Larry crisscrosses the nation, going totally off the beaten path to find the people, places and things that define this nation's unique history. Each episode uncovers surprising information about America's history from the story of how moonshine-making during Prohibition gave rise to one of America's most celebrated past times -- NASCAR racing -- to the history of etiquette from Emily Post's heirs in Vermont, complete with a lesson in good manners. From panning for gold in the hills of California to leading a cavalry charge in a Civil War reenactment in Virginia, Larry gives history a fun, down-home twist.
Entertainment Weekly describes Larry's visit to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
On his visit to NASA, he got in a flight simulator with astronaut Clayton Anderson. "They have a digital read-out that shows you your score when you land. I actually did better than Clay, which scares me about the astronaut program," he jokes. We've seen the cut of this episode, and that's not in it. We do, however, see him get to the bottom of the $23 million toilet astronauts use in space. Explanation? "I got to ask questions that I'm curious about, and I think a lot of people have that same question: How do you go to the bathroom in space? I mean, What do you do? Does it float around? Do you gotta catch it? Well, now we know. They got a toilet that sucks it right out of you. You got to strap on to it. Who would have thought? We thought that was a lot more interesting than the space shuttle," he says, laughing. "People know the space shuttle goes up by rocket boosters, they have no idea how you suck your waste out of yourself into a bag. To me, that's a show. That should have been a whole hour."
This wasn't Larry's first encounter with Clay Anderson. Last year, he provided one of his trademark sleeveless flannel shirts for Anderson to wear on the International Space Station.
While filming for The History Channel, Larry also recorded a couple of promo spots for NASA TV.
The History Channel has not yet announced an airdate for the NASA episode.
Glint Member
Posts: 1040 From: New Windsor, Maryland USA Registered: Jan 2004
posted 02-07-2011 05:07 PM
Larry the Cable Guy and Clayton Anderson are both well loved and cherished sons in their home state of Nebraska. Both are very active locally.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-30-2011 09:01 AM
The NASA-themed episode of Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy, "Larry is an Astronaut" premiered on The History Channel last night and will re-air on Friday, April 1 at 10/9c and Tuesday, April 5 at 8/7c.
MarylandSpace Member
Posts: 1336 From: Registered: Aug 2002
posted 03-30-2011 11:31 AM
Thank you Robert for the heads up on this episode. You caught my attention with the title to your subject posting.