Space clown drew more news coverage than Afghan mission
CBC News
Canada’s first space clown can brag that his recent trip to the cosmos generated at least 23 times more international news coverage this year than the country’s mission in Afghanistan.
The figure comes from a media research group hired by Guy Laliberté, the Cirque du Soleil founder who recently became Canada’s first space tourist.
Final bill for Cirque founder’s trip to space could rise another $10 million
The Canadian Press
The final tab for Guy Laliberte’s visit to the International Space Station could rise to nearly C$50 million (US$47.2 million) after this week’s elaborate international show linking the Cirque du Soleil founder with his terrestrial counterparts.
The Associated Press reports a bit more on billionaut Guy Laliberte’s plans for his space tourism flight later this month:
The man who plans on being “the first clown in space” said Thursday he’s got some surprises planned for the crew of the international space station.
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte told reporters he plans to tickle the professional astronauts while they’re sleeping, and he’s also bringing red clown noses to try to lighten things up on the orbiting station.
“I’m a person with a pretty high spirit, who’s there to crack jokes and make jokes to those guys, and while they’re sleeping, you know, I’ll be tickling them,” Laliberte said.
Oh, good stuff! Read more here.
SPACE ADVENTURES PRESS RELEASE
Guy Laliberte, founder of Cirque du Soleil and the ONE DROP Foundation, unveiled the artistic concept behind his poetic social mission, which will be carried out from the International Space Station (ISS). This is the first ever artistic and social event to originate from space.
Under the theme “Moving Stars and Earth for Water,” the poetic social mission will take place on October 9, 2009 (GMT) in 14 cities simultaneously around the world. For 120 minutes, the earth will gaze up at the stars and resonate to the rhythms of artists and world-renowned figures who will demonstrate their commitment to water and pay tribute to this vitally important natural resource.
AFP reports that when Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte flies into orbit next month on his space tourism joyride, we should be prepared for some wackiness:
Already his screen saver pictures his mission colleagues — US astronaut Jeffrey Williams and cosmonaut Maksim Surayev — in space suits and red clown noses, and he says he will bring six more clown snouts to those now in orbit.
Ah, exciting stuff!
PURE ENTERTAINMENT PRESS RELEASE
Pure Entertainment Group Inc, a bespoke event management and luxury concierge company, recently announced a partnership with the only company that provides human space mission to the world marketplace: Space Adventures Ltd.
This partnership allows Pure Entertainment Group to be one of the first and only companies in Canada to offer bespoke space travel experiences to its very demanding clientele, such as space-related adventure tours, sub-orbital and orbital spaceflights, zero-gravity flights and cosmonaut training programs.
Q&A With Guy Laliberte
Russia Today
RT: Do you feel that there might have been a better way to invest your money into the cause you’re fighting for – into water- on the Earth rather than going to space?
G.L.: Actually I’m spending a lot of money here on Earth beside the price of the trip cost for space. I already have committed $100 million directly to my foundation. And we are raising more money. Already I warn my kids that if I die, 80 % of my fortune will go to my foundation for helping people in need. And I truly believe that the money I spend there will fulfill the personal dream that I have, but it will be great support to commercial awareness of Cirque du Soleil and the awareness I want to create for the water cause in the world. Because if we achieve the artistic goal that I have on my mission, the coverage of that worldwide will be worth much more than the money that I’m spending there… So I think it’s a good investment for the cause of water.
Read the full interview.
Halperin, Cirque step up legal duel over Laliberté bio
CBC News
The author of an unauthorized biography of Cirque du Soleil’s founder says he plans to file a $500,000 lawsuit against the Montreal circus troupe and Guy Laliberté, according to a report in Le Journal de Montréal.
