NASA’s made quite a few gaffes along the way (some far more costly than others) but none more chuckle-worthy than the one that came to light yesterday.
According to information released by the Associated Press, in an online contest to name the newest room at the international space station, the suggestion that received the most votes was not one of NASA’s four, but rather a write in: “Colbert”.
After comedian Steven Colbert, in his traditional tongue-in-cheek style, encouraged viewers of his show to submit his name to the contest, they responded in droves. With over 230,000 entries, “Colbert” beat NASA’s most popular suggestion “Serenity” by over 40,000 votes.
So what now? A clause in the contest rules that the winning name will get “top consideration” allows the agency to exercise the final decision. And judging from the fact that the contest results can’t be found anywhere on NASA’s site, I think we can pretty much guess how this one is going to turn out.
Well, the fact that NASA’s latest “Name that Rover” competition includes no write-in option means they’ve learned something from this. That’s good to know.
But what will happen, reputation-wise, if NASA refuses to acknowledge the contest winning name? Can’t you just picture Steven Colbert mobilizing his clearly willing followers in the implementation of some sort of inane anti-NASA campaign?
This stunt clearly demonstrates the tangible sway that Colbert and other tv personalities hold over the public. But it also demonstrates the very reason why NASA will likely want to steer clear of association with the guy. After all, Colbert doesn’t exactly bring with him the image of seriousness and competence the organization needs after amassing so many reputation blemishes.
Should NASA honor the public’s submissions and name the room after Steven Colbert? How would doing so impact NASA’s image?
