I don't deny the importance of a steady flow of capital to help ignite an economic basis for colonizing space. My issue with sending wealthy unqualified individuals to the ISS is that, at this point in time, the ISS resources required to maintain an individual's life systems is at a premium and should not be wasted on non-essential personnel. These individuals should be required to have a certain baseline of scientific and/or engineering skills to contribute to research taking place during their stay. Tito and Shuttleworth at least are educated individuals and have a background in technical disciplines. Lance Bass does not. He is young enough to get his chance to visit space one day when on-orbit resources are more plentiful but for right now I believe he should take his place behind the numerous qualified candidates who will miss their chance to contribute valuable research to make room for someone who hasn't (yet) done the work to be an asset to the ISS.

As far as the automobile reference: yes, they were toys of the rich in the early days. They were also private property and were fairly useless until publicly funded roadways and interstates came into being. The ISS is an internationally financed asset whose purpose is to find out what works best in order that we may set up orbital "roadways" and living spaces in the future. To allow it to be usurped by individuals whose only qualification is wealth delays the completion of groundwork being laid so that people like Mr Bass can eventually go into orbit on privately funded orbital delivery systems. If he wants to put $25 million to good use then maybe he should invest in some of the orbital delivery systems upstarts currently seeking funding. As it sits now that $25 million will be buying leasing rights, propellant, training, and legal fees for ONE person to go into orbit, consume precious orbital resources without contributing anything more than a song or a video, and return to reap the financial rewards of selling the resultant media to the highest bidder.

Popstars in orbit? Sure...someday. Right now? No.