posted 11-24-2012 10:14 PM               

Unfortunately, there have been a good number of unprofessional autograph dealers who have used people your age (and younger) to request and obtain free autographs. Their deceitful actions have hurt the hobby, and introduced doubt about the earnest nature behind youthful enthusiasm.

posted 04-29-2013 10:38 AM               

Yes he is a true American hero — rather a true international hero for his bravery and his accomplishments.

I was on vacation last week in the Cayman Islands with my family and we ran into Buzz at the hotel where he was approaching the desk to rent snorkel equipment with his handlers, grandkids, etc.

I very respectfully said good morning Mr. Aldrin and he didn't even look up. I explained that my two little boys (who were beside me) and under 5 years old know all about the moon missions and what he, Neil and Michael accomplished in 1969.

I said it would mean the world to them if you would just shake their hands so they will always remember this rare chance encounter.

He said NO and turned his head.

One of the girls with him said he has no time for this as he is on a tight time schedule. They were right, he was on line for 10 minutes in front of us at the snorkel counter. It would have been impossible for him to say hello and shake two little boys hands in that 10 minutes.

What an absolute disgrace that he would not even say hello to my two little boys. Dozens of people at the hotel witnessed this and they all thought he was a jerk.

You know what — he can keep his handshake. Neil was the true hero and will always be remembered as the first. Plus Neil couldn't have been nicer everytime I met him.

posted 04-29-2013 10:46 AM               

The only thing I would say is that you need to remember how often people come up to him with the same request, and more. Will you sign my item? Will you shake my hand? Will you take a picture? Will you say hello to my nephew on the phone.

At some point, no matter how generous the individual, every person desires privacy from time-to-time, especially if they are on vacation themselves.

You were asking Aldrin a favor, a favor that benefited only you and your family. Yes, it may have only taken seconds to fulfill your request, but what about the next one? And the one after that? At what point can he say no without being criticized?

You said that Neil Armstrong was always gracious when you met him. Well, I know many others who can tell of less than pleasant encounters with the man, even when no favor or request was being made. Does that make him a bad person, too? Of course, not.

posted 04-29-2013 01:25 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
At some point, no matter how generous the individual, every person desires privacy from time-to-time, especially if they are on vacation themselves.

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I also think someone who "has always gone out of his way to inspire young enthusiasts," would take a couple of seconds to shake the hands of two young boys. If inspiring children is truly one of his passions in life, he should have been happy to put down his iPhone long enough to smile and say hello. A very small investment of his time could have inspired those kids for a lifetime.

posted 04-29-2013 02:05 PM               

I wish I could say he had a cellphone in his hand - but he did not.

posted 04-29-2013 02:17 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by RLK88:
How would you reply to your kids if they asked how come Buzz Aldrin was not nice to us daddy?

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posted 04-29-2013 02:28 PM               

An astronaut was at Udvar-Hazy with his family. But it was the day of the Discovery transfer/Enterprise move, so I felt it was OK to say hello and ask for an autograph. He said sure, but only one thing.

But even if he had said no, sure I would have been disappointed but I would have understood. I always prepare for the best and hope for the worst, so any encounter - whether it's an autograph or a simple hello - is always a welcome surprise.

posted 04-29-2013 03:32 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
I would look at the circumstances. On line at the snorkel desk? Probably not the right time to ask anything from him, other than to nod and say "Good morning." Walking to and from the lobby to the beach? Maybe.

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posted 04-30-2013 02:49 PM               

I grew up with a comedian who became a mid-level movie actor. Not a star, not even well known outside his genre. And he has not made a movie in over 10 years.

This person cannot go to a restaurant without being swamped. He cannot go to Home Depot. He has grown a beard and wears fake glasses to walk unmolested near his home.

Multiply that degree of "famousness" by 10 or 100 or 1,000 and you begin to see where Buzz is coming from. Here is a man whose exploits are known to billions of people. It is simply not fair to believe he should make time for every request from every fan. Not fair at all.

When I've met Buzz at a space event he was gracious and generous with his time. He smiled for photos and talked about his plans for Mars. He simply could not have been more accomodating in this venue.

posted 05-07-2013 03:39 PM               

I actually want my kids to understand the magnitude of what this man accomplished even if he wasn’t so nice to us. I will be taking them to one of the upcoming book signings and perhaps they will get that illusive handshake or at least a signed book.

I too have met many ball players, rock stars, movie stars, etc. Some were really nice - some were not.

posted 05-07-2013 07:55 PM               

While some astronauts no longer seek public attention and don't do anything to nuture their "celebrity" status, Buzz is not someone who fits into that category. He seems to be actively seeking the spotlight at nearly every chance possible. While I admire that he's frequently promoting space exploration during his appearances, I don't feel particularly sorry if he's regularly recognized and asked for a handshake or a photo. It's one of the hazards of being a celebrity, plain and simple. If Buzz doesn't like that level of attention, he could have opted out from the public spotlight a long time ago.

posted 05-08-2013 07:18 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by mjanovec:
If Buzz doesn't like that level of attention, he could have opted out from the public spotlight a long time ago.

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posted 05-08-2013 07:58 AM               

I’ve had the opportunity to meet Buzz on several occasions, and to see how he interacts with people. As many have noted, Buzz is unique. I have seen him be self-absorbed, but I have also seen him take the time to explain (for what must have been the 100th time) how he got the name "Buzz" to a waiter at breakfast.

We all think we know him because of his books and the long time he has spent as a public figure, but we really don't.

