CBS Anchor Scolded on Live TV for Saying ‘Mankind’ by Female Astronaut

In a moment that’s stirring debate across America, a CBS anchor was publicly corrected on live television after using the word “mankind”—a term now under scrutiny by woke critics—during an interview with pioneering astronaut Mae Jemison.

The exchange unfolded Monday morning on CBS Mornings, ahead of Blue Origin’s much-hyped all-female space flight, a mission already being celebrated more for its symbolism than scientific merit. Jemison, the first black woman in space, took issue with the anchor’s phrasing during what should have been a straightforward segment.

“Explain to our audience why even a trip like this one… benefits mankind?” asked CBS anchor Vladimir Duthiers.

Jemison didn’t let it slide.

“So it benefits humankind,” she snapped back. “And I’m gonna keep correcting.”

Duthiers, visibly flustered, immediately backtracked. “Humankind, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Jemison went on to lecture viewers about the language of space exploration.

“We’ve got to stop saying ‘man-made’ and ‘manned missions’—because this is exactly what this mission is about. Expanding who we say space is for.”

The anchor nodded, apologizing again as the moment quickly went viral.

Blue Origin’s Woke Mission to the Stars

This historic flight, orchestrated by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, was dubbed “groundbreaking” for featuring an entirely female crew—a move hailed by legacy media but met with skepticism by critics who question the growing trend of prioritizing identity over innovation.

Among the passengers were singer Katy Perry, CBS host Gayle King, and Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez, a group better known for red carpets than rocket launches. Civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, and film producer Kerianne Flynn rounded out the crew.

Notably absent? Any seasoned NASA astronauts or payload specialists.

Jemison, who first flew in 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, defended the flight’s broader message.

“When you go up, you get a perspective on this world that you can’t get from the ground,” she said.

But critics argue that today’s space programs are veering off course.

“This isn’t about space anymore. It’s about pushing narratives,” said one former NASA contractor who asked to remain anonymous. “Language policing live on-air, celebrity space tourists—it’s more Hollywood than Houston.”

The Bigger Picture

This was Blue Origin’s 11th manned—excuse us, crewed—mission, but it marked the first all-female flight since 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova made her solo journey into orbit.

As for Duthiers, he likely didn’t expect a language lesson from a guest astronaut. But in 2025, even one word can spark national headlines—and divide audiences.

With America already in the thick of a culture war, this 62-mile-high trip seems destined to fuel the debate not just about who gets to go to space, but who gets to speak about it.