NASA nixes Colbert, goes with Tranquility

NASA nixes Colbert, goes with Tranquility

NEW YORK — One small step for NASA, one giant running leap for Stephen Colbert. NASA announced this week that it won’t name a room in the international space station after the comedian. Instead, it has named a treadmill after him.

NASA earlier held an online contest to name a room (or “node”) at the international space station. With write-in votes, the name “Colbert” beat out NASA’s four suggested options: Serenity, Legacy, Earthrise and Venture.

On Tuesday’s “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central, astronaut Sunita Williams announced that NASA — which always maintained it had the right to choose an appropriate name — would not name the node after Colbert.

Node 3 will be called Tranquility, the eighth most popular response submitted by respondents in the poll. The node’s name alludes to where Apollo 11 landed on the moon — the Sea of Tranquility.

NASA and Colbert compromised by naming a treadmill used for exercising in space after Colbert. NASA, itself an acronym (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), often names things so they spell out something fun. That’s what they did with the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT).

Sheridan mourns demise of character

LOS ANGELES — Nicollette Sheridan says her “Desperate Housewives” character faced something more dangerous than a deranged husband: The actress claims the show’s creator had it in for Edie Britt.

Sheridan told TV Guide magazine that Edie must represent somebody that “Desperate Housewives” creator Marc Cherry didn’t like and that he had trouble “distinguishing between fact and fiction.” Cherry told TV Guide that the show has been under pressure to cut costs, with the magazine estimating that Sheridan’s departure will save up to $200,000 per episode.

When last seen, Edie had crashed her car while trying to flee her husband. The ABC drama picks up the story in Sunday’s episode, with Edie mourned by her Wisteria Lane neighbors.

Music legends release new album

MELVILLE, N.Y. — Though their golden anniversary is fast approaching, Little Anthony and the Imperials are having a banner year in 2009 — getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, celebrating a new album, “You’ll Never Know,” and declaring their independence from the “doo-wop reunions” tours.

Little Anthony himself, Anthony Gourdine, says the group’s recent honors, including being part of Paul Simon’s Brooklyn Academy of Music run last year, make him feel like it’s the days of “Tears on My Pillow” and “Hurts So Bad” all over again.

Today's birthdays

Singer Bobby Vinton is 74. Singer Gerry Rafferty is 62. Actress Ellen Barkin is 55. Bassist Jason Scheff of Chicago is 47. Singer Jimmy Osmond is 46. Singer David Pirner of Soul Asylum is 45. Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence is 44. Actor Jon Cryer is 44. Actor Peter Billingsley (“A Christmas Story”) is 38.