I'm not going pass comment one way or the other on his behavior. I think that if I was subject to the level of scrutiny that he is there are a number of things that people would find objectionable. I'm ashamed to admit there are times I could have been friendlier, and chose not to be, or may have even been a bit rude. It's just that when I do it, it isn't posted on the internet for comment (thankfully).

posted 05-08-2013 09:18 AM               

In one of his books -- might have been "Magnificent Desolation" -- Buzz found it odd that so many people seem to have a compulsion to tell him exactly what they were doing, thinking, or feeling at this or that time during one of his many major achievements. It is as if people tend to believe that he has some interest in learning the arcane life events of total strangers.

I interpreted this as Buzz's effort to educate others on how to better approach him. His complaint should be used to make our encounters with him more pleasant for both sides. Don't pepper him with the trivia of your own life, and he won't get bored and start looking for the door.

posted 05-08-2013 02:42 PM               

• during any type of public event, your wish to have him shake your kids hand would certainly have been appropriate, and his response awkward.

• outside of any type of public event, however, I'm afraid your suggestion was simply out of context, unless you knew Aldrin personally, as a friend, colleague, customer, whatever. Which I conclude from your message you do not. In other words: in my eyes, you were invading his privacy, and he had any right to reject your proposal.

posted 05-08-2013 05:43 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by eurospace:
outside of any type of public event, however, I'm afraid your suggestion was simply out of context, unless you knew Aldrin personally, as a friend, colleague, customer, whatever. Which I conclude from your message you do not. In other words: in my eyes, you were invading his privacy, and he had any right to reject your proposal.

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I have to disagree somewhat with this argument. Anyone who ventures out into the general public (whether they are a celebrity or not) must do so with the expectation that they they will not have total privacy. Most of us realize that entering a public area comes with the possibility that we may need to interact with other people who are complete strangers. Someone may ask you for directions. Someone may ask you for the time. Someone may even just want to small talk about the weather. And, in Buzz's case, someone may ask for a handshake.

While Buzz has the right to say "no" to any request, I think RLK88 (or anyone else) equally has the right to politely attempt to interact with him...as long as they are willing to take "no" for an answer and aren't stalking him in the process.

posted 05-11-2013 01:02 PM               

Buzz answered my question on politics and space in the lecture hall and then we proceeded to meet him at the book signing afterwards and he exceeded any expectation I had.

He took the time to talk to us, SHAKE my son's hand vigorously and SMILE for the camera!

My son was so happy and I was elated that we were able to have such a nice encounter compared to our recent meeting in Grand Cayman.

posted 05-12-2013 08:11 AM               

Buzz is a fascinating individual-- brilliant, in some ways eccentric (see what's on his wrists besides a watch), charming at times, and at times tone deaf to other people depending on the occasion.

posted 10-03-2013 01:23 PM               

Question is, aren't these prices a little high considering how many autographs he has out there, and is still signing?

I liquidated my collection, but my wife would like an Aldrin autograph on the NASA official photograph. I sold one a while back on a NASA lithograph (oh oh, my bad).

posted 10-07-2013 08:19 AM               

As for my meeting with Buzz, I have only good things to say about him. I've been to two of his shows and he's signed stuff for me at both shows. He was very nice both to me and my daughter. I've never met him in public. If I did, I'd definitely have enough respect to give him the space he needed. When celebrities are in public, that's still their private time. People who want things from them (conversation, handshake, autograph, photo, etc.) are only setting themselves up for a major disappointment.

posted 10-07-2013 02:53 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by schnappsicle:
In 1981, I ran into Alan Shepard at a fast food restaurant in Houston. I looked at him and he at me. He could tell by the way I was staring at him that I recognized him. Without either of us saying a word, he smiled at me and gave me a wink. That was more than I deserved. I'll treasure that moment forever.

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posted 10-07-2013 05:14 PM               

Last May, I was heading to an interview at Northern Arizona University. My flight arrived into Phoenix late, and as a result, I just missed my connection to Flagstaff — the plane hadn't left yet, but the gate was closed and they wouldn't let anyone else on board.


As I was standing at the check-in desk trying to talk my way onto the plane, this old guy comes up behind me and starts raising hell with the gate clerk, demanding to speak to the pilot, cursing, etc. I turn around to see who's making such a commotion, and see this guy who looks an awful lot like Buzz. After shouting at the guy for a minute or two, he pauses. I look at him and ask, "Are you Buzz Aldrin?" He looks over at me and say, "Yeah I'm Buzz Aldrin, now get that damn pilot on the phone...!"

Anyway, long story short, Buzz and I ended up renting a car together and I spent the next two hours driving him up to Flagstaff (where he was attending the IAA Planetary Defense Conference). On the drive up talked about lots of things: Mars missions, SpaceX, politics, and diving. I didn't have the nerve to ask him anything about Apollo XI or his experience on the moon mission, but he wasn't shy about giving his opinion on the current space program! A few times during the drive, I glanced out my driver's side window at the almost-full moon above the horizon. Then I'd glance over at the man who sitting next to me — amazed that I had ended up here, driving one of the very first moonwalkers through the Arizona night. An amazing evening indeed.

Once we got to Flagstaff and dealt with the rental car, he gave me his business card and some contact information. As he handed it to me, I saw that it was a very cool Apollo XI card with the mission emblem and a little astronaut logo. I couldn't resist asking him to sign it for me (which he did). At the time I didn't know he was such a reluctant public signer — probably never would have asked otherwise.