July 9, 2025 • 15 mins
A late-night accident. A haunted past. A crumbling marriage. Buzz Aldrin trains for the Moon while struggling to hold his life together on Earth.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Buzz, an audio drama for iHeart Podcasts starring John Lithgow
and Jeffrey Aaron as buzz Aldron. This series is based
on real events, However, certain characters, names, incidents, locations, and
dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Chapter four, Neil and I were suited up in the
Lunar Module simulator in Houston, about to practice another redocking
procedure with the command Module Columbia. It should have been
just another day at the office, if the launch of
(00:36):
Apollo eleven were just a few days away, if I
knew whether or not I'd be part of the crew,
and if Neil and I weren't giving each other the
kind of silent treatment that made the Sphinx look blabby.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Eagel, Houston, a little less than a minute here, everything
looks good, and we assume the steerables and track mode.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Auto at control to mode control mode control auto both
program twelve. Okay, we're standing by.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
For the guidance steering Eagle, Houston. You're looking good to us.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Beautiful twenty six thirty six feet per second up. Be
advised at the pitch over, very smooth balanced couple off,
very quiet.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Ride Eagle, Houston, we confirm aps burn at doctor Ludwig.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
How good of you to join us.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
How's it coming?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well, it's about to get interesting, Eagle.
Speaker 6 (01:45):
This has just come in from the SIMS supervisor.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Neil has just had a heart attack.
Speaker 6 (01:49):
He's out.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
I've just had a what it's.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
On you, buzz, it's your airplane.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
A send feed closed pressure resulting goods feed on three
hundred and fifty to go stand by on the engine
arm ninety okay, off fifty, Houston. I've got no response
on the abort guidance system, Neil.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Don't ask me.
Speaker 7 (02:16):
I just had a heart attack.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Premature shutdown on a scent engine can't restart, Houston. I've
got nothing on the AGS. Switching to RCS thrusters DSK
wide to program twelve off. Okay, Houston. I just broke
radar lock on the CSM. Stand by silent for a
(02:42):
few seconds here while I reacquire.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
That's when I realized they were fucking with me. Well,
it takes two to tango, and I was in the
mood to dance with the sons of bitches. Hit him again, Sure, the.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Houston Eagle, I have a complete computer failure.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Dsky is blank and won't cycles. Can you confirm Delta
V for TPI Tell him no, Eagle Houston, we're not
reading you.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Last good fix was a delta H of fifteen point
five that puts me fifteen nautical miles below and four
miles out. Should acquire visually in three two, And there
it was. I've got the CSM in sight, gonna eyeball
the intercept. I'll just have to do this the buzzerway
(03:41):
matching home and transfer for TPI burned.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Eagle Houston, we're reading you. At redline on RCS Propellan.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
With the control stick firmly in my grasp, my eyes
darting in a repeated triangle between the lunar surface, the
window in front of me, and that twinkle of light
in the windknew above. Suddenly that speck of light mushroomed
into the form of the command Module Columbia. I was
on the home stretch now and everybody knew it. The
(04:12):
mission was mine. He's going to do it.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
GPI burn is good, coming up on terminal phase final.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Just needed a bit of thrust.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Burn complete match role in station keeping, docking, target in sight.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Easing in. How's he doing that? Without attitude. Hold and
we have captured Eagle Houston. We read you.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Docked satisfied Houston? Or do you want me to perform
mouth to mouth on nil?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Now? Come on, I.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Guess they're not going to replace the old buzzer.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I'm buzz Aldred and this is the story you think
you know, but you don't.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Ignition frequent five.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Five four.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Ayday here the angle lag one all crap per mm bample.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You're listening to buzz. This is the story of my
greatest achievement. Chapter four. I passed the test with flying colors,
sad out out pass. Now it was time for some
hard on celebrating Rowdy Dave's cave. I was on top
(06:03):
of the world.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
I'm a spaceman.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I'm on top of the table.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
All right, all right, stop it, buzz, get down from there.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Let go of me making an ass of yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Gene Krantz, our flight director, hadn't announced his decision that
I'd stay on the Apollo eleven crew. But it was
just a matter of time. What's your problem.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
It was a good day, don't turn it into a
bad one.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Let me alone.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Go home.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Maybe I will, maybe I won't go home.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I didn't remember the drive home from Rowdy Daves. I
didn't remember my name. All I saw were streaks of
neon off the road. All I heard were horns from cars.
I cut off, but I didn't recognize the neighborhood. I
floored the vet, and as I skidded around the corner,
(07:11):
Jesus Christ. There she was, a middle aged woman, frozen
in my headlights and then nothing. The front of my
(07:32):
vet was on the sidewalk, the rear wheels on the street.
