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Author
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Topic: Mike Massimino on 'The Big Bang Theory'
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GoesTo11
Member Posts: 1309
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 02-02-2012 10:20 PM
   
All I can say is, if Froot Loops are wrong, I don't want to be right.  NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, who gained Internet fame as the first spaceflyer to send Twitter updates from space, is about to get another taste of stardom, this time on the CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory."Massimino, who has 1.2 million followers on Twitter, will guest star in the latest episode of the science-themed TV comedy, which airs tonight (Feb. 2). The veteran astronaut's last trip to space was on NASA's final flight to the Hubble Space Telescope, but he said his TV appearance ranks close to floating in orbit. "It's a fun show and I'm excited about it and so is my family," Massimino told SPACE.com of his appearance. "This was right there amongst the most fun things I've ever gotten to do."  |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 02-02-2012 10:21 PM
I was so happy when I saw Mike. I wonder if anyone knows that he is a real astronaut... |
GoesTo11
Member Posts: 1309
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 02-02-2012 11:09 PM
I just started following Mass on Twitter tonight, and I was amazed that he has 1.2 million followers. That's approaching People/US Weekly territory. Astronauts... They're Just Like Us! |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 02-03-2012 12:36 PM
I'm interested to see how Big Bang is going to send Howard "Froot Loops" Wolowitz to the ISS on Expedition 31 this Spring as they are preparing for on the show.This is one TV show that I wish were on every day. Hands down it's the best show for nerds and geeks on TV!! |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 02-04-2012 12:06 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Fezman92:
I was so happy when I saw Mike. I wonder if anyone knows that he is a real astronaut...
I must admit I don't know all astronauts by name so I didn't know him right away. Still, his name sounded really familiar. My wife refused to accept he was a real astronaut, especially since he was only ID'd by name on the show. She assumed he was an actor playing a scientist or specialist at Houston (which in all fairness is a reasonable assumption if you don't know any better). I didn't argue too much as I wasn't 100% sure either way. But yeah, I think the majority of people who saw this had no clue he was the real deal. quote:
Originally posted by ilbasso:
I'm interested to see how Big Bang is going to send Howard "Froot Loops" Wolowitz to the ISS on Expedition 31 this Spring as they are preparing for on the show.
As the subject hasn't come up on the show much since Bernadette and Howard's Mom simply said, "No," I expected that to be the end of that. I never thought it would go anywhere because to be realistic, Howard would be gone for most of a season at the least. I just expected him to wuss out once it started getting real or after he'd been away from his Mom for a while. That could still happen, I suppose. But having him around the other characters during training won't make any sense. They could cover him being away for the actual mission like they did the Antarctic expedition, where it took place over the summer break and was covered in the past tense once the next season started. quote:
Originally posted by ilbasso:
This is one TV show that I wish were on every day. Hands down it's the best show for nerds and geeks on TV!!
Amen. I never would have thought a show with this premise would last a season, much less be the hit it turned out to be. I've never been so glad to be so wrong about anything. My wife hates sci-fi and doesn't understand hardly any of the geek culture references on the show (she's always asking what they're talking about. I don't understand the card games they play and can't explain them to her, though, but I have had to explain a lot of gags on that show over the years to her), and yet she LOVES it. |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-04-2012 07:34 PM
Total surprise to me when I saw him show up on the show. That was great! One of my favorite astronauts, I hope he visits Seattle sometime.
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John Charles
Member Posts: 339
From: Houston, Texas, USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 02-05-2012 07:48 AM
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
My wife hates sci-fi and doesn't understand hardly any of the geek culture references on the show (she's always asking what they're talking about. I don't understand the card games they play and can't explain them to her, though, but I have had to explain a lot of gags on that show over the years to her), and yet she LOVES it.
Ditto for my wife. She is a hair stylist, but appreciates nerds and geeks (especially because that is what she married) so I reminded her she is also a PHD — professional hair dresser. Even so, I still have to explain what's so funny about a spherical chicken in a vacuum. |
thump
Member Posts: 575
From: washington dc usa
Registered: May 2004
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posted 02-05-2012 06:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Fezman92:
I was so happy when I saw Mike. I wonder if anyone knows that he is a real astronaut...
