A surprising moment unfolded on *CBS Mornings* this Friday, October 31st, when host Tony Dokoupil mistakenly implied astronaut Buzz Aldrin had passed away during a lively debate about the moon landing. The mix-up occurred as Dokoupil, alongside co-anchors Nate Burleson and Gayle King, were discussing Kim Kardashian’s controversial claims regarding the historic event.
The conversation initially centered on Kardashian’s assertion that the moon landing was a hoax. Burleson defended her perspective, highlighting NASA’s previous concerns about the cost and the decline of interest in returning to the moon.
In a humorous, albeit ill-timed, response, Dokoupil quipped, “Nate, it is Halloween. Buzz Aldrin’s skeletal bones are going to come out of the ground and punch you in the face.”
Immediately realizing his error, Dokoupil quickly sought clarification. “I want to make sure Buzz Aldrin is actually dead. I kind of lost track of it,” he stated, requesting confirmation from producers. “Please tell me right now if it’s not, because I want to clear this up.”
Explaining his joke, Dokoupil added, “Buzz used to punch people in the mouth who doubted the moon landing.”
Burleson swiftly corrected Dokoupil, confirming that Aldrin, 95, is very much alive. “Buzz, come on the show. We love you. Punch me in the face, actually. Punch both of us!” Dokoupil declared, offering his sincere apologies to Aldrin. “Buzz Aldrin, my apologies. I think Kim Kardashian owes you an apology as well.”
The incident follows Kim Kardashian’s own comments, made during *The Kardashians* on Thursday, October 30th, where she expressed her belief that the moon landing was a fabricated event, citing a doctored video of Aldrin. NASA swiftly responded, confirming that the Apollo missions successfully landed six times, and highlighting NASA’s ongoing Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon.