# Just one more reason to love Buzz Aldrin **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 28, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244 "2022-02-28T18:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/1 "2022-02-28T18:33:19Z")
> **[Space selfie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_selfie)** > > A space selfie is a selfie (self-portrait photograph typically posted on social media sites) that is taken in outer space. This include selfies taken by astronauts (also known as astronaut selfies), machines (also known as space robot selfies and rover selfies) and by indirect methods. > The first known space selfie (during an EVA - an earlier shot inside the capsule was taken on Gemini 10 by Michael Collins) was taken by Buzz Aldrin during the Gemini 12 mission. > The extra-vehicular activity (EVA... Maybe not the first on the Moon, but a pioneer in so many other ways… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/2 "2022-02-28T21:09:25Z")
Neil should have taken a lesson from Buzz. Because Armstrong had the camera, most of the pictures of the first men on the moon are of Aldrin. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/3 "2022-02-28T21:10:42Z")
Well, it’s like vacation pix where you never see Dad. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/4 "2022-02-28T23:21:41Z")
Eh, Buzz is ok, buy my guy is Michael Collins. Highly recommended: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/h9IPdnI.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/h9IPdnI) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/5 "2022-03-01T00:44:35Z")
I do suppose one reason to love Aldrin was when he punched out Bart Sibrel, the moon hoax promoter. I go back and watch it every so often for fun. He put the dude on his butt! ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/6 "2022-03-01T02:38:07Z")
When I have to pick my favorite spacemen, I favor those who did cameos on 30 Rock. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AvG8qI0HCfY/maxresdefault.jpg "Yelling At The Moon With Buzz Aldrin | 30 Rock") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvG8qI0HCfY) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/7 "2022-03-01T02:46:26Z")
Just a few years ago, Aldrin went to the South Pole, and then had to be medevaced with altitude sickness. IIRC, he was 86 years old. That guy must be a genetic cross between George Burns and Betty White, and I hope he lives longer than either of them. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/8 "2022-03-01T03:00:01Z")
My favorite trivia bit from that rescue: > **[Buzz Aldrin being treated by a doctor named David Bowie (yes) after South...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/12/06/buzz-aldrin-being-treated-by-a-doctor-named-david-bowie-yes-after-south-pole-evacuation/)** > > We are here for your “take your protein pills and put your helmet on” jokes. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/9 "2022-03-01T03:01:15Z")
I remember that, and in this case, his name really WAS Dr. David Bowie. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/10 "2022-03-01T14:40:42Z")
The first picture of him in that Dr. Bowie article shows him with watches on both wrists. One set to local time, and the other to Sea of Tranquility time? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/11 "2022-03-01T15:22:15Z")
Buzz has the sense of humor to laugh at himself as well. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zap4qbSXNxY/hqdefault.jpg "The Big Bang Theory - Buzz Aldrin Guest Stars--Subtitled") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zap4qbSXNxY) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/12 "2022-03-02T03:08:39Z")
As I recall, Buzz struggled mightily when he first returned home. Once you’ve made it to the moon, what else is there, right? Buzz drank too much and burned through two marriages before finally getting sober for good in 1978. Like many people with big smiles, this man knows dark times. I say that with respect; his is a life lived deeply. > **[Buzz Aldrin Battled Depression and Alcohol Addiction After the Moon Landing](https://www.biography.com/.amp/news/buzz-aldrin-alcoholism-depression-moon-landing)** > > Exhausted and unsure of his future, the Apollo 11 astronaut struggled with his inner demons. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/13 "2022-03-02T16:49:22Z")
There was a treasure hunting show a couple of years ago where the treasure hunter’s father was friends with an astronaut who had made detailed maps while on orbit. They were shipwrecks and were made with some undefined technology on board the craft. The treasure guy was following up and had visited a couple of the sites. It was quite interesting and I have wondered if anything has continued in the quest. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/14 "2022-03-02T18:25:02Z")
Was the astronaut Aldrin? ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/15 "2022-03-02T19:29:53Z")
This sounds like a Gordon Cooper sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/16 "2022-03-02T19:46:37Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I remember that, and in this case, his name really WAS Dr. David Bowie. Yeah, he was the young Antarctican. mmm ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/17 "2022-03-03T03:34:29Z")
I have long heard that Aldrin was an active alcoholic when he took his moon flight and somehow managed to keep that off NASA’s radar, and he feared going into DTs on the flight. The communion wine that he brought with him wouldn’t have been sufficient to stave it off, either. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/18 "2022-03-03T14:41:11Z")
I’d always understood that he became an alcoholic only after the Apollo 11 mission, but perhaps not. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/19 "2022-03-03T18:42:06Z")
If he was at the point of having DTs on the mission, that’s certainly incompatible with him only becoming an alcoholic after. But if it wasn’t quite that bad, it might be a reasonable point of debate as to when he actually became an alcoholic. My grandmother was a college professor and, in retrospect, a very high-functioning alcoholic for most of her career, only becoming a low-functioning cause for concern after she retired. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2022, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-one-more-reason-to-love-buzz-aldrin/960244/20 "2022-03-04T02:56:47Z")
I have a relative who didn’t realize he was an alcoholic, nor did his family, until he had an emergency hospitalization, and had a seizure the next day when he didn’t have his “daily drink”. He had become physically addicted to his “daily drink” which I did happen to see on one occasion; it was a tumbler half-full of vodka, so I wasn’t as surprised as they were.