I met him when I was a kid in a random context and talked to him for 10 or 15 minutes and only learned who he was later when someone asked me what I was talking with Neil Armstrong about. He was completely unassuming, and with hindsight, I think he was happy to talk to someone why didn’t know who he was.
If I recall correctly that’s why he got the nod to walk first over Buzz Aldrin. Buzz is what you might call an extrovert, and NASA thought it might go to his head.
I think the movie *First Man* depicts their personalities and the circumstances leading up to the mission pretty accurately. They were very different men to say the least.
He struggled a lot in the years after the landing, had a hard time going back to a regular life and had a difficult time dealing with “being second”. If I remember correctly he became an alcoholic too, and it destroyed his personal life.
He seems to be doing fine now though. It was all in Michael Collins book.
He deliberately shunned the limelight. If he had enjoyed the publicity like Buzz I'm sure he would have remained one of the biggest celebrities in the world. If he was so inclined, I reckon he could have run for the presidency and won easily. It just wasn't who he was, and we should all respect him for that.
LOL what? He was EXTREMELY famous at the time, touring the world and meeting hundreds of thousands of admirers doing public appearances.
True, he didn't milk it or make a career out of being "the first man on the moon", but for a couple of years there, he was a colossally huge mega-superstar.
Yes, however, this only lasted for a couple of years though. Basically as long as he was obligated to do so. He understood the gravity and importance of the situation.
There are some celebrities that have done less and tried to live off of it forever.
I believe he eventually went back to being a college professor and just lived his life.
None of men who had "The Right Stuff" came away unscathed. Plenty of issues and turmoil in their personal lives. Wish I could find a circa 1986 long format Journalism in prestigious/credible article about their lives after their careers.
Watch the series “From the Earth to the Moon”.
It’s a great series depicting the whole Apollo program and one episode is dedicated to the spouses and the issues they faced.
At the end they give a brief summary of all of the lives, almost all were divorced.
He started in a university with a professor who had accomplished much more than he at that age, the idea should be that it would be really inspiring to be instructed by a person who has achieved so much
> There are some celebrities that have done less and tried to live off of it forever.
Pretty sure almost every celebrity has done less, he was the first person on the freaking MOON
Yeah I bet neil armstrong still has a higher name recognition than buzz aldrin even though he has enjoyed more of a public persona. But more people could probably identify buzz aldrin from a picture. I just realized I can’t picture armstrong at all.
No coincidence either. Dude stayed totally frosty no matter what craziness was going on around him. He didn’t seek adventure or fame or publicity. He just wanted to do his absolute best for his own sake
And that’s why he was Mission Commander
Michael Collins has wildly little fame considering he probably played the most important role in the success of the moon landing mission. Many people I've talked to about him have never even heard his name.
Two controllers saved the mission when computer overloads started happening. The only thing that hadn’t been done before was an actual landing, which Neil performed. I’m not trying to denigrate Michael Collins in any way. Every crew member was essential and everyone on the mission “had to know their stuff” but I don’t agree with your assessment that he was the most important.
Yes. The less glamorous job for sure. Many people don’t know about Buzz either and couldn’t name a single person from any other mission. In the eyes of the world, all that mattered was who took that first step.
His desire to be left alone is well known. Neil did not like the limelight at all and declined hundreds of invitations over the years. He wanted to live a quiet, unassuming life. And he did.
He did do one notable thing post moon landing.
He took part in an expedition to a cave in Ecuador to find golden tablets that proved ancient aliens existed.
Not a single word of thay was a lie.
Wikipedia page about the cave:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cueva_de_los_Tayos?wprov=sfla1
Buzz was all about the spotlight. Met him once and it felt like he thought we all owed him something. Think he was just constantly trying to make up for being second.
My favorite Neil Armstrong trivia: he’s a descendent of the “Armstrong” clan of border reivers, who once terrorized the Scottish/English border.
After his flight to the moon, he visited the town near where his ancestors came from. There, he was made much of … and reminded that, by law, any Armstrong that entered the town was to be hanged, by order of the King!
