N'SYNC -- in SPAAAAAAACE!

August 26, 2002 12:24 PM

N'SYNC -- in SPAAAAAAACE! (Personally, I'm glad they're sending one of the ugly ones.)
posted by tweebiscuit (21 comments total)

I've always thought that the members of this particular band looked ... rubbery, sort of unfinished, kinda like Odo and the rest of the Founders on Deep Space Nine. That a member of N'Sync is now returning to the depths from which he/it came seems only, uh, logical.
posted by WolfDaddy at 12:27 PM on August 26, 2002

I ran into Lance Bass at the Balunar Liftoff (Houston's NASA hot air balloon festival) this past weekend. He was wearing dark classes and a baseball cap to disguise himself, but I was still able to recognize him. Perhaps it was because he didn't have to go through security that made him conspicuous...

I went up to him and said: "If I were in a boy band and making millions, I would do the exact same thing. I think this'll be the best $20 mil you'll ever spend."

Lance said something along the lines of "Yeah, I can't wait." but by that time I had gone back to my wife. I really didn't want to stick around and chat.
posted by DragonBoy at 12:30 PM on August 26, 2002

(Personally, I'm glad they're sending one of the ugly ones.)

wait a minute--there are cute ones?

i must admit, i'm jealous. i wish i had $20 million to spare.
posted by witchstone at 12:31 PM on August 26, 2002

He's not spending his own money. Sponsors are (allegedly) kicking in between $5 and $15 million apiece.
posted by websavvy at 12:32 PM on August 26, 2002

Yeah, I caught that in the article. What sort of return could they possibly expect to get back on their investment? Are they advertising on his space suit?
posted by tweebiscuit at 12:42 PM on August 26, 2002

ah yes, sponsors. didn't i hear something about a "reality show in space" thing they were going to market to teenage girls?
posted by witchstone at 12:46 PM on August 26, 2002

If I'm not mistaken, this guy is actually going to become wealthier by going into space. There are five sponsors coughing up between $5-$15 million just as websavvy said, for what exactly i'm not sure. Possibly advertising rights for the 'reality' show. This is one of the few times that I really do wish i was rich enough and famous enough to do exactly what a member of NSYNC is doing.
posted by StrangerInAStrainedLand at 12:52 PM on August 26, 2002

We spend $20 million to send this chode into space but our public school systems only prepare our kids to be good little burger flippers. Good to see this country has got its priorities straight...
posted by spungfoo at 12:56 PM on August 26, 2002

You must mean: "Good to see those corporations have got their priorities straight" and "We spend money on products that eventually fill marketing budgets with their profits to send this...". Our country's pathetic abandonment of public education is another issue, for another thread...
posted by Ms.JaneDoe at 1:05 PM on August 26, 2002

I heard that the space ship is going to have logos on it.

Really. But I could be wrong. The "space reality show" sounds vaguely familiar too.
posted by puffin at 1:13 PM on August 26, 2002

The ISS isn't far enough if you ask me!
posted by tunde at 1:15 PM on August 26, 2002

You're right MsJaneDoe, I typed my message in haste. I thought I'd make that clear before folks bust out the flamethrowers.
posted by spungfoo at 1:17 PM on August 26, 2002

Speaking of corporate sponsorship. (scroll down to bottom... blimpie, viagra...) It is even taking over in my home town in the panhandle of Florida. Perhaps if the corporations sponsor the t-shirts the dress code violating kids have to wear, the money could go to aid our abandonment of public education. Just an idea :o)
posted by bmxGirl at 1:24 PM on August 26, 2002

Actually, IIRC there have already been advertisements on space shuttles -- I think I read that in Zillions when I was a kid, but I'm not sure. Anyone feel like finding out?
posted by tweebiscuit at 1:43 PM on August 26, 2002

Its okay, Pizza Hut already bought the ISS, not to mention the entire Russian space program.
posted by thewittyname at 1:52 PM on August 26, 2002

Mmmm... Russian pizza in space...
posted by ac at 2:01 PM on August 26, 2002

Eh, tweebiscuit, you could be right. I read Zillions religiously until it stopped printing. I don't really remember reading that about spaceships but my memory is full of holes.

I dunno, I think it's a little weird to take advertising up to space or a reality TV show, for that matter. Especially if the ship blows up or something. *shudders *
posted by puffin at 2:11 PM on August 26, 2002

Tunde, I'm with you. Has anyone calculated how many additional pounds of thrust would be necessary to send Lance's Soyuz hurtling past the space station and irretrievably into deep space?
posted by apollo3000 at 5:03 PM on August 26, 2002

(Apologies for the self-link, but anyone looking for an appropriate soundtrack to Lance's adventure should check out my (firmly tongue-in-cheek) Mefi Swap CD "Lance in Space". I've got a few copies left to swap if anybody's interested.)

I find it interesting that he gets to do all the training without having the whole contract/payment thing finalized. It's like he's getting a free trip to the real Space Camp (something my 8-year-old self would've killed for). I guess the Russian space program must be pretty hard up for cash to keep pushing back the deadline for him.
posted by web-goddess at 6:15 PM on August 26, 2002

Without sounding too much like my dad, if Lance is in training with NASA right now, aren't our tax dollars paying for this little scamp's way through space camp?

But I wanna go to space camp!
posted by pjhagop at 10:27 PM on August 26, 2002

web-goddess - The russian space program receives about 1/100th of the funding that NASA receives... so yeah, they will do what they can to get their hands on 20mil.
posted by spidre at 10:30 PM on August 26, 2002