Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Friday described the decision not to show Neil Armstrong planting the American flag on the moon in the upcoming Ryan Gosling movie “First Man” as “another way of trashing patriotism.”
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“They decided not to show Neil Armstrong planting the American flag on the moon, which is of course a fact of his life,” guest Raymond Arroyo told Ingraham before quoting Gosling’s reasoning. “Now, I don’t understand how planting a flag on the moon in any way contradicts his being a humble hero or being reluctant to embrace that moniker as the hero.”
“I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement [and] that’s how we chose to view it,” Gosling said in describing the decision. “I also think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible. He was reminding everyone that he was just the tip of the iceberg – and that’s not just to be humble, that’s also true. So I don’t think that Neil viewed himself as an American hero. From my interviews with his family and people that knew him, it was quite the opposite. And we wanted the film to reflect Neil.”
“It’s another way of trashing patriotism,” Ingraham said. “It’s another way of moving beyond the nationalism or nationalistic spirit, fervor of the moment. And Chuck Yeager basically threw some water on what Gosling said, that he didn’t consider it an American achievement. It’s ridiculous.” (RELATED: CHUCK YEAGER SHAMES HOLLYWOOD FOR INACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF NEIL ARMSTRONG)
“Stick to the facts,” said Arroyo. “He planted an American flag. Plant an American flag. Now there’s a boycott movement. Boycott ‘First Man’ movement. And this thing is sparking all sorts of outrage and it’s not even out yet.”
“Yeah, what’s that on his space outfit there?” quipped Ingraham as the network showed a picture of Armstrong wearing his spacesuit. “I think that’s an American flag. Come on!”