NASA to unveil space station name on Colbert show

[Sara_Paris 0]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – NASA's sense of humor is being put to the test. The US space agency is facing a serious dilemma after a popular television comedian, Stephen Colbert, hijacked an online contest sponsored by NASA to pick a name for a new module on the International Space Station.

 

Colbert's suggestion for a name? His own.

 

His victory may have had something to do with his repeated appeals to fans of his show, "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, to vote for him.

 

With the help of his fans -- called the "Colbert Nation" -- the comedian's name easily won the "Help Name Node 3" online poll at nasa.gov, rocketing past NASA suggestions "Earthrise," "Legacy," "Serenity" and "Venture."

 

NASA announced on Friday that astronaut Sunita Williams will unveil the name on Tuesday on "The Colbert Report."

 

The space agency declined to reveal the name until the show and is not obliged to bow to popular demand.

 

The contest rules state that while NASA will take into consideration the results of the voting they are "not binding" and it "reserves the right to ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests of the agency."

 

Whatever the outcome, Bill Gerstenmaier, an associate administrator at NASA, said the contest had helped raise awareness about the space station.

 

"We received more than a million entries, in large part because social media websites and television programs, such as 'The Colbert Report,' took an interest," he said

 

The Emmy award-winning comedian for his part is making it clear where he stands.

 

"I certainly hope NASA does the right thing," Colbert said in a statement. "Just kidding, I hope they name it after me."

 

Colbert, who branched off for his own smash-hit news satire show after nearly eight years as a correspondent for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," has enjoyed plenty of success in the past getting things named after his egocentric character.

 

In 2007 ice cream makers Ben & Jerry created a flavor in his honor called "Americone Dream," and billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin America airline named one of its airplanes "Air Colbert."

 

In one of his first triumphs, Colbert in 2006 managed to get a bridge in Hungary named after him. After he won an online contest, the country's ambassador appeared on his late-night show to announce the news. The government later overruled the vote, however.

 

I'm sick of Stephen Colbert he's not funny.

[Jack_Bauer 1]

Well, if they're going on the show, I sure hope they have decided to name it after Colbert. I realize it doesn't fit with the other names but NASA should have realized that this was possible when they opened it up to a vote. Besides, it's not as if Colbert is the only one who "hijacked" the process. Serenity only finished second because of those damn Browncoats.

[oldfan1 0]

Serenity was the best of the NASA names suggested but I did a write in suggestion to call it the Asimov module. I thought it was appropriate, besides science fiction he wrote books and articles on science for ordinary people.

 

I do like the idea of calling the new toilet facility on the space station the Colbert.

[Jack_Bauer 1]

Well, unfortunately Colbert did not get the node (but neither did Serenity) as NASA went with Tranquility, which wasn't even one of the original options and finished eighth in the voting.

 

Anyway, Colbert still got something pretty cool. The:

 

Combined

Operational

Load

Bearing

External

Resistance

Treadmill

 

Much better than the toilet.

[oldfan1 0]

Much better than the toilet.

 

But Colbert is a comedian, the toilet would have been funnier.

[Voyager recruit 0]

With all respect to Colbert, come on...this is our space station we are talking about-our mark on the heavens...our next steps into space..and someone wants to even consider naming some important part of it after a comedian? Not a scientist, an engineer, a great author like the legendary Isaac Asimov? There are plenty of options. Please! That sort of thing is better fit for something in the man's home town or something....not this grand a venture. Political satirist is still a satirist. As for a toliet...is that really necessary?

Edited April 15, 2009 by Voyager recruit

[GhostofMajorHayes 10]

With all respect to Colbert, come on...this is our space station we are talking about-our mark on the heavens...our next steps into space..and someone wants to even consider naming some important part of it after a comedian? Not a scientist, an engineer, a great author like the legendary Isaac Asimov? There are plenty of options. Please! That sort of thing is better fit for something in the man's home town or something....not this grand a venture. Political satirist is still a satirist. As for a toliet...is that really necessary?