The cop who walked toward me looked confused.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Sir, excuse me, sir, Are you okay? She was in
a road, sir, she didn't move.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I hit her, Sir, I'm.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Gonna need you to calm down.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
I ran her over.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I killed he kills her?
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Are you Colonel Aldron?
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Buzz Aldron.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I couldn't respond, I couldn't focus. All I remembered was
a terrified voice, a woman's terrified voice, coming from a
bedroom a few years before. No, I told you keep
them away, Come on, ma, open the door.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Please.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
The bedroom door opened, and there she was.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
They're only here because of you.
Speaker 8 (08:34):
Why are you putting me through this?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Just talk to them for a minute, Mom, I'd rather die.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I will die, and it'll be your fault. The woman
I'd run over, or was she?
Speaker 5 (08:51):
Sir?
Speaker 7 (08:52):
There's no woman in the area, no injured woman. There's
no damage to your vehicle. I think maybe what happened
is y'all might have had a sort of hallucination on
account of being a touch and abriated hallucination. I'll follow
you home now and you all get a good night's sleep.
It's been an honor to meet you, mister Aldron. I
(09:17):
sure would like your autograph. If you wouldn't mind making
this out to Officer Perkins, I sure would appreciate it.
Oh gee, thank you, sir.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Don't mention it's uh, she's there.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
She was just there.
Speaker 8 (09:58):
Buzz buzz, What is it?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
What happened?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I cried like a baby that night, still hearing that woman,
the woman I was sure I had killed, even though
I knew she was already dead. It was my mother.
(10:43):
The tactics of confrontation are another area of serious disagreements
between the generations and among the young themselves.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Good morning, morning.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Mom, When can we go into the pool?
Speaker 8 (11:03):
When your brothers get up?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Wake up, guys.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
I saw the VIP list for the launch Lyndon and
Lady Bird agnew you'll be in fast company.
Speaker 8 (11:16):
Oh well, the kids and I may watch it from here.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
You're expected to be at the cape, all the wives,
the kids. You'll be there, Joan. You won't embarrass me
or keep the kids away from a moment in history.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
As I I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
We didn't talk about what happened the night before. We
didn't talk for days. On our wedding day, Joan and
I promised we'd have no secrets. It was turning out
the secrets where all we had.
Speaker 8 (12:09):
Missus Aldren, doctor Ludwig. Sorry, come in for the first
time since we've been married. I'm afraid.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
He thinks he.
Speaker 8 (12:26):
Killed his mother. She committed suicide after the Gemini flied
that well, the more famous he got, the more inclusive
she became. I mean, the press wouldn't leave her alone,
and finally she it was suicide. But Buzz always felt
(12:50):
it was his fault. And last night he said he
knows he'll die the same way. He never said that before.
Did you know his mother's maiden name was.
Speaker 7 (13:11):
Moon?
Speaker 8 (13:14):
I did not.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
Hmm, Yeah, Hi, honey, I got something for you.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Are you still washing that window?
Speaker 8 (13:43):
Clean homes?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
A happy home.
Speaker 8 (13:45):
The reporters asked how we were going to spend our
last night before you left for the cape.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
It's this open it?
Speaker 7 (13:56):
Oh my god, Fuzzy, is this me?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Turn around?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Let me see.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Beautiful?
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Oh my god, this is a paid for college.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You've scraped by long enough. When I get back, every
corporation in America is gonna want me on their board.
We're gonna turn Buzz Aldrin the hero into a cash generate.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
That hey, why are you taking it off?
Speaker 9 (14:21):
Taking it off because when you get back, I don't
want a hero.
Speaker 8 (14:24):
Because I want a husband. I want to bother for
our kids.
Speaker 9 (14:29):
I want a man who values our marriage enough to
get help, because, damn it, I'm damned if I'm going
to spend the rest of my life waiting for whatever
it is that's killing you to get the job done.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Joan, to believe there was anything killing me would mean
not have to believe I was vulnerable. I couldn't admit that,
not to Joan, and certainly not to me. Isn't that
what being a hero is all about?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Buzz, starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Errand, is created by
Stephen Cronish and directed by John Scott Dryden. Chapter four
is written by Stephen Cronish. Original music is by Sasha Putnam,
editing and sound design by Elouise Whitmore. The producer is
Emma Hearn. The executive producers are Jeremy Fox, John Scott Dryden,
(15:41):
Stephen Cronish, Howard Stringer and Jason English. Buzz is a
production of Thoroughbred Studios, gold Hawk Productions, and iHeart Podcasts.
