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I expect that it meant a lot to Shatner. That man has spent a significant portion of his life imitating a spacefaring version of humanity. For him to finally se

I expect that it meant a lot to Shatner. That man has spent a significant portion of his life imitating a spacefaring version of humanity. For him to finally see reality intersecting with the fiction of his lifes-work must be very satisfying. I completely understand that it was a profound moment for him. The contrast between him and Jeff spraying champagne and squealing with his marketroids was very apparent.

fierro 5y ago
yes, can't believe they squealed and celebrated, they should have solemnly nodded to eachother in respectful silence. Shouldn't have expressed joy, no.
- davidw 5y ago
  It didn't even feel real though, to me. It felt like contestants on some reality show (Space Race!) play acting at celebrating. I love to watch bike racing, and have seen plenty of overjoyed people hugging their spouses and friends and everyone after a big win. The joy and other emotions all come pouring out. This didn't feel like that, at least from what I saw. Maybe Bezos and his crew are just that way, but reading through the comments, I'm not the only one who was not really impressed. And for the record, I'm not someone who loathes Bezos or Amazon.
  - WalterBright 5y ago
    I'm not the type that jumps around hugging everyone, either, but that doesn't mean I don't feel joy. I once wangled a ride on a P-51, a lifelong wish of mine. It was only 30 minutes, but I had a smile for the next week.
lukewrites 5y ago
Honest question that I'm sure sounds snarky: Why was Bezos in a flight suit if he wasn't flying?
- handrous 5y ago
  Theater and/or ego. Same reason for the President to fly out to an aircraft carrier just off the US coast and pose for a bunch of photos while wearing a flight suit, before giving the infamous MISSION ACCOMPLISHED speech. Or for a different world leader to ensure that photos of him shirtless on horseback make it to the media from time to time.
  - adventured 5y ago
    Or you know, it could be that he has invested $10 billion into building Blue Origin over 21 years and likes his company and wants to wear the uniform because he's proud of it (even if you think lowly of it). Bezos is very well known to be a space nerd. So what.
    - nuerow 5y ago
      > Or you know, it could be that he has invested $10 billion into building Blue Origin over 21 years and likes his company and wants to wear the uniform because he's proud of it (even if you think lowly of it). That makes as much sense as a NFL team owner suiting up with helmet and shoulder pads just because his team is playing. I guess Bezos is free to dress up as an astronaut whenever he feels like it and gets out of bed, but is that something that happens whenever Blue Origin doesn't summon the media to do a press release?
  - InitialLastName 5y ago
    Or another one taking a doomy photo with a bible in a church in the middle of a protest.
- eurasiantiger 5y ago
  Because landed space capsules can be kinda hazardous?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - 5y ago
worrycue 5y ago
I’m going to stick my neck out here. Not sure where the squealing you talk about come from. Bezos just handled the champagne quickly and got back to Shatner who was clearly having a lot to process. I swear people here just don’t like Bezos and see the worst in him.
richardatlarge 5y ago
If I was a reporter there I would have asked WS if the same flight in his youth would have changed him as a Star Trek actor
ASalazarMX 5y ago
Overall I'm glad Shatner got to see space, and that Bezos didn't kill Shatner with this publicity stunt.
- JanSolo 5y ago
  Yes; very good point. Although Blue Origin has done an excellent job so far, it's important to remember that space travel is very dangerous and eventually there will be an accident and people will likely die. It's not an 'if' but a 'when'.
  - golemotron 5y ago
    s/space travel/cars/
    - dmitriid 5y ago
      Space travel is magnitudes of magnitudes deadlier than cars. A large chunk of astronaut training is basically "you're dead in 5 seconds, your actions". Read "An Astronaut's Guide to Living on Earth"
      - JanSolo 5y ago
        According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_accidents_and_incidents https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_ac... The current statistical fatality rate for astronauts and cosmonauts is 3.2 percent. Lets give Blue Origin the benefit of newer tech and learning from previous mistakes and say they're twice as safe as any other spacecraft. That's still a 1.6% chance you'll die taking a flight in it.
        amelius 5y ago
        Does that rate also hold for flights using the same model or even the same vehicle as tested in previous flights? Shouldn't testing bring the rate down?
        5y ago
wsinks 5y ago
Completely apparent, and I appreciate that you saw the same thing and that you've coined the word marketroids for me. Makes me worry when those in charge appear to have impulse control problems. Why not listen? Or use discretion? It does feel like discretion was more of a 90s-00s thing that's gone. Does that resonate with others or is it just me?
uhtred 5y ago
Oh my god, when Jeff ignored William to get some champagne and start spraying it was so rude and obnoxious, not to mention the clingers on just wanting Jeff's attention and some camera time. I feel sorry for Shatner that he didn't have someone more genuine to share that moment with.
- par 5y ago
  i thought the 'the clingers on' was his wife?
  - zikduruqe 5y ago
    You both missed an opportunity to say "Klingon".
WalterBright 5y ago
> Jeff spraying champagne and squealing with his marketroids Criminy. Let the the man have his moment. He earned it.
- grumple 5y ago
  He certainly paid for it, but the work was done by others.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - staunch 5y ago
    By this logic one should not get excited after buying a house, a car, or even a birthday cake since someone else did the work. Obviously, that's crazy thinking. But besides that, Bezos did a lot more than just buy a rocket from a supplier. He invested billions of dollars and years of work into Blue Origin. By any reasonable definition, he deserves to celebrate its successes. Humanity as a whole succeeds when things like this are accomplished. The world has many problems, but advancing our ability to travel into space is not one of them. Only a sad kind of cynic sees these events as an opportunity to spew hate. They reveal much more about themselves than anyone else.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - beepbooptheory 5y ago
      You get excited after buying a cake because you then get to enjoy it. Its not _who_ made the cake that determines your enjoyment of it. That is separate from buying a cake and then taking credit for the cake itself, not just the fact you have cake now. Honestly I would be much more excited about building a house than buying one!
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - 5y ago
specialist 5y ago
Shatner's The Captains [2011] documentary has a bit about him coming to terms with his impact on others. Like inspiring fans to become scientists. I was surprised by Shatner's mea culpa. It's in the segment with Patrick Stewart. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946421/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946421/ https://tubitv.com/movies/560778/the-captains https://tubitv.com/movies/560778/the-captains
- m463 5y ago
  I remember seeing him interviewed, probably decades before this. At first he didn't get trekkies (not exactly the "Get a Life!" skit, but something) and then he sort of realized that these were quiet nice warm-hearted people and embraced it all.
TMWNN 5y ago
>I completely understand that it was a profound moment for him. The flight itself may be a stunt, but Shatner's words aren't. He's clearly overwhelmed, and his voice breaks as he thanks Bezos for giving him "this most profound experience". He then says he doesn't want to lose how he is feeling. >The contrast between him and Jeff spraying champagne and squealing with his marketroids was very apparent. Bezos isn't paying attention at first, but realizes what Shatner is saying and the feeling behind his words, and stops what he is doing to let Shatner unburden his soul.
coldtea 5y ago
>I expect that it meant a lot to Shatner. That man has spent a significant portion of his life imitating a spacefaring version of humanity. Also a cool cop, a demented but brilliant republican lawyer, and other things besides. I think he always considered the Star Trek thing a little silly, kind of like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb4V9GxaBo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb4V9GxaBo

