Station Astronaut Laughs it up for 'Colbert Report'

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Station Astronaut Laughs it up for 'Colbert Report'
American astronaut Garrett Reisman smiles while describing space living with comedian Stephen Colbert during a May 8, 2008 taping of the 'Colbert Report' from aboard the ISS. His Colbert-supporting Wrist Strong bracelet is visible at on his right hand (left side of image). (Image credit: NASA TV.)

NASAastronaut Garrett Reisman squeezed in some laughsamid his busy day aboard the International Space Station (ISS) Thursday duringan orbital call from comedian Stephen Colbert.

Riesman, aflight engineer for the station?s Expedition 17 mission, spoke with Colbert about lifein space and his three-month mission for tonight?s episode ofthe faux-conservative show ?The Colbert Report? on Comedy Central.

?I can?tbelieve my voice is being broadcast to space right now. I should say somethingreally profound,? Colbert said during the interview broadcast on NASA TV. ?Eatit, Jon Stewart, I?m talking to space!?

Describinghimself as a ?glorified janitor,? Reisman explainedhis duties as Flight Engineer 2 — to perform science experiments and clean thespace station. He arrived at the orbiting lab in March and is slated to returnto Earth next month aboard the spaceshuttle Discovery.

Reismanproudly displayed his Colbert-supporting Wrist Strong bracelet — to raise wrist injury awareness — since wrists come in handy when astronauts wield the station?s robotic arm, land a spaceshuttle or fire their laser cannons, he said.

?I do haveto admit though that we don?t really have laser cannons, but sometimes I liketo pretend,? Reisman said.

Colbert andReisman discussed a litany of topics ranging from thestation?s Russian crewmates and ice cream to the mechanics of the orbitinglaboratory?s space potty and, oddly enough, his formercommander?s affinity for non-alcoholic, margarita-flavored Jell-O.

Reisman,who is makinghis first spaceflight during the long-duration Expedition 17 mission, hasalso served on a NASA trek to the Aquarius undersealaboratory on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

?What doyou have against the rest of humanity that you have to flee from us?? Colbertasked.

?I thinkit?s more what the rest of humanity has against me,? Reismanshot back with a grin. ?I keep getting sent to these far off places.?

Reisman?s full appearance on the?Colbert Report? will air tonight on the cable channel Comedy Central at 11:30p.m. EDT/10:30 CDT (check local listings).

 

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Tariq Malik
Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.