Jeff Bezos is Sending A Former American Idol Judge to Space
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Jeff Bezos is Sending A Former American Idol Judge to Space

Who knew that judging a reality TV show and making pop music could send you to space? That has to be somewhere hidden in the fine texts. Listen to some amateur singing, let Ryan Seacrest host, and become an astronaut. It's an insane whiplash but who is turning down an opportunity to go explore the moon and the stars? Multi-billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is funding this expedition for former American Idol judge Katy Perry and others.

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Recently, Jeff Bezos' rocket company Blue Origin announced its plans to send his girlfriend Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, and Katy Perry to space. They'll join former rocket scientist for NASA Aisha Bowe, scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn in a crew of all women The company's mission statement says that they want to "challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come.

Former American Idol Judge Katy Perry is Going on a Rocket to Space

Gayle King was admittedly antsy about the idea. In an article from NBC News, she initially refuses the space odyssey. However, eventually, she changes her mind and sees the opportunity to do something new and fresh. "I'm so afraid, but I'm also so excited about it. When they asked me, and they asked me around Thanksgiving, I was like, 'no, no, no.' Then I started thinking about it," King recalls. "And I just thought what a unique opportunity."  

Meanwhile, back on earth, Carrie Underwood is taking Katy Perry's spot while she heads off into space. Perry cosigns her replacement, acknowledging that Underwood's experience gives her a distinct advantage. "She was born on that show. I think she knows how to steer it," she says. "She actually truly knows... What it feels like to be in their shoes. We could only metaphorically feel that as judges."