Buzz, an audio drama for iHeart Podcasts starring John Lithgow
and Jeffrey Aaron as buzz Aldron. This series is based
on real events, However, certain characters, names, incidents, locations, and
dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Chapter four, Neil and I were suited up in the
Lunar Module simulator in Houston, about to practice another redocking
procedure with the command Module Columbia. It should have been
just another day at the office, if the launch of
(00:36):
Apollo eleven were just a few days away, if I
knew whether or not I'd be part of the crew,
and if Neil and I weren't giving each other the
kind of silent treatment that made the Sphinx look blabby.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Eagel, Houston, a little less than a minute here, everything
looks good, and we assume the steerables and track mode.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Auto at control to mode control mode control auto both
program twelve. Okay, we're standing by.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
For the guidance steering Eagle, Houston. You're looking good to us.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Beautiful twenty six thirty six feet per second up. Be
advised at the pitch over, very smooth balanced couple off,
very quiet.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Ride Eagle, Houston, we confirm aps burn at doctor Ludwig.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
How good of you to join us.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
How's it coming?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well, it's about to get interesting, Eagle.
Speaker 6 (01:45):
This has just come in from the SIMS supervisor.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Neil has just had a heart attack.
Speaker 6 (01:49):
He's out.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
I've just had a what it's.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
On you, buzz, it's your airplane.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
A send feed closed pressure resulting goods feed on three
hundred and fifty to go stand by on the engine
arm ninety okay, off fifty, Houston. I've got no response
on the abort guidance system, Neil.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Don't ask me.
Speaker 7 (02:16):
I just had a heart attack.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Premature shutdown on a scent engine can't restart, Houston. I've
got nothing on the AGS. Switching to RCS thrusters DSK
wide to program twelve off. Okay, Houston. I just broke
radar lock on the CSM. Stand by silent for a
(02:42):
few seconds here while I reacquire.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
That's when I realized they were fucking with me. Well,
it takes two to tango, and I was in the
mood to dance with the sons of bitches. Hit him again, Sure, the.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Houston Eagle, I have a complete computer failure.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Dsky is blank and won't cycles. Can you confirm Delta
V for TPI Tell him no, Eagle Houston, we're not
reading you.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Last good fix was a delta H of fifteen point
five that puts me fifteen nautical miles below and four
miles out. Should acquire visually in three two, And there
it was. I've got the CSM in sight, gonna eyeball
the intercept. I'll just have to do this the buzzerway
(03:41):
matching home and transfer for TPI burned.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Eagle Houston, we're reading you. At redline on RCS Propellan.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
With the control stick firmly in my grasp, my eyes
darting in a repeated triangle between the lunar surface, the
window in front of me, and that twinkle of light
in the windknew above. Suddenly that speck of light mushroomed
into the form of the command Module Columbia. I was
on the home stretch now and everybody knew it. The
(04:12):
mission was mine. He's going to do it.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
GPI burn is good, coming up on terminal phase final.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Just needed a bit of thrust.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Burn complete match role in station keeping, docking, target in sight.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Easing in. How's he doing that? Without attitude. Hold and
we have captured Eagle Houston. We read you.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Docked satisfied Houston? Or do you want me to perform
mouth to mouth on nil?
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Now? Come on, I.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Guess they're not going to replace the old buzzer.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I'm buzz Aldred and this is the story you think
you know, but you don't.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Ignition frequent five.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Five four.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Ayday here the angle lag one all crap per mm bample.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You're listening to buzz. This is the story of my
greatest achievement. Chapter four. I passed the test with flying colors,
sad out out pass. Now it was time for some
hard on celebrating Rowdy Dave's cave. I was on top
(06:03):
of the world.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
I'm a spaceman.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I'm on top of the table.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
All right, all right, stop it, buzz, get down from there.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Let go of me making an ass of yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Gene Krantz, our flight director, hadn't announced his decision that
I'd stay on the Apollo eleven crew. But it was
just a matter of time. What's your problem.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
It was a good day, don't turn it into a
bad one.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Let me alone.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Go home.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Maybe I will, maybe I won't go home.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I didn't remember the drive home from Rowdy Daves. I
didn't remember my name. All I saw were streaks of
neon off the road. All I heard were horns from cars.
I cut off, but I didn't recognize the neighborhood. I
floored the vet, and as I skidded around the corner,
(07:11):
Jesus Christ. There she was, a middle aged woman, frozen
in my headlights and then nothing. The front of my
(07:32):
vet was on the sidewalk, the rear wheels on the street.
