- 50 years ago man first stepped on the Moon.

But I'm not here to pay tribute to the Apollo 11 astronauts.

- Awe it's beautiful Mike.

It really is.

- Instead I'd like to celebrate a group of brave Americans who haven't gotten their due.

(fireworks popping) (The Star-Spangled Banner) Without the Moon landing we wouldn't have Moon landing deniers.

Valiant theorists who've inspired us to see that science is merely a suggestion.

- It is my personal belief, and I totally believe this after all the years of research I've done on this, (suspenseful music) that NASA never landed a man on the Moon.

- If it were so easy to go to the Moon 40 years ago there would be bases there by now.

- There's overwhelming proof that it didn't happen.

It's sometimes translucent, you can see through it.

Right?

As the scientist right next to the Moon landing denier makes clear there is room for doubt.

(trumpets playing) - Showing in the New Hampshire Primary -- - JFK gets all the credit for getting us to the Moon.

- We choose to go to the Moon.

- But we shan't forget the JFK of Moon landing deniers.

- Men have never landed on the Moon.

(guitar strumming) - Bill Kaysing is an under sung American hero.

(folk music) In the mid 1970's Kaysing had the courage to assert that we never went to the Moon.

In his cleverly titled book "We Never Went to The Moon".

The moon hoax theory exploded in 1978 with the release of the classic film "Capricorn One".

- [Male Voiceover] This is Capricorn control we're at T-minus 15 minutes and still counting.

- Telling the story of a faked mission to Mars the film appeared on the surface to be mindless entertainment, but astute conspiracy theorists saw it as a documentary worthy of Bernard Herzog.

(crickets chirping) (booming) - The super realistic special effects and the acting chops of O.J.

Simpson.

- These people they're capable of anything.

- Made viewers absolutely certain that "We Never Went to The Moon".

(typewriter clicks) (bubble popping) (techno music) - In 1980 the President of the Flat Earth Society lent his prestige to the burgeoning moon hoax movement.

Now you could argue that the flat Earther's were just pissed at Apollo 11 for sending back pictures like this.

But Moon hoax whistle blowers remained un-phased.

(heavy metal guitar music) - In the 1990's a new scientific invention posed an existential threat to conspiracy theorists everywhere.

- I took the initiative in creating the Internet.

- The Internet!

Verifiable facts could now reach more people, threatening the future of unproven speculation.

Luckily Moon hoax evangelists were able to share the gospel faster than you can say, - You've got Moon.

- Bold voices were willing to question missing NASA footage and other truth adjacent theories.

(bass music) Eventually making their way to respected media outlets and Fox.

- For NASA to come out and say that all the tapes were erased, I mean you must ...

It's incredible.

- There are a couple of questions that I do have from time to time.

Who shot the footage?

- I see a lot of footage that gets doctored.

- How in the world do you erase the tapes of the most historic event in 2000 years?

I mean it's not like it was a Bar mitzvah.

(Hava Nagila) - Full disclosure my parents did erase the tape of my Bar mitzvah.

And adding insult to injury this is what they taped over it.

- We in to deep to stop now.

- It's time to finally give America's intrepid conspiracy theorists the credit they richly deserve.

Blessed with the gift of cajones these deniers are bravely willing to ignore scientific findings and video evidence in favor of an America where everyone is free to ask questions until the science matches their feelings.

- My current opinion about vaccinations is that they have never been safe.

- Evolution and Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell.

- I just don't think climate change is real.

- Climate changes.

Asking questions is good, there are no dumb questions.

- Right.

- In the face of mounting evidence is there ever a time to stop challenging excepted science?

For the final word on that I'll turn to supposed astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

- Why don't you swear on the Bible that you walked on the Moon?

You're the one who said you walked on the Moon when you didn't.

Calling the kettle black if ever thought of saying I've misrepresented myself.

- Will you get away from me?

- You're a coward and a liar and a -- (cheering crowd) (metal guitar music)