Nikki Glaser Shades Blue Origin Space Celeb Trip Amid Backlash—Her Hilarious Take Revealed!

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Nikki Glaser knows she’s alive, unwell and not going to space.

The humorist expressed her ambitious aspirations following her inclusion in the TIME100 Notable People of 2025 – plans that encompass composing additional music and dabbling in street photography, but a trip to space is not among those goals.

Nikki shared with TopMob News during the TIME100 Gala in New York City on April 24 that she was merely joking about wanting to go to space. She explained that she’s not keen on the idea due to potential backlash and simply because she doesn’t have a personal interest in space travel.

Instead of taking any bold actions right away, she prefers to relax and savor her achievements, particularly since it’s been an incredibly eventful year for her – one that culminated in her hosting the 2025 Golden Globes.

She expressed that instead of merely preserving her success, she yearns to truly savor it. She feels as though she’s been holding on tight to it rather than fully experiencing it. Her desire is to unwind a bit and allow herself to embrace the joy that comes with her achievements.

For more from Nikki, tune into TopMob News tonight, April 24 at 11 p.m.

During her “Alive and Unwell” tour, Nikki joked about the Blue Origin space mission that took place on April 14. This mission was presented as the first all-female space flight, which involved Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, as well as Katy Perry, Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

The attendees faced criticism from both celebrities and the general public due to their intention to travel for 11 minutes in full glamour. On the April 3 episode of “Today With Jenna & Friends,” actress Olivia Munn commented that this journey seemed extravagant, while pointing out that it costs a significant amount of money to go to space, and many people struggle just to afford basic necessities like food.

As a dedicated follower, I echo her sentiments, expressed in a video shared on April 14 via TikTok: “Gaze upon our current global situation and ponder the vast amount of resources expended to propel those women into space.

Similar to Nikki, other celebrities joined in on the space trip with a playful attitude. In an Instagram video posted on April 14th, Amy Schumer humorously announced, “I thought I was just riding the subway, but now I’m actually going to space!” She revealed that she received a last-minute invitation and can’t wait for her cosmic adventure.

Nonetheless, Perry appears unfazed by criticisms from her detractors. In fact, she seemed to acknowledge the criticism during her space-themed concert in Mexico City on April 23, asking the audience, “Has anybody ever branded your aspirations as foolish?

She subsequently invited two fans who had shown up at the concert wearing blue spacesuits onto the stage, addressing the crowd by saying, “I’d like these two individuals to join me onstage as they are dressed in a manner that represents my latest time period.

King too took the criticism in stride, playfully bantering with her fellow host from CBS Mornings, Nate Burleson, the day after, regarding the memes generated based on her frightened expression. One of them read, “Gayle King embodies what we all feel on a Monday.

However, she also explained that at the time, her look of fear felt like no laughing matter.

Reflecting back, I must admit there was a moment of unease, as I shared during my conversation with Oprah Daily on April 14th. To put it simply, humorously, and honestly, those memes do a great job at capturing my hesitation at the time.

For more on the Blue Origin space mission, read on.

— Reporting by Emily Curl

Established by Jeff Bezos, who is Amazon’s founder, in 2000, Blue Origin functions as a private space corporation based in Kent, Washington. As per their official site, the mission of this organization revolves around utilizing the resources of space to benefit Earth and extending human presence beyond it through enhanced transportation means and the construction of habitable destinations in low Earth orbit.

Blue Origin emphasizes its efforts in achieving these objectives by developing reusable rockets and engines, with the aim of lowering the cost of space travel, making it more affordable for common citizens, and promoting sustainability. In a talk at the 2016 Pathfinder Awards, Bezos expressed their vision as “millions of people living and working in space.” He also mentioned that they aim to significantly reduce the price of space travel by focusing on reusability.

When it comes to booking a seat on a Blue Origin flight, though their website does not display prices, it does specify a $150,000 deposit is required.

Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, who made history as the first American to travel to space in 1961, Blue Origin refers to New Shepard as a “completely reusable, autonomous suborbital rocket system designed for human flights.”

Six individuals can occupy New Shepard’s pressurized crew capsule, but there is no pilot seat since the vehicle operates autonomously – it doesn’t require pilots.

New Shepard debuted in 2015 during a test flight program that consisted of 16 successful tests, which were completed in 2021. In July of that year, Bezos and his brother Mark, along with an auction winner who paid $28 million for the seat, participated in New Shepard’s inaugural human flight. William Shatner, Michael Strahan (on separate missions), and other individuals later joined them on board the vehicle.

The upcoming voyage will be New Shepard’s 31st mission (hence the name NS-31) and its 11th human flight.

The NS-31 mission of New Shepard is planning to take off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One, nestled within the Guadalupe Mountain range in the West Texas desert. According to their website, this launch is scheduled for April 14, with the launch window opening at 8:30 a.m., Central Daylight Time.