The cop who walked toward me looked confused.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Sir, excuse me, sir, Are you okay? She was in
a road, sir, she didn't move.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I hit her, Sir, I'm.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Gonna need you to calm down.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
I ran her over.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I killed he kills her?
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Are you Colonel Aldron?
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Buzz Aldron.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I couldn't respond, I couldn't focus. All I remembered was
a terrified voice, a woman's terrified voice, coming from a
bedroom a few years before. No, I told you keep
them away, Come on, ma, open the door.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Please.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
The bedroom door opened, and there she was.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
They're only here because of you.
Speaker 8 (08:34):
Why are you putting me through this?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Just talk to them for a minute, Mom, I'd rather die.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I will die, and it'll be your fault. The woman
I'd run over, or was she?
Speaker 5 (08:51):
Sir?
Speaker 7 (08:52):
There's no woman in the area, no injured woman. There's
no damage to your vehicle. I think maybe what happened
is y'all might have had a sort of hallucination on
account of being a touch and abriated hallucination. I'll follow
you home now and you all get a good night's sleep.
It's been an honor to meet you, mister Aldron. I
(09:17):
sure would like your autograph. If you wouldn't mind making
this out to Officer Perkins, I sure would appreciate it.
Oh gee, thank you, sir.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Don't mention it's uh, she's there.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
She was just there.
Speaker 8 (09:58):
Buzz buzz, What is it?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
What happened?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I cried like a baby that night, still hearing that woman,
the woman I was sure I had killed, even though
I knew she was already dead. It was my mother.
(10:43):
The tactics of confrontation are another area of serious disagreements
between the generations and among the young themselves.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Good morning, morning.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Mom, When can we go into the pool?
Speaker 8 (11:03):
When your brothers get up?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Wake up, guys.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
I saw the VIP list for the launch Lyndon and
Lady Bird agnew you'll be in fast company.
Speaker 8 (11:16):
Oh well, the kids and I may watch it from here.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
You're expected to be at the cape, all the wives,
the kids. You'll be there, Joan. You won't embarrass me
or keep the kids away from a moment in history.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
As I I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
We didn't talk about what happened the night before. We
didn't talk for days. On our wedding day, Joan and
I promised we'd have no secrets. It was turning out
the secrets where all we had.
Speaker 8 (12:09):
Missus Aldren, doctor Ludwig. Sorry, come in for the first
time since we've been married. I'm afraid.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
He thinks he.
Speaker 8 (12:26):
Killed his mother. She committed suicide after the Gemini flied
that well, the more famous he got, the more inclusive
she became. I mean, the press wouldn't leave her alone,
and finally she it was suicide. But Buzz always felt
(12:50):
it was his fault. And last night he said he
knows he'll die the same way. He never said that before.
Did you know his mother's maiden name was.
Speaker 7 (13:11):
Moon?
Speaker 8 (13:14):
I did not.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
Hmm, Yeah, Hi, honey, I got something for you.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Are you still washing that window?
Speaker 8 (13:43):
Clean homes?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
A happy home.
Speaker 8 (13:45):
The reporters asked how we were going to spend our
last night before you left for the cape.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
It's this open it?
Speaker 7 (13:56):
Oh my god, Fuzzy, is this me?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Turn around?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Let me see.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Beautiful?
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Oh my god, this is a paid for college.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You've scraped by long enough. When I get back, every
corporation in America is gonna want me on their board.
We're gonna turn Buzz Aldrin the hero into a cash generate.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
That hey, why are you taking it off?
Speaker 9 (14:21):
Taking it off because when you get back, I don't
want a hero.
Speaker 8 (14:24):
Because I want a husband. I want to bother for
our kids.
Speaker 9 (14:29):
I want a man who values our marriage enough to
get help, because, damn it, I'm damned if I'm going
to spend the rest of my life waiting for whatever
it is that's killing you to get the job done.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Joan, to believe there was anything killing me would mean
not have to believe I was vulnerable. I couldn't admit that,
not to Joan, and certainly not to me. Isn't that
what being a hero is all about?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Buzz, starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Errand, is created by
Stephen Cronish and directed by John Scott Dryden. Chapter four
is written by Stephen Cronish. Original music is by Sasha Putnam,
editing and sound design by Elouise Whitmore. The producer is
Emma Hearn. The executive producers are Jeremy Fox, John Scott Dryden,
(15:41):
Stephen Cronish, Howard Stringer and Jason English. Buzz is a
production of Thoroughbred Studios, gold Hawk Productions, and iHeart Podcasts.
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