:laugh: I think Merchant was joking.

Do I believe that man has walked on the moon? Yes I do. Did they do this in '69? Not too sure.
I watched certain shows on this topic, and some of the evidence against it is fairly convincing. And, as it was a "space race" between the USA and the Soviets, the USA could have felt a bit of pressure to "get one over" on them; seeing as the Soviets were the first ones to send a man into space and all. But I guess cannot really say either way.