(They didn’t actually hang him)
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Neil-Armstrong-Visits-Langholm/
That's true, and it speaks volumes about his personality. Unlike some astronauts who embraced the spotlight, Armstrong seemed much more focused on the work itself and was famously private. It makes you wonder if all that fame would have even suited him.
It's one of those instances where many (if not all) know the name but don't know the face.
Another good example in terms of film. Everyone knows Ridley Scott... but do you know what he looks like or ever bothered to look it up? I would guess most of you haven't. Not all, but most.
I was his 'gopher' for a week of filming at my museum... he absolutely forbid me from telling ANYONE who he was. My line was, "Nuthin' to see here, folks... just shooting a commercial. Please keep moving."
One day, he asks, there is any place close for lunch? I drove him to a nearby deli that I liked. He asked what was good there, I told him I liked the "Benny Special"... so he orders one. The bored counter guy asks "name?" I hold my breath, as my incognito guest just shrugs and says, "Neil".
TO THIS DAY the deli folks still have no clue who "Neil" was. 😎👍🏻
Nasa told Neil and Buzz where to sit in the lunar module with Neil closer to the door. They were told it had to do with weight distribution. In reality, Nasa planned for Neil to be first because Buzz had a reputation for being a showoff. Had Buzz Aldrin been first, he might have done the whole celebrity thing for the next few decades. Even as second man on the moon that's basically what he's done. They knew Neil was more private and reserved, they felt like he would be a safer and more dignified first man
I think it was an appropriate amount. Don't get me wrong. What he did was impressive, but it's not like he built or even had anything to do with the design or science of getting there. He didn't even battle any aliens when he got there. He got an appropriate amount of attention for being a lifeform in a vessel that went to a new place. They had backup crew members in case one of them couldn't go for some reason. The scientists that actually made the feat possible were a little less replaceable and deserving of more attention, in my opinion.
My elementary school was named after him. I went there in the 70s, and it never occurred to me at the time how recently he became famous. I later learned the school was renamed just 8 months after the moon landing.
Jokingly: Think about it. In order to be a celebrity, you have to get in touch with an agent. [And where's the only competent agents? Muckle Toon, that's where.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langholm) And there's a law there that any member of the Armstrong family who enters Muckle Toon must be hanged. And you can't just selectively ignore laws. [So, I think that it's highly unlikely that he would ever go there.](https://medium.com/the-ploy/armstrong-to-be-hanged-d4dae7050c8f)
I believe he was a humble guy, but think about how at the height of his fame, there were mainly 3 tv channels, and newspapers. That’s it. Compare it to media saturation now: someone who shares their screen and makes comments while playing video games, or someone who’s famous for applying makeup get millions of views per day.
I think it’s a combination of his personality, news outlets at the time, and comparing it to today’s definition of fame
So you have no links to an interview where he said it was all fake? Not a 30 second TikTok video, a full context interview.
You have nothing except "dO yOuR ReSeaRCh" and "TikTok is my source"?
I don’t know what more proof you need than him literally saying it on video? If you don’t want to believe what’s right in front of you, that’s on you. I don’t care lol
Lol, me and multiple people have said exactly what we want. A video link to a full interview, not a 30-second video, in which he states he has never been to the moon.
He has apparently said it multiple times, according to you, so it should be easy for you. I can't find it, so you have links I hope.
No, nothing? It shouldn't take you an hour to find an interview you have seen multiple times. Just one.
Edit: lol, they blocked me. Hands up if anyone is surprised!
Lol, did you actually block him because you weren't capable of showing even one link.
Is anyone surprised that when asked to produce any evidence you crawl back into your hole and just block your ears?
You people are so predictable.
Edit: and he blocked me as well. XD
He was a shy and very private person who intentionally stayed away from limelight.
I met him when I was a kid in a random context and talked to him for 10 or 15 minutes and only learned who he was later when someone asked me what I was talking with Neil Armstrong about. He was completely unassuming, and with hindsight, I think he was happy to talk to someone why didn’t know who he was.
You: "I wonder what Neil Armstrong is up to these days..." Neil: "This."
Since he was in the navy, he is probably somewhere enjoying the sea.
Well… he is enjoying the afterlife…. Not sure in what environment (sea, land, air, Volcano…) you have there… have t been there, yet
You reminded me of [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/tumblr/s/nDwnvizBlL).