I doubt most people would know him as an actual astronaut, but if they would have watched the post show credits, they would have seen: Mike Massimino Himself
NASA Astronaut |
Dave Clow
Member Posts: 236
From: South Pasadena, CA 91030
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 02-06-2012 12:05 PM
I have the good luck to live in Pasadena, just a short drive to JPL and walking distance from Caltech. I can take you to the apartment building that some say is the model for the one in the show. Funny as the program is, they can't do justice to the actual scientists and engineers around here. Those folks are MUCH funnier. |
sfurtaw
Member Posts: 104
From: Saginaw, MI USA
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 03-09-2012 05:09 AM
Did anyone else notice the STS-125 decal on Raj's laptop in last night's episode? |
Space Emblem Art
Member Posts: 194
From: Citrus Heights, CA - USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 03-09-2012 10:18 PM
I noticed it and brought it to my wife's attention while we watched the program. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-17-2012 08:38 PM
Mike Massimino shared on Twitter that he has shot another cameo appearance for The Big Bang Theory. Taping another cameo appearance for the Big Bang Theory sitcom today, it is great to see the cast and crew again!Shot a cameo for The Big Bang Theory this morning, it was awesome, almost as much fun as a space launch! According to TV Guide, the cameo will appear during the series season finale airing Thursday, May 10 at 8/7 on CBS. |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 04-19-2012 10:30 AM
There was another great episode the other week with Stephen Hawking! One of the funniest ones yet. Great show, really enjoy it. |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 05-03-2012 04:48 PM
I noticed the STS-125 sticker on the laptop on several occasions. Mass must have put it there. He's such a hoot.
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p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-03-2012 11:26 PM
I laughed when Howard hears the mission got cancelled and how happy he was. Then it was back on and earlier and he was desperate for any excuse to get him out of it.I think people can't think past how 'cool' things seem with little regard to how dangerous they can be. I totally understand the character being terrified, I was scared out of my mind every time I went up in Army helicopters or the time I was strapped into an F-18 and only did them because I wouldn't admit it to anyone... |
tncmaxq
Member Posts: 287
From: New Haven, CT USA
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 05-04-2012 05:47 AM
I thought the May 2 episode was pretty funny too. But Howard's friends make it sound as if the Soyuz was somehow old and dangerous when in fact their safety record is quite good. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-08-2012 03:55 PM
Mike Massimino wrote today on Twitter: Check out this photo from my appearance on the season finale of The Big Bang Theory airing Thursday 8PM Eastern on CBS  USA Today has additional photos of the mock Soyuz built for the show, which is now on public display at the Paley Center in Los Angeles. On Thursday's season finale, NASA astronaut Mike Massimino guest stars, and we'll get a peek at the Soyuz spacecraft Howard will be climbing into.A replica Soyuz capsule was built just for the show — and that's not something you often see on a prime-time sitcom. Helberg, Massimino and executive producer Bill Prady recently visited the Paley Center in Los Angeles to offer a tour of the capsule and talk about the finale. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-08-2012 10:27 PM
I caught the same ads as everyone else but I didn't realize that was Mass in there with him. Who's playing the Cosmonaut? I could clearly see the Russian flag on one of them... |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 05-09-2012 10:55 PM
quote:
Originally posted by tncmaxq:
I thought the May 2 episode was pretty funny too. But Howard's friends make it sound as if the Soyuz was somehow old and dangerous when in fact their safety record is quite good.
Well, technically they are "old" and riding a rocket into space is "dangerous". That is what makes them FUN!  While I don't normally watch Big Bang (I did catch a couple of the episodes leading up to this), I will be watching this one. Partly for research at least.  And if Howard does make it into space (or at least off the pad), next season's premiere should be interesting (will they land the Soyuz someplace weird?). |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-10-2012 12:26 PM
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
Who's playing the Cosmonaut?
Character actor Pasha Lychnikoff is "Dmitri" (he previously played a cosmonaut in the short-lived series "The Cape"). |
Space Possum
New Member Posts:
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Registered:
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posted 05-10-2012 08:27 PM
Watched the episode tonight, loved it! Hmmm... does anyone know where we can get a patch for this mission?
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-10-2012 08:31 PM
collectSPACE Behind the scenes with Big Bang Theory's real-life astronaut actorOn Thursday evening's (May 10) season finale of "The Big Bang Theory," a main character on the CBS TV sitcom launches into space. Sitting beside him in the spacecraft is Mike Massimino, a real NASA astronaut, making his second cameo appearance on the show. Massimino, who in real life flew twice on the space shuttle to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, joins aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz, played by Simon Helberg, and a fictional cosmonaut as Expedition 31 crewmates aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule flying to the International Space Station. The Soyuz and Sokol spacesuits the astronaut and actors board and wear are of course Hollywood replicas, but true to the show's reputation, are surprisingly realistic. collectSPACE caught up with Massimino by phone a few hours before the episode was set to air to talk about being an astronaut on the show, the set and the future of space exploration, both for NASA and on "The Big Bang Theory." |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-10-2012 08:32 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Space Possum:
Hmmm... does anyone know where we can get a patch for this mission?