As an over-the-moon fanatic, I can’t contain my excitement when I read on Blue Origin’s site that their New Shepard astronauts blast off toward space at over thrice the speed of sound! They soar past the Kármán line, the universally acknowledged boundary of space, a staggering 100 km (62 miles) above our beloved Earth. With the safety belts unfastened, they float freely, weightless, and are captivated by the mesmerizing sight of our planet beneath them. The crew then gracefully descend under parachutes. Incredibly, the entire journey, from lift-off to landing, is said to take just about 11 minutes!

 

The team for mission NS-31 includes singer Katy Perry, television host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, STEMBoard founder Aisha Bowe (formerly a NASA rocket scientist), bioastronautics researcher and activist Amanda Nguyen, and former news anchor Lauren Sanchez. Interestingly, this marks the first all-female spaceflight crew since 1963 when Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union embarked on a solo mission, becoming the first woman to venture into space.

Notably, Nguyen will be the first Vietnamese woman to travel in space, and Bowe will make history as the first person of Bahamian descent to journey where few have gone before.

Every team member has their unique motivation for being involved in this mission. For instance, Perry wishes to inspire her daughter Daisy, whom she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom, by demonstrating that anyone, regardless of background, ethnicity, economic status, or educational level, can achieve their dreams. King, who has openly admitted her apprehensions, aims to motivate others to venture beyond their comfort zones. She expressed hope that by doing so, she would open doors for those who were hesitant but now feel excited about the opportunity. Lastly, Nguyen sees this as a chance to realize a long-held dream. Having worked at NASA and studied astrophysics at Harvard and MIT, life events temporarily derailed her pursuit of stardom. She has fought for sexual assault survivors’ rights after being sexually assaulted herself. After a decade, she now wants to honor her pre-traumatized self by participating in this mission.

As reported by Good Morning America, each team member is scheduled to travel to the launch site early prior to the mission for training exercises. These workouts encompass a variety of tasks such as getting tailored for their flight gear, familiarizing themselves with the spacecraft, learning effective communication techniques with ground control, and reviewing safety procedures.

While the team underwent collective training, certain crew members opted to undertake personal preparations prior to the mission. For instance, Bowe ramped up his training regimen over the past year, intensifying it further, as he shared with ELLE before the launch. He also completed a NASTAR simulation, which provided him with a realistic experience of what he might encounter during the flight. Physical readiness is particularly crucial for Bowe, as he wants his body to be familiar with ascension. He has a fighter jet flight scheduled, and he’s eagerly anticipating it. Additionally, Flynn underwent several zero-gravity simulation flights, simulating weightlessness by flying in a Boeing 747 in a parabolic pattern. This was done to acclimate to the sensation of weightlessness. She also experienced NASTAR training in Philadelphia and withstood up to five Gs of pressure.

Nancy Conrad, who is the wife of Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon, serves as a mentor and inspiration for Bowe. She explained to a magazine that her journey mirrors Pete’s in many ways, and so she wants Bowe to carry a flag. Fortunately, thanks to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Bowe has the Apollo 12 flag, which will accompany her on the mission.

In addition, Bowe mentioned that she is also bringing plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s Astrobotany Lab and dehydrated conch chowder as a tribute to The Bahamas.

Nguyen has also chosen personal items to take with her. She told the magazine, “I will be carrying my mother’s shells from the island she is a refugee from, and I have also made a promise to myself [after my assault]. After I left the hospital, I wrote down, ‘Never ever give up,’ and I taped it to my laptop. I looked at it every day when I was graduating and when I was fighting for my rights—and I will be looking at it for the flight.”

According to her Instagram, Nguyen is also bringing the pen that former president Obama used to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Act, a Nguyen dynasty coin, and Freetown cotton tree seeds.

Some stars have sent encouraging messages to the crew, with King receiving a farewell video from CBS Mornings featuring Tom Hanks, Megan Rapinoe, Bill Nye, Drew Barrymore, and others. One actress from Charlie’s Angels said, “Best of luck,” adding that she was eager to discuss the mission once they returned home.

However, not everyone is supportive. Olivia Munn, for example, expressed criticism on Today with Jenna & Friends on April 3, saying, “What are they doing? Like why?” She also mentioned the high cost of space travel and the fact that many people can’t afford basic necessities like eggs. She questioned the purpose of the mission, stating, “What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous.”

King acknowledges the criticism directed at Bezos and Blue Origin, suggesting that this mission is merely an advertisement for him. Yet, she defends the mission, stating that it’s not just about one man or one company. She believes that it’s possible to support both the mission and criticize some of Bezos’ decisions.

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2025-04-25 04:18