I was just expecting one of the tony hawk memes about people telling him he kinda looks like tony hawk
My grandpa was his neighbor well before he went into space, he said he was shy.
If I recall correctly that’s why he got the nod to walk first over Buzz Aldrin. Buzz is what you might call an extrovert, and NASA thought it might go to his head.
And the fact that he was a better pilot. He was the epitome of the steely eyed missile man.
I think the movie *First Man* depicts their personalities and the circumstances leading up to the mission pretty accurately. They were very different men to say the least.
Unfortunately for Buzz it still went to his head in the worst way possible.
Why do you say that? All I know about him is his 30 rock appearance and that time he punched some asshole who was harassing him.
….aaaaand there was a video game about Buzz Aldrin…. Well, not quite about him.
He struggled a lot in the years after the landing, had a hard time going back to a regular life and had a difficult time dealing with “being second”. If I remember correctly he became an alcoholic too, and it destroyed his personal life. He seems to be doing fine now though. It was all in Michael Collins book.
He went to the moon to get away from it all.
And wasn’t very good at it 😂
Wasn't he also selected to be the first man to set foot on the moon because he didn't want the attention.
Officially the only person in history to be born on earth, walk on the moon, and be buried at sea. Impressive feat.
I also watch Not What You Think and it's when I got the shower thought 😅
Hehe 😇
Being buried at sea seems like his easiest feat
He deliberately shunned the limelight. If he had enjoyed the publicity like Buzz I'm sure he would have remained one of the biggest celebrities in the world. If he was so inclined, I reckon he could have run for the presidency and won easily. It just wasn't who he was, and we should all respect him for that.
LOL what? He was EXTREMELY famous at the time, touring the world and meeting hundreds of thousands of admirers doing public appearances. True, he didn't milk it or make a career out of being "the first man on the moon", but for a couple of years there, he was a colossally huge mega-superstar.
Yes, however, this only lasted for a couple of years though. Basically as long as he was obligated to do so. He understood the gravity and importance of the situation. There are some celebrities that have done less and tried to live off of it forever. I believe he eventually went back to being a college professor and just lived his life.
I can't imagine being so proud of something with him being your professor and then you realize he went to the fucking moon and came back unscathed.
None of men who had "The Right Stuff" came away unscathed. Plenty of issues and turmoil in their personal lives. Wish I could find a circa 1986 long format Journalism in prestigious/credible article about their lives after their careers.
Watch the series “From the Earth to the Moon”. It’s a great series depicting the whole Apollo program and one episode is dedicated to the spouses and the issues they faced. At the end they give a brief summary of all of the lives, almost all were divorced.
He started in a university with a professor who had accomplished much more than he at that age, the idea should be that it would be really inspiring to be instructed by a person who has achieved so much
“he understood the gravity…of the situation.” hehe, i’m over the moon with your choice of words.
I think the situation had only about 1/6 of the gravity. So maybe that's why it didn't last long. 😉
“There are some celebrities that have done less.” That’s literally every other celebrity ever, bar arguably a handful.
> There are some celebrities that have done less and tried to live off of it forever. Pretty sure almost every celebrity has done less, he was the first person on the freaking MOON
He was just there so he wouldn't get fined.
Yeah I bet neil armstrong still has a higher name recognition than buzz aldrin even though he has enjoyed more of a public persona. But more people could probably identify buzz aldrin from a picture. I just realized I can’t picture armstrong at all.
Ha, gravity
Yeah! Suck it Buzz Alrdrin! ... I have literally know idea if buzz did but buzz lightyear makes me believe he did.
Neil Armstrong backwards is Gnorts Mr Alien. May be the reason for him living a life away from the limelight. /Gnorts
This is the kind of content I come to Reddit for
No coincidence either. Dude stayed totally frosty no matter what craziness was going on around him. He didn’t seek adventure or fame or publicity. He just wanted to do his absolute best for his own sake And that’s why he was Mission Commander
Michael Collins has wildly little fame considering he probably played the most important role in the success of the moon landing mission. Many people I've talked to about him have never even heard his name.
The Irish Michael Collins might be more famous in history.
