of the Hidden Temple and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen made Space Camp more alluring than the actual commercial spots (“where science and math are fun”), but space camp was my childhood dream. Had Space Camp really been a mix between the Space race and the Terminator 2 3D: Battle Across Time (replacing cyborgs with children), I probably woudn’t have wasted hours trying to convince my parents to send me to Huntsville, Alabama for the experience of a lifetime.
Zedis Lapedis! I don’t know what’s better—the Superman-like flying at the end or the British voice-over repeatedly saying “carpet,” but I’m glad to know that sticky tape is still the go-to solution, even in zero gravity. Go tape!
2. Better Baseball than Bugs, the 2013 Sox and the 2013 Cubs
Going off these last two videos, Japanese astronauts have more fun than American astronauts (seriously, they have flying carpets AND solitary baseball). I’d like to see this guy go against Bugs Bunny (can you say #epic, or have Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake shamed us out of using hashtags outside of Twitter of Facebook?)!
1. This Interview Proves Buzz Aldrin is the BEST person on the PLANET
Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G), tried to break Buzz Aldrin (from calling him Buzz Lightyear to questioning the existence of the moon), but Aldrin never faltered. Seriously, this is the greatest space-related video ever (and probably Da Ali G Show’s best segment).
Cover Photo Source: Adam Evans via Wikimedia Commons
