Comedian Writes His Own NASA Rejection Letter as a Joke
A comedian applied to NASA's astronaut program, then wrote himself a brutally honest rejection letter that became an internet sensation. Sometimes the best jokes come from laughing at yourself.
When NASA opened its astronaut applications to the public, comedian Alex Falcone did something hilariously unconventional. He applied knowing he had zero qualifications, then wrote his own rejection letter from NASA's perspective.
The entire piece was a joke from start to finish, and Falcone never pretended otherwise. He published both the absurd application and the withering institutional reply on his Medium blog, The Weekly Weep, creating a one-sided argument with the space agency that he gleefully lost.
His fake application was comedy gold. Falcone described himself as someone with no useful skills who gets motion sick easily and ruins road trips and book clubs. He claimed watching Masters of the Universe should count toward the required master's degree.
The fictional NASA response didn't hold back. When Falcone wrote that he enjoyed the Apollo 13 air filter scene and loved space Legos almost as much as pirate Legos, the agency replied: "Perhaps you can apply to be a pirate."
It got better. The letter declined his request for no meetings before noon. It confirmed, with strained patience, that astronauts don't get a plus one to the moon and yes, he would have to tell his wife about going to space.
The best line? Since astronaut ice cream was "90% of the reason" for his application, NASA helpfully noted it's available in the gift shop and online.
Why This Inspires
Falcone's comedy resonates because he's genuinely comfortable with rejection. Years of being turned down by comedy festivals and writing gigs gave him the thick skin to find humor in failure. He even joked about trying to take inspiration from Michael Jordan's high school basketball rejection, only to realize Jordan responded by growing several inches and working relentlessly, which Falcone admits he's definitely not doing.
The bit went viral beyond his usual audience, getting picked up by humor sites and discussed on Australian radio. People connected with the honest, self-aware comedy of someone who knows their dream job would actually be terrible for them.
His joke reveals a truth most motivational posters miss: sometimes the dream is more fun as a joke than it would ever be as a job, and the rejection, especially when you write it yourself, can be the best part.
More Images
Based on reporting by Upworthy
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
Spread the positivity!
Share this good news with someone who needs it