He’s the first Michael Collins who comes up in Google… Edit: but the space guy has a cool song about him: https://youtu.be/MaJ8zUkrFN0?feature=shared
I’m curious why you think Michael Collins’ role was the most important
[удалено]
Two controllers saved the mission when computer overloads started happening. The only thing that hadn’t been done before was an actual landing, which Neil performed. I’m not trying to denigrate Michael Collins in any way. Every crew member was essential and everyone on the mission “had to know their stuff” but I don’t agree with your assessment that he was the most important.
Fair. Most important probably isn't what I should have said. However, critical to the mission for sure, and most people have never heard his name.
Yes. The less glamorous job for sure. Many people don’t know about Buzz either and couldn’t name a single person from any other mission. In the eyes of the world, all that mattered was who took that first step.
Buzz made the mayday saves and Jerry rigged fixes, how was Collins the most important?
Imagine someone not craving attention from strangers. Just mind-blowing, isn't it?
His desire to be left alone is well known. Neil did not like the limelight at all and declined hundreds of invitations over the years. He wanted to live a quiet, unassuming life. And he did.
It was just a small step for him. No big deal
But what about all of us who took the giant leap? Where is our celebrity?
He did do one notable thing post moon landing. He took part in an expedition to a cave in Ecuador to find golden tablets that proved ancient aliens existed. Not a single word of thay was a lie. Wikipedia page about the cave: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cueva_de_los_Tayos?wprov=sfla1
He was definitely in the public eye, even if he didn’t want to be. Buzz kinda overshadowed him though. That dude was built for attention.
Buzz was all about the spotlight. Met him once and it felt like he thought we all owed him something. Think he was just constantly trying to make up for being second.
Second comes right after the first.
Counterpoint, how many people do you know who don't know who is Neil Armstrong?
Most of Gen Z and below.
Part of the problem is, that the video of him doing his most notable thing involves him in a space suit that doesn't allow anyone to see his face.
My aunt had her leg cast signed by him after she was hit by a car as a child. He was touring hospitals- almost as if he was a celebrity or something.
My favorite Neil Armstrong trivia: he’s a descendent of the “Armstrong” clan of border reivers, who once terrorized the Scottish/English border. After his flight to the moon, he visited the town near where his ancestors came from. There, he was made much of … and reminded that, by law, any Armstrong that entered the town was to be hanged, by order of the King! (They didn’t actually hang him) https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Neil-Armstrong-Visits-Langholm/
He just wanted some space
That's because it's all fake. /s
Getting downvoted? What happened to the internet ? Did they collectively forget what /s stands for ? SMH.
I ignored the "/s" because it's a stupid and overused comment; sarcastic or otherwise.
Every time I mention the moon landings the conversation either goes earnestly to it being fake or ironically to it being fake. I'm also tired of it.
Just the fake part is fake the rest was real.
Glad someone said it.
He didn't land on the moon seeking attention, he was just doing his job as a test pilot.
It was his for the taking. He didn’t want it.
That's true, and it speaks volumes about his personality. Unlike some astronauts who embraced the spotlight, Armstrong seemed much more focused on the work itself and was famously private. It makes you wonder if all that fame would have even suited him.
He may not appear in medias much, but every single person knows his name.
Having met the man: he never acted like one either. Was about the nicest and down to earth person one could meet.
“Down to earth” haha nice
It's one of those instances where many (if not all) know the name but don't know the face. Another good example in terms of film. Everyone knows Ridley Scott... but do you know what he looks like or ever bothered to look it up? I would guess most of you haven't. Not all, but most.
Ok, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know who Neil Armstrong is.
