Snopes, "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend", and hypothetical NASA warnings about astronaut masturbation:

[sl8]

Or, "How a Silly, Outrageous Joke on a Podcast Becomes What Passes for 'Hard' News in the Tabloids".

8:07 min.

Snopes Fact-Checked An Episode Of Conan's Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Team Coco
2022 Oct 1

Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

[...]

ABOUT CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND
Deeper, unboundedly playful, and free from FCC regulations, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way. Watch highlights of Conan, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley chatting with celebrities and meeting fans, along with special segments like “Review the Reviewers” and “Big Dick History.”

[...]

======

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/masturbation-in-space-nasa-warning/

Did NASA Warn Astronauts Not To Masturbate in Space?

Some news outlets definitely use sensational and misleading titles to generate clicks.

Dan Evon
Published July 22, 2022

Claim:
A NASA scientist warned astronauts against masturbating in space because they could accidentally impregnate multiple women at once.

Rating:
False

In July 2022, several news sites published articles claiming that NASA scientists had recently issued a warning to astronauts against masturbating in space because it allegedly could impregnate multiple women. The New York Post, for example, published an article headlined, "Astronauts should not masturbate in zero gravity, NASA scientist says." The Daily Star ran with, "Astronauts warned not to masturbate in space as one session can 'impregnate 3 females.'"

These headlines are absurd. NASA issued no such warning to its astronauts. These articles were based on a joke that was told by a comedian during an episode of Conan O'Brien's podcast ,"Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend."

On July 21, an episode of the podcast, titled "Space Porn," was released on various podcast platforms. The episode featured Conan, co-hosts Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley, and guest Smythe Mullikin, a mechanical engineer who works with a NASA contractor in Houston, Texas.

[...]

[snot]

1. Did NASA Warn Astronauts Not To Masturbate in Space?

No; recruitment might get harder.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[berniesandersmittens]

3. Losing a load in space could harm the mission

[True Dough]

2. sl8, we haven't crossed paths in a while

and this is the sort of content I remember you for!

You went into the time capsule all the way back to 2022 to yank this one out of the past. That's not really so handy.