fierro 5y ago

yes, can't believe they squealed and celebrated, they should have solemnly nodded to eachother in respectful silence. Shouldn't have expressed joy, no.

davidw 5y ago
It didn't even feel real though, to me. It felt like contestants on some reality show (Space Race!) play acting at celebrating. I love to watch bike racing, and have seen plenty of overjoyed people hugging their spouses and friends and everyone after a big win. The joy and other emotions all come pouring out. This didn't feel like that, at least from what I saw. Maybe Bezos and his crew are just that way, but reading through the comments, I'm not the only one who was not really impressed. And for the record, I'm not someone who loathes Bezos or Amazon.
- WalterBright 5y ago
  I'm not the type that jumps around hugging everyone, either, but that doesn't mean I don't feel joy. I once wangled a ride on a P-51, a lifelong wish of mine. It was only 30 minutes, but I had a smile for the next week.

lukewrites 5y ago

Honest question that I'm sure sounds snarky: Why was Bezos in a flight suit if he wasn't flying?

handrous 5y ago
Theater and/or ego. Same reason for the President to fly out to an aircraft carrier just off the US coast and pose for a bunch of photos while wearing a flight suit, before giving the infamous MISSION ACCOMPLISHED speech. Or for a different world leader to ensure that photos of him shirtless on horseback make it to the media from time to time.
- adventured 5y ago
  Or you know, it could be that he has invested $10 billion into building Blue Origin over 21 years and likes his company and wants to wear the uniform because he's proud of it (even if you think lowly of it). Bezos is very well known to be a space nerd. So what.
  - nuerow 5y ago
    > Or you know, it could be that he has invested $10 billion into building Blue Origin over 21 years and likes his company and wants to wear the uniform because he's proud of it (even if you think lowly of it). That makes as much sense as a NFL team owner suiting up with helmet and shoulder pads just because his team is playing. I guess Bezos is free to dress up as an astronaut whenever he feels like it and gets out of bed, but is that something that happens whenever Blue Origin doesn't summon the media to do a press release?
- InitialLastName 5y ago
  Or another one taking a doomy photo with a bible in a church in the middle of a protest.
eurasiantiger 5y ago
Because landed space capsules can be kinda hazardous?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- 5y ago

worrycue 5y ago

I’m going to stick my neck out here. Not sure where the squealing you talk about come from. Bezos just handled the champagne quickly and got back to Shatner who was clearly having a lot to process. I swear people here just don’t like Bezos and see the worst in him.

richardatlarge 5y ago

If I was a reporter there I would have asked WS if the same flight in his youth would have changed him as a Star Trek actor

ASalazarMX 5y ago

Overall I'm glad Shatner got to see space, and that Bezos didn't kill Shatner with this publicity stunt.