 

I agree with you completely, buddy.

[Jack_Bauer 1]

With all respect to Colbert, come on...this is our space station we are talking about-our mark on the heavens...our next steps into space..and someone wants to even consider naming some important part of it after a comedian? Not a scientist, an engineer, a great author like the legendary Isaac Asimov? There are plenty of options. Please! That sort of thing is better fit for something in the man's home town or something....not this grand a venture. Political satirist is still a satirist. As for a toliet...is that really necessary?

Obviously, Colbert is not the most appropriate name for a node of the I.S.S. I won't dispute that. I don't think even Colbert would dispute that (the real Colbert, not the character he plays on his show). However, NASA was stupid enough to make it possible for someone to hijack this contest by not having a write in component that occurred before the actual voting, or for that matter for even having a write-in component. At least they covered their butts with the rule stating that they didn't need to respect the results.

It is good, however, that they gave Colbert something (especially something better than the toilet, which is just disrespectful to someone who has done nothing to garner such disrespect) as he created free publicity for NASA by launching this effort. This story got way more interest than it would have had Colbert not attempted to get the node named after him. Actually, in hindsight, I hope this is what NASA was actually trying to achieve.

[TJ Phaserman 2]

i just kinda think it's almost ridiculously funny that in the last few years he's managed to achieve, his own tv show, voice acting in a cartoon or two, become president of the united states in a comic book....then fighting obama in a iron man comic...then this. i mean is he really trying to become a notable person in history?

[Wishfire 2]

...then fighting obama in a iron man comic...

 

Um... what? Where was this?

[Jack_Bauer 1]

i just kinda think it's almost ridiculously funny that in the last few years he's managed to achieve, his own tv show, voice acting in a cartoon or two, become president of the united states in a comic book....then fighting obama in a iron man comic...then this. i mean is he really trying to become a notable person in history?

He was voice acting before he got The Colbert Report (and he is really good at it, great voice) and he didn't become President in Marvel Comics (where his real life 'campaign' continued after he dropped out in real life). He won the popular vote but still lost the electoral vote to Obama. I am also not familiar with him fighting Obama in Iron Man. I know he fought "The Bear" in a team-up with Spider-Man.

 

The thing is, I don't know how much of this was ever really him trying to do this. Or really, how seriously he was trying. The whole Presidential thing was just a joke (only running in the South Carolina primary as both a Democrat and a Republican) based on how people always mention him and Stewart as potential candidates and Marvel just sort of kept running with it as an Easter Egg.

 

Also keep in mind that a lot of this is keeping with the "Stephen Colbert" character who believes that he deserves these honours.

[Sara_Paris 0]

With all respect to Colbert, come on...this is our space station we are talking about-our mark on the heavens...our next steps into space..and someone wants to even consider naming some important part of it after a comedian? Not a scientist, an engineer, a great author like the legendary Isaac Asimov? There are plenty of options. Please! That sort of thing is better fit for something in the man's home town or something....not this grand a venture. Political satirist is still a satirist. As for a toliet...is that really necessary?

 

I second that. Everyone I've discussed this with so far has taken the opposite position and for a while I thought perhaps I was taking myself too seriously so it's nice to see some people feel the same way I do. However I do agree with Jack Bauer in regard to Colbert garnering free publicity for Nasa. That’s a really good point and it hadn’t occurred to me before.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

With all respect to Colbert, come on...this is our space station we are talking about-our mark on the heavens...our next steps into space..and someone wants to even consider naming some important part of it after a comedian? Not a scientist, an engineer, a great author like the legendary Isaac Asimov? There are plenty of options. Please! That sort of thing is better fit for something in the man's home town or something....not this grand a venture. Political satirist is still a satirist. As for a toliet...is that really necessary?

