The List has reported on a recent appearance by Tom Hanks on Jimmy Kimmel Live and include a link to said segment on YouTube.

In it he reveals that Jeff Bezos offered him a seat for a space flight before Shatner, but with a $28 million ticket price:

As the actor explained, "It costs, like, 28 million bucks or something like that. I'm doing good, Jimmy, I'm doing good. But I ain't paying 28 [million] bucks." Hanks then jokingly suggested replicating the short flight, which typically lasts less than fifteen minutes, in the studio by simply bouncing around in his chair. "I don't need to spend 28 million bucks to do that," Hanks quipped.

28 million dollars. Or something like that? That's an odd turn of phrase in this context.

And that 28 million dollar figure may ring a bell if you've been following the story of this launch, as we have.

That was the price of one ticket gifted to one of the other people who went up with Shatner. Not purchased though. Won in a charity auction.

One of the other tickets in that launch was sold to Australian, Chris Boshuizen, who said that he wasn't happy about the price but neither he nor Blue Origin shared the exact figure.

Was Tom Hanks really offered a $28 million ticket or is this an imperfectly researched joke?

Both Shatner and Bezos were clear that Shatner didn't pay for his flight and that there was no formal PR deal attached to it. But obviously Captain Kirk in space has immense PR value.

[ Main Image: Tom Hanks. Credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live via YouTube. ]

References

Jimmy Kimmel Live (November 3, 2021). Tom Hanks on Going to Space, New Movie Finch & the Passing of His Dear Friend Peter Scolari. YouTube.

Keogh, Joey (November 4, 2021). The Real Reason Tom Hanks Won't Go To Space. The List.

Digital Staff. (October 13, 2021). Meet the Australian Dr Chris Boshuizen blasting into space with Star Trek legend William Shatner. 7 News.