FAM: Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land On The Moon?
Welcome to a Russian Roulette episode of The Friday Afternoon Movie, brought to you by my lack of functioning brain cells and a YouTube search for “documentary”. Today we present the kind of programming many viewers of FOX TV might remember in and around the time of the X-Files. Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon? begs the titular question in the voice of an announcer for a monster truck rally with a smooth chaser of X-Files alum Mitch Pileggi to help lend an air of mystery and intrigue. This is all in the service of one of my favorite, inconsequential conspiracy theories — an elaborate hoax perpetrated by NASA in order to stick it to the Communists. Or not. I’ve never really been sure as to why NASA would go through such lengths to fake such an event; “Communists” is merely a solid go-to for any conspiracy taking place before the fall of the Soviet Union. Either way, it’s 40 minutes of “experts” with backyard bunkers explaining how the American flag could not flutter without an atmosphere and even hints at murder most foul. Enjoy.
September 17th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
This takes me back to when I was a kid. Watching this show back then enraged me. I hated those old men. The moon landing was such a wonderful memory my grandparents and parents always told me about. Sadly the only memories I myself have of the space program are of the Challenger and Columbia explosions. I was up and cheering when the Mythbusters busted all the conspiracy theories those goofy old men claimed. The proof is out there, it’s open to the world. The science facts are there, they’re not hidden. Every time I look up at the moon, the only thing I can think of are the heroic crews of STS-51-L and STS-107 and the spirit of adventure these wonderful people had and of Yuri Gagarin and how he must have felt being the first human being to orbit the earth. Did We Land On The Moon? Yes we did.
September 17th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
they faked the footage of the moon landing by filming it on the moon. Those bastards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6MOnehCOUw
September 17th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Ah, I remember this well. I was taking an Astronomy class at the time. A bunch of fellow students came in using what they saw as the basis for their questions and for 3 hours the very patient professor ripped this “documentary” to pieces. He did it in a very calm way that didn’t dismiss what was asked, he simply knew the Science involved. Only the most hardened dismissed what was said.
Still, I will say I MISS this kind of programming on FOX since it was always fun at least. They use to have some great conspiracy, ghosts, unusual phenomena, etc. kind of shows. Other networks have that now obviously but Fox always did it with a very Rod Serling styled host.
September 17th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Marc – Oh man, I love that sketch. I can’t believe I didn’t link it somewhere in the post!
I really do have fond memories of this kind of show on FOX, the standout, of course, being Alien Autopsy narrated by Jonathan Frakes. Aliens! The government knows all about them but isn’t telling us! Blaaaaaaaaaaaarlarlalrlarlarlarlarlar.
September 18th, 2010 at 4:35 am
Yes. yes we did.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
The theory goes that the moon landing was a hoax and we instead spent the billions of dollars developing ICBMs, with which to better fight commies. The Moon landing bit was just propaganda and shooting it on a sound stage (or in the desert, as some claim) was cheaper than building giant modernist sculpture, like the Soviets.
And for a glorious smackdown of this nonsense, see Phil Plait, the bad Astronomer.