Obviously, Colbert is not the most appropriate name for a node of the I.S.S. I won't dispute that. I don't think even Colbert would dispute that (the real Colbert, not the character he plays on his show). However, NASA was stupid enough to make it possible for someone to hijack this contest by not having a write in component that occurred before the actual voting, or for that matter for even having a write-in component. At least they covered their butts with the rule stating that they didn't need to respect the results.

It is good, however, that they gave Colbert something (especially something better than the toilet, which is just disrespectful to someone who has done nothing to garner such disrespect) as he created free publicity for NASA by launching this effort. This story got way more interest than it would have had Colbert not attempted to get the node named after him. Actually, in hindsight, I hope this is what NASA was actually trying to achieve.

 

IMO, similar to Howard Stern directing his legion of fans to keep the most annoying contestant running on American Idol or the vote to name the new footbridge of one of the English soccer stadiums after a Scottish player who used a game of keepy-uppy as a means to getting victory for Scotland.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – NASA's sense of humor is being put to the test. The US space agency is facing a serious dilemma after a popular television comedian, Stephen Colbert, hijacked an online contest sponsored by NASA to pick a name for a new module on the International Space Station.

 

Colbert's suggestion for a name? His own.

 

His victory may have had something to do with his repeated appeals to fans of his show, "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, to vote for him.

 

With the help of his fans -- called the "Colbert Nation" -- the comedian's name easily won the "Help Name Node 3" online poll at nasa.gov, rocketing past NASA suggestions "Earthrise," "Legacy," "Serenity" and "Venture."

 

NASA announced on Friday that astronaut Sunita Williams will unveil the name on Tuesday on "The Colbert Report."

 

The space agency declined to reveal the name until the show and is not obliged to bow to popular demand.

 

The contest rules state that while NASA will take into consideration the results of the voting they are "not binding" and it "reserves the right to ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests of the agency."

 

Whatever the outcome, Bill Gerstenmaier, an associate administrator at NASA, said the contest had helped raise awareness about the space station.

 

"We received more than a million entries, in large part because social media websites and television programs, such as 'The Colbert Report,' took an interest," he said

 

The Emmy award-winning comedian for his part is making it clear where he stands.

 

"I certainly hope NASA does the right thing," Colbert said in a statement. "Just kidding, I hope they name it after me."

 

Colbert, who branched off for his own smash-hit news satire show after nearly eight years as a correspondent for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," has enjoyed plenty of success in the past getting things named after his egocentric character.

 

In 2007 ice cream makers Ben & Jerry created a flavor in his honor called "Americone Dream," and billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin America airline named one of its airplanes "Air Colbert."

 

In one of his first triumphs, Colbert in 2006 managed to get a bridge in Hungary named after him. After he won an online contest, the country's ambassador appeared on his late-night show to announce the news. The government later overruled the vote, however.

 

I'm sick of Stephen Colbert he's not funny.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't find Colbert funny.

 

I don't think Stewart's too funny either, but he is funnier than Colbert.

[Voyager recruit 0]

Appreciation to my cohort Sara P. above, and will say I agree with her sentiment, that yes,it was in the end a win-win for NASA..but they may let the next campaign be a bit more straightforward?

[MrPsychic 1]

I do have to ask to those who hate Colbert, do you hate him, or his character from his show? Also, if you hate his character, then he's done his job, since he's stated several times that his greatest fear is to actually start thinking like that.

[Voyager recruit 0]

I don't hate him, or his character. Point of fact, even when I had cable, I never bothered to watch TDS. Just wasn't that much on my radar. I'm sure he-they are funny guys;I just don't have any interest in seeing a comedian's name attached to a NASA project-after all, this is serious, and important business. That said, I am not 'up in arms' over it all, if I may so phrase it; just seems like common sense to me, anyway.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Agreed. I don't hate him. I just don't think he's that funny.

[Sara_Paris 0]

Agreed. I don't hate him. I just don't think he's that funny.

 

Yeppers

[Stephen of Borg 2]

big fan of Colbert right here. He is about the only thing that is funny on comedy central now

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Agreed. He is funny, love his brand of sarcasm.