What about the mission photo and poster? What I noticed was the lack of quarantine time. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 05-10-2012 11:07 PM
That was funnier than heck... Dmitri: "This has happened before. Nine times out of ten no problem."Howard "And the one time out of ten?" Dimitri: "Problem." Well, I like the fact that the producers at least tried to make decent replicas. The Soyuz looked a little "spacious," but that was likely due to the camera shots they needed. Going with internal suit cooling was also a good idea (practically a requirement for such things these days).And why do I have a feeling the "Froot Loops" call sign is going to be a running gag now? |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-10-2012 11:29 PM
I would have bet ANY amount of money that Howard wouldn't go up. As cool as this is for folks like us, I think it's like when a character on a sitcom has a baby or something, it'll throw everything off. Part of the charm of these characters was that they were in a very tight circle of people and Howard was always the 'creepy' one that never stood a chance with... well, anyone. In the reality of Howard being a real honest-to-God astronaut, he'll be on a whole different level of existence than the rest of them. |
LM1
Member Posts: 667
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-11-2012 07:52 AM
If this were a real flight on a Soyuz spacecraft for two American astronauts, what would it cost the US? This episode of Big Bang Theory was hilarious. They have great writers. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-11-2012 08:06 AM
The per seat price is $63 million. |
Dave Clow
Member Posts: 236
From: South Pasadena, CA 91030
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 05-11-2012 10:21 AM
Fun report Robert! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-11-2012 01:05 PM
Thanks Dave! All credit goes to Mike Massimino, who is always a great interview. He really is a great ambassador for the NASA astronaut corps... |
LM1
Member Posts: 667
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-11-2012 01:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
The per seat price is $63 million.
I thought that it was much less, like $30,000,000 per astronaut per mission. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-11-2012 01:13 PM
Not for years; NASA's contract with Roscosmos, which was extended in March 2011, agreed upon a $63 million per seat rate through June 2016. |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-11-2012 01:34 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
The per seat price is $63 million.
I didn't know CBS gave The Big Bang Theory a budget that big! |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 05-11-2012 01:53 PM
Jorge and I actually designed a patch for Howard Wolowitz and sent it to JSC. No word if it was ever adopted. quote:
Originally posted by p51:
In the reality of Howard being a real honest-to-God astronaut, he'll be on a whole different level of existence than the rest of them.
Robert, the ASF should invite Simon Helberg and Mike Massimino to the next autograph show. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-11-2012 02:12 PM
quote:
Originally posted by KSCartist:
Jorge and I actually designed a patch for Howard Wolowitz and sent it to JSC. No word if it was ever adopted.
According to Massimino in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter: "I encouraged them to design a mission patch and we all had patches with our names on them," Massimino says. "I'm going to see if I can count this as a real space flight now: As long as there's a patch, there's a flight!" (Bonus factoid: An artist who created a number of actual flight patches designed the show's patch.) The patch appears just barely visible on Massimino's suit in this screen shot. quote:
Robert, the ASF should invite Simon Helberg and Mike Massimino to the next autograph show.
Massimino is still in the astronaut corps, otherwise a fine idea. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-11-2012 04:20 PM
I think I speak for many (if not most) here when I say I'd but a patch with that design from this mission! |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 05-11-2012 05:07 PM
Now if Massimino starts wearing the show patch on his flightsuit around the astronaut office... Okay, so maybe not on the actual flight suits themselves. But he could have a few people going if he were to at least wear it on a jacket or two to public events (nudge nudge, wink wink).And yes, I need a copy of that patch. It would look perfect on the base of a model Soyuz rocket I want to build (and I can enter it in "science fiction" categories at model contests). You realize of course if Simon were to do an ASF autograph show, he might have the biggest line (unless it isn't advertised as much). Last weekend a local comic shop in my area had actor Adam Baldwin appear to sign autographs and it was a long line. I had him sign my copy of "From the Earth to the Moon" since he appeared as Fred Haise in the Apollo 14 episode. If I had a copy of "The Cape" I would have had him sign that instead, but it has never come out on DVD, just VHS (and I don't have the set). Sure, I loved him in Firefly, Serenity and Chuck (and I loved his performance in "My Bodyguard"), but I wanted something a little unique. By the way, Adam says he still has good memories of "The Cape" as he thinks they did some good stories. He was also lucky enough to watch four shuttle launches go up from KSC during production (three from the top of the VAB and I think the fourth was from the VIP/press site as it appears in the opening credits). So I guess, in regards to astronauts and television... if you can't be an astronaut in real life, playing one on TV might not be so bad (iF you get involved with a first class production). But, in Mike Massimino's case, he can now say he's done both. By the way, does he have a Screen Actors Guild card now? |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-11-2012 11:11 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
Does he have a Screen Actors Guild card now?
Yeah, he'd have to have one by now. He's got enough screen time for SAG to require he have one. With something like this, the production company usually pays the fees for a guy like that. |
jasonelam
Member Posts: 691
From: Monticello, KY USA
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 05-12-2012 03:21 AM
Thought the episode was great. Liked the joke about talking about "space stuff" and Howard's words on liftoff ("OY VEY!"). Not the same as "Poyekhali!" but it was hilarious |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 06-02-2012 01:54 AM
Seriously, there's no images anywhere of the mission patch for this show?I want one, I want one BAD! |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-04-2012 04:59 PM
I thought it ironic that fictionally Massimino is riding to the ISS on a Soyuz since in real life he is too tall to qualify! Hollywood actually does make dreams come true. |
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