Welcome to today’s podcast, where we’re diving into the recent chaos surrounding Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and that highly publicized space tourism flight. This adventure featured Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, pop star Katy Perry, and others, all decked out in eye-catching "space suits." As Sánchez put it, “We’re going to put the ‘ass’ in astronaut.”

What was meant to be a breakthrough for feminism turned into a spectacle riddled with backlash. From TikTok parodies mocking Perry's enthusiasm to bizarre assumptions about the trip being faked, the criticism has been relentless. As the article highlights, this flight comes amidst serious budget cuts to NASA, casting doubt on whether we should celebrate such pompous displays of 'feminism' when actual female astronauts are sidelined.

The Blue Origin trip featured a staggering price tag of $28 million per seat, raising eyebrows given its short suborbital journey. In a world where hundreds of thousands struggle to make ends meet, broadcaster Gayle King’s defense of the venture— “have y’all been to space?”— feels especially tone-deaf.

Ultimately, the listeners are left wondering if this escapade is just another symptom of celebrity culture or a missed opportunity for real advocacy in space exploration. As the article suggests, perhaps this reflects our weariness with performative gestures, as even the biggest spectators seem not to be buying into it. And that, my friends, is a cosmic joke we can all share a laugh about.
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