JanSolo 5y ago
Yes; very good point. Although Blue Origin has done an excellent job so far, it's important to remember that space travel is very dangerous and eventually there will be an accident and people will likely die. It's not an 'if' but a 'when'.
- golemotron 5y ago
  s/space travel/cars/
  - dmitriid 5y ago
    Space travel is magnitudes of magnitudes deadlier than cars. A large chunk of astronaut training is basically "you're dead in 5 seconds, your actions". Read "An Astronaut's Guide to Living on Earth"
    - JanSolo 5y ago
      According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_accidents_and_incidents https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_ac... The current statistical fatality rate for astronauts and cosmonauts is 3.2 percent. Lets give Blue Origin the benefit of newer tech and learning from previous mistakes and say they're twice as safe as any other spacecraft. That's still a 1.6% chance you'll die taking a flight in it.
      - amelius 5y ago
        Does that rate also hold for flights using the same model or even the same vehicle as tested in previous flights? Shouldn't testing bring the rate down?
      - 5y ago

wsinks 5y ago

Completely apparent, and I appreciate that you saw the same thing and that you've coined the word marketroids for me. Makes me worry when those in charge appear to have impulse control problems. Why not listen? Or use discretion? It does feel like discretion was more of a 90s-00s thing that's gone. Does that resonate with others or is it just me?

uhtred 5y ago

Oh my god, when Jeff ignored William to get some champagne and start spraying it was so rude and obnoxious, not to mention the clingers on just wanting Jeff's attention and some camera time. I feel sorry for Shatner that he didn't have someone more genuine to share that moment with.

par 5y ago
i thought the 'the clingers on' was his wife?
- zikduruqe 5y ago
  You both missed an opportunity to say "Klingon".

WalterBright 5y ago

> Jeff spraying champagne and squealing with his marketroids Criminy. Let the the man have his moment. He earned it.

grumple 5y ago
He certainly paid for it, but the work was done by others.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- staunch 5y ago
  By this logic one should not get excited after buying a house, a car, or even a birthday cake since someone else did the work. Obviously, that's crazy thinking. But besides that, Bezos did a lot more than just buy a rocket from a supplier. He invested billions of dollars and years of work into Blue Origin. By any reasonable definition, he deserves to celebrate its successes. Humanity as a whole succeeds when things like this are accomplished. The world has many problems, but advancing our ability to travel into space is not one of them. Only a sad kind of cynic sees these events as an opportunity to spew hate. They reveal much more about themselves than anyone else.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - beepbooptheory 5y ago
    You get excited after buying a cake because you then get to enjoy it. Its not _who_ made the cake that determines your enjoyment of it. That is separate from buying a cake and then taking credit for the cake itself, not just the fact you have cake now. Honestly I would be much more excited about building a house than buying one!
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- 5y ago

specialist 5y ago

Shatner's The Captains [2011] documentary has a bit about him coming to terms with his impact on others. Like inspiring fans to become scientists. I was surprised by Shatner's mea culpa. It's in the segment with Patrick Stewart. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946421/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946421/ https://tubitv.com/movies/560778/the-captains https://tubitv.com/movies/560778/the-captains

m463 5y ago
I remember seeing him interviewed, probably decades before this. At first he didn't get trekkies (not exactly the "Get a Life!" skit, but something) and then he sort of realized that these were quiet nice warm-hearted people and embraced it all.

TMWNN 5y ago

>I completely understand that it was a profound moment for him. The flight itself may be a stunt, but Shatner's words aren't. He's clearly overwhelmed, and his voice breaks as he thanks Bezos for giving him "this most profound experience". He then says he doesn't want to lose how he is feeling. >The contrast between him and Jeff spraying champagne and squealing with his marketroids was very apparent. Bezos isn't paying attention at first, but realizes what Shatner is saying and the feeling behind his words, and stops what he is doing to let Shatner unburden his soul.

coldtea 5y ago

>I expect that it meant a lot to Shatner. That man has spent a significant portion of his life imitating a spacefaring version of humanity. Also a cool cop, a demented but brilliant republican lawyer, and other things besides. I think he always considered the Star Trek thing a little silly, kind of like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb4V9GxaBo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqb4V9GxaBo