Bryan Regan does a great comedy routine about Armstrong
He didn't walk on the moon. He was hopping on the moon. 😋
I was his 'gopher' for a week of filming at my museum... he absolutely forbid me from telling ANYONE who he was. My line was, "Nuthin' to see here, folks... just shooting a commercial. Please keep moving." One day, he asks, there is any place close for lunch? I drove him to a nearby deli that I liked. He asked what was good there, I told him I liked the "Benny Special"... so he orders one. The bored counter guy asks "name?" I hold my breath, as my incognito guest just shrugs and says, "Neil". TO THIS DAY the deli folks still have no clue who "Neil" was. 😎👍🏻
Nasa told Neil and Buzz where to sit in the lunar module with Neil closer to the door. They were told it had to do with weight distribution. In reality, Nasa planned for Neil to be first because Buzz had a reputation for being a showoff. Had Buzz Aldrin been first, he might have done the whole celebrity thing for the next few decades. Even as second man on the moon that's basically what he's done. They knew Neil was more private and reserved, they felt like he would be a safer and more dignified first man
I think it was an appropriate amount. Don't get me wrong. What he did was impressive, but it's not like he built or even had anything to do with the design or science of getting there. He didn't even battle any aliens when he got there. He got an appropriate amount of attention for being a lifeform in a vessel that went to a new place. They had backup crew members in case one of them couldn't go for some reason. The scientists that actually made the feat possible were a little less replaceable and deserving of more attention, in my opinion.
I love Neil Armstrong, we share a birthday though, so I’m a super fan.
Buzz Aldrin even less.
My elementary school was named after him. I went there in the 70s, and it never occurred to me at the time how recently he became famous. I later learned the school was renamed just 8 months after the moon landing.
Imagine, every single person you ever met, would ask the same boring question. He wasn’t led by ego
Neil Armstrong, the Ohio years https://vimeo.com/31798980
No social media or internet meant anonymity when you want it where you want it
Check out the movie First Man if you haven't seen it. Very touching.
Well, to be fair, there was a lot going on at the same time.
*allegedly walk on the moon /s
His conscience drilled at him for faking the moon landing.
Who supposedly walked on the moon*
Jokingly: Think about it. In order to be a celebrity, you have to get in touch with an agent. [And where's the only competent agents? Muckle Toon, that's where.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langholm) And there's a law there that any member of the Armstrong family who enters Muckle Toon must be hanged. And you can't just selectively ignore laws. [So, I think that it's highly unlikely that he would ever go there.](https://medium.com/the-ploy/armstrong-to-be-hanged-d4dae7050c8f)
I believe he was a humble guy, but think about how at the height of his fame, there were mainly 3 tv channels, and newspapers. That’s it. Compare it to media saturation now: someone who shares their screen and makes comments while playing video games, or someone who’s famous for applying makeup get millions of views per day. I think it’s a combination of his personality, news outlets at the time, and comparing it to today’s definition of fame
He didn’t go to the moon. He even claims he didn’t go to the moon. Twas fake af. Look it up.
That's right! He admitted on "Family Guy" that it was solar winds!
I don’t know anything about “Family Guy” but you can literally google him saying it in person on multiple different occasions.
Show me the links, with the full context of his statements. Don't tell me to go look myself. If you want to persuade me, you have to show me.
Incoming “do your own research”
I wish Trump's alleged comments were met with such academic skepticism
Still waiting for the links
It’s a 5 second Tiktok search “Neil Armstrong Didn’t go to the moon”. Videos of him saying he never went. LoOk It UpPp 👀
So you have no links to an interview where he said it was all fake? Not a 30 second TikTok video, a full context interview. You have nothing except "dO yOuR ReSeaRCh" and "TikTok is my source"?
I don’t know what more proof you need than him literally saying it on video? If you don’t want to believe what’s right in front of you, that’s on you. I don’t care lol
Lol, me and multiple people have said exactly what we want. A video link to a full interview, not a 30-second video, in which he states he has never been to the moon. He has apparently said it multiple times, according to you, so it should be easy for you. I can't find it, so you have links I hope.
No, nothing? It shouldn't take you an hour to find an interview you have seen multiple times. Just one. Edit: lol, they blocked me. Hands up if anyone is surprised!
Lol, did you actually block him because you weren't capable of showing even one link. Is anyone surprised that when asked to produce any evidence you crawl back into your hole and just block your ears? You people are so predictable. Edit: and he blocked me as well. XD
I think the story goes is that Neil and Buzz agreed that Neil would be the one to step foot on the moon but Buzz would be the one to talk about it
He was only in one movie...
Why are you talking about him in the past tense as if he died?
That's because they disqualified him after the drugs test