I got an email about this earlier today, but now Instantman has the link. I'm not generally in favor of fisticuffs, but knowing Buzz, I'm sure that he had had more than he could reasonably take from this idiot.

Clowns like this, who go around impugning the honor of the men who walked on the Moon, and the men and women who sent them there, have freedom of speech, but it's distressing that their wacko theories get press attention. Fox network should be ashamed of themselves for ever airing his tripe, and lending it any credence at all.

Unfortunately, the nutball will probably continue to try to press charges for assault. I hope that the Beverly Hills cops ignore him.

[Update at 2:34 PM PDT]

Over at sci.space.policy, Mark Whittington notes that it brings a whole new meaning to Ralph Kramden's old lines from The Honeymooners, "One of these days, Alice, one of these days. I hope they like your little jokes on the Moon, because that's where you're gonna be going. Bang, Zoom!"

[Another update at 5 PM]

A couple of the folks at this forum (thanks to Alan Boyle for the link) have a great idea.

If the case goes to trial, Buzz should just claim that it's all a hoax, and that it never actually happened. It's not physically possible for a seventy-two-year-old man to deck a much younger man like that.

You say there's video evidence? Faked in a sound studio, with an artificial fist...

I think it's hilarious that this prick got beat down by a 72-year-old man. I somehow doubt he's going to be able to raise a lot of sympathy...

The Beverly Hills police can't ignore a complaint like this, but this just ain't gonna go to trial. Who in their right mind is going to convict Buzz for hitting this nut? What is the DA gonna do: move the trial to Brazil for an unbiased jury? Besides, a jury would laugh at a 37-year old filing charges against someone eligible for AARP membership.

This just in from a friend of mine:
"I heard an audio recording of the incident on CBS radio this morning.
Aldrin asked the man to leave several times, and then threw the punch after the guy called him "a liar, a thief, and a coward." Surely that guy whom Senator Glenn laid flat on the steps of Congress ten years ago could have told him it doesn't pay to provoke an astronaut.
I hope that after he threw the punch, he came gave him another, saying, "You know, second comes right after first."

Another update: I was told the CONTRA COSTA TIMES headline was ONE SMALL WISECRACK FROM A MAN, ONE GIANT SMACK FOR MANKIND.

Toren -- Sen. Glenn decked somebody?!?!? Please, I must hear the details!