Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Space Explorers & Workers
  Buzz Aldrin's appearances on CBS "NUMB3RS"

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Buzz Aldrin's appearances on CBS "NUMB3RS"
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-13-2006 02:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
ClickPress release
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin to appear on subsequent "NUMB3RS" airing

Man on the moon Buzz Aldrin will make a special appearance on this week's "NUMB3RS" episode. The CBS show highlights the convergence of mathematics and police work and is inspired by actual crime cases that are solved by using mathematical theories.

Dr. Aldrin's cameo appearance on the show coincides with the launch of the new website for his ShareSpace Foundation, an organization that aims to educate individuals about space travel and advance opportunities for private citizens to explore space. ShareSpace Foundation also aspires to entice students to learn more about possible professions related to science and astronomy studies. While the "NUMB3RS" program illustrates how a career can be formed on the basis of mathematics, Dr. Aldrin's appearance will further emphasize the real life possibilities that studies in the field of science offer.

Dr. Aldrin has been a longtime supporter of public space tourism and realized long before most that we must begin to actively explore this next and final frontier. With recent mounting discussion of future hotels on the moon and the increase of private citizens flying into space, Dr. Aldrin was clearly ahead of his time.

In an effort to communicate all of the information and experiences that Dr. Aldrin has been storing up for decades and to inform the public that they too should be involved in this race to space, Dr. Aldrin's team took the necessary steps to disseminate these resources in the best way possible.

The first step was to commission Warbasse Design to create the forthcoming ShareSpace Foundation website as a clearinghouse of resources. Philip Warbasse, internet designer, developer and CEO of Warbasse Design, will craft the website to feature captivating interactive and educational tools so that people can experience space firsthand and learn about the future possibilities of affordable voyages into space. This imaginative foray into space will have parents, students and teachers excited about the entertaining learning possibilities on ShareSpace and will reinforce Dr. Aldrin's vision to "share" space equally among everyone.

Dr. Aldrin is determined to inform people all over the world that space is not only the next frontier, but it is their frontier. He hopes his appearance on "NUMB3RS" will direct people to learn more about space and space travel on ShareSpace Foundation's new website. Step by step, Dr. Aldrin will continue to broaden awareness around the world to highlight that the students of today are instrumental in the space trips of tomorrow.

Watch for Buzz Aldrin on "NUMB3RS" on December 15.

spaceman1953
Member

Posts: 953
From: South Bend, IN
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 12-13-2006 04:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaceman1953   Click Here to Email spaceman1953     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Even though I have NO concept of the "numbers" shown on the blackboards throughout the show, this program is never less-than-spellbinding. Gonna be "cool" seeing one of our heroes on the program!

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-15-2006 10:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From Zap2It.com:
Fans of the math-based CBS crime procedural "Numb3rs" are very familiar with the outdoor bridge near the show's fictional version of FBI headquarters in Los Angeles, where the FBI agents do many of their expository walk-and-talks.

On this bright November day of filming on the bridge at the show's studios in a former office building in downtown L.A., there's a buzz in the air 8 ...literally.

In production is "Killer Chat," the episode of "Numb3rs" airing Friday, Dec. 15, and the guest star shooting his cameo appearances is Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who followed Neil Armstrong onto the surface of the moon in 1969.

FutureAstronaut
Member

Posts: 372
From:
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 12-15-2006 09:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FutureAstronaut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That was fairly disappointing. He didn't even have one line!

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 12-15-2006 10:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree, but at least they mentioned his name. I had not seen the show before; too mechanical in my opinion. And I could not figure out the connection between a law enforcement officer and space?

KSCartist
Member

Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 12-15-2006 10:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for KSCartist   Click Here to Email KSCartist     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No offense to Buzz Aldrin. Lord knows he's done so much to promote space exploration and education. But...

I watched the episode and wondered why Buzz? I mean the character played by Peter McNichol is flying on the shuttle as a PS right? You mean the producers couldn't find a former shuttle astronaut or a former PS to appear? Even if they included Buzz as another mentor/figure to McNichols character. And no lines? "I guess NASA figured they needed to send Buzz to help me find my way." Very lame use of Buzz's time.

And I didn't see any mention of the Share Space Foundation. In my opinion, they could have done a much better job on this part of the story line.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-15-2006 10:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by KSCartist:
I watched the episode and wondered why Buzz?
According to Zap2It.com (in the article linked to above):
"We were thinking," says Cheryl Heuton, who co-created the show with husband Nick Falacci, "how can we send Larry off so that it's special? And somebody said, 'You should get a real astronaut.'"

The producers put out feelers to Aldrin, Armstrong and Capt. Jim Lovell, whose trip to the moon on Apollo 13 went awry in dramatic fashion.

"They sent back that Neil hardly ever does anything," Heuton says. "Jim hardly ever does anything, but Jim did say that he likes the show. He passed only because of scheduling issues. Buzz said he'd do it, so we put Buzz in here."

It sounds like that they (a) wanted a name-recognizable astronaut (otherwise, they could have had an actor play the part) and (b) that their technical advisor wasn't very well versed on the ISS (Larry's character was a back-up payload specialist made prime; someone forgot that payload specialists no longer fly and certainly are not eligible for six-month ISS stays).

That said, its an interesting way to write off a character for a season while the actor who plays him goes off to another series ("24"). They can now bring Larry back after his flight and rehab and still make the passing reference to the character throughout the episodes that are without him.

Wehaveliftoff
Member

Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 12-16-2006 11:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I could not think of a better way for a character to leave a show. Better Buzz than Neil. Soooooooooo Envious... If I see Peter MacNicol I'll ask about his experience with the great Buzz Aldrin and pass it on.

Andy
Member

Posts: 32
From:
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 12-19-2006 08:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Andy   Click Here to Email Andy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"We were thinking," says Cheryl Heuton, who co-created the show with husband Nick Falacci, "how can we send Larry off so that it's special? And somebody said, 'You should get a real astronaut.'"

The producers put out feelers to Aldrin, Armstrong and Capt. Jim Lovell, whose trip to the moon on Apollo 13 went awry in dramatic fashion.

"They sent back that Neil hardly ever does anything," Heuton says. "Jim hardly ever does anything, but Jim did say that he likes the show. He passed only because of scheduling issues. Buzz said he'd do it, so we put Buzz in here."

Yeah; they picked Aldrin because Aldrin picked them. Cheryl called me (emailed, rather) and asked me to poll the aforementioned astros as to who might be interested. I told them (I being the "they" referred to in the quote, I guess) Armstrong wasn't going to happen; Lovell waved off, as noted, but I'm not surprised Buzz picked it up. Good on him. Then, of course, I missed the show. Oh well.

Kevmac
Member

Posts: 267
From: College Station, TX
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 12-19-2006 07:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kevmac   Click Here to Email Kevmac     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Of course Buzz did the show. Has he ever turned down a chance to make an appearance? Yeah, I know he's one of the few ambassadors from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo days that is always good and vocal about carrying the message about spaceflight. But I often question his motives.

Anyway, I watched the show too (for the first time), to see how they involved Buzz Aldrin. Thought it a waste of time and won't be watching it again. Thought it was a waste of Buzz's time also. It was a decent gee-whiz factor, but added nothing of value to the story. I don't mean to knock Buzz Aldrin (too much), but I sometimes tire of seeing him everywhere. He certainly deserves credit for his accomplishments.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement