Canadians, like countless others around the world, tuned in for the historic NASA and SpaceX launch Saturday.
And probably more than a few of those Canadians, when they saw the Crew Dragon lift off, couldn’t help but cheer it on with a hearty “TAKE OFF, EH!”
After all, the astronauts’ names are Bob and Doug.
If you’re unfamiliar, allow us to explain.
Behold: Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, veteran astronauts and best friends . They’re the ones who are aboard Elon Musk’s spaceship, currently on a 19-hour journey to the International Space Station.
During several broadcasts of the highly anticipated launch, the duo were casually and frequently referred to as “Bob and Doug.”
And Canadians who came of age in the 1970s and ’80s couldn’t help think of a certain iconic SCTV comedy duo, Bob and Doug McKenzie:
Bob (played by Rick Moranis) and Doug McKenzie (Dave Thomas) were hosts of a fictional cable TV show, “Great White North,” and were hilarious caricatures of every Canadian cliché rolled into two lovable, doughnut-eating, beer guzzling, toque-wearing everymen with the strongest Canadian accents north of the 49th.
Did we mention they really loved beer? Here’s a beauty gif to prove it, eh:
Here’s a gem of a clip of Bob and Doug talking about space way back in their heyday. Someone superimposed NASA spacesuits on them in anticipation of the SpaceX launch, how current!
Their classic movie, “Strange Brew ” is a must-watch for every hoser worth their Labatt 50 stubby , so fans couldn’t resist riffing:
And the original Doug McKenzie himself (a.k.a. Winnipeg comedian Dave Thomas) sent good vibes to the astronaut pair:
Because let’s face it, of the two sets of Bobs and Dougs, it’s clear which pair was most qualified for the launch:
(Not that pair).
Bon voyage, Astro Bob and Doug! As we say in Canada: COO-ROO-COO-COO-COO-COO-COO-COO!
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