When is this reality TV craze going to end? I was working in an office so I missed the play by play that riveted millions not only in the States but made international news.
From the very beginning some were questioning the story. It turns out there is no way the balloon would have been able to hold the weight of six year old Falcon.
This "balloon boy" hoax should be a wake up call but it won't be. I hope this dumb ass dad gets the book thrown at him. If you want to be famous, whatever, but to tell a six year old to tell a big lie like that? No words.
I'm sure somewhere Jon Gosselin is relieved. Richard Heene has taken over the "most disliked" realty TV dad title away from him.
Why are parents taping their babies and putting it on YouTube? So if you get enough hits you get to sit down with Matt Lauer and talk about what a special snowflake your child is? Does the child have any say in this?
Anyway, the Sheriff is going to press charges.
Here is the story in the NY Times.
Monday, October 19, 2009
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17 comments:
I agree with you. It should be a wake up call but sadly, there might be more mentally-challenged parents who will do their darndest to get a reality show. And I have a sneaking suspicion it won't be the last we'll hear of the Balloon Boy family. That said, I'm SO glad I live in Italy where the Jon&Kate&Octomom&Kardashian BS isn't polluting the media landscape... yet.
I'll bet that boy is wishing for a giant balloon to whisk him away from the ass whooping he's bound to get from his father for "spilling the beans" to Wolf Blitzer. Poor little guy.
I personally was duped. I thought the boy went up in the balloon and fell out somewhere. I was so relieved to find out he was at home. It was emotional for me and probably for many others to think of the loss of a child. And now I find out it was all fake? I was played and that doesn't sit well with me at all. I hope this Sheriff throws the book at them and gets them for breaking every little rule in existence that those parents broke.
milanese - I worry about the little boy. He threw up twice during interviews. I hope the father doesn't blame him. Where is the mom in all this?
J.doe - that is what makes me so pissed. I don't know if you saw the press conference with the Sheriff but he talked about how when emergency services found the empty balloon, they switched to "body recovering" mode. Can you imagine the dread of looking for a body of a six year old? News organizations cut into regular programming as people where so upset and worried about this little boy. And now we find the whole thing was a hoax to get press? Not only should the parents serve some time, the town should bill them for all the man hours spent looking for Falcon.
I also couldn't believe how the media played it up. The balloon kid was the lead story on TV news - not all the other stuff affecting people around the world. I subscribe to RAI Int'l here in the states and the balloon kid was even featured on RAI news. They need to talk to the gatekeepers at those publications to let them in on what's really important to people.
This whole hoax was wild. I definitely fell for the whole thing. I went from laughing (I mean, the whole thing was kinda ridic) to being upset (can you imagine if the boy really fell out the balloon?)
I'm glad charges are being pressed. This was outrageous. Gotta feel bad for the kids.
I am hoping it was not a hoax, because that would be a twisted thing for the parents to do.
I got home that day and it was all over the news. My hearth ached as I followed the story and realized that the boy was no longer in the balloon and feared that he had fallen out!
I was relieved when they 'found him in the attic'. Mobilizing all those resources (police, emergency etc..) just to get on TV!?
I'm now pissed that these people think they can play with peoples emotions just to get 'famous' not to mention the money wasted looking for this kid then his body, just for their amusement. Just sick!
But the sickest of all they have gotten just what they wanted attention, the media is still all over this and they have talked about the youtube videos which i have no doubt attracted more hits.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! My thoughts exactly!!! This is just outrageous. What is wrong with people, diverting public safety resources for their own personal egotistical gain?!?!
I agree with everyone! I just read the entire thing online as it unfolded. I was trying to figure out why in the first place, this wanna-be storm chaser would take his kids out and endanger them like that. Then when I read he was an "aspiring" reality TV star- I knew it was a hoax. The fact he kept trying to pitch ideas to networks and then called a TV station before 911?!?!?!?! I'm glad Falcon blew it for him.
I worry about the kids. Not only Falcon but all 3 of them. Just imagine how screwed up they will all be when they grow up. I hope the State of Colorado seriously looks into their home life.
I too was completely taken in. I was enjoying some late night TV when my husband (who was reading news online) told me about it. All I could think about was the poor little guy clinging to the ballon for dear life, terrified and afraid and so, so cold. Would he fall asleep and plunge to his death? Would he freeze to death? Would the balloon disappear and leave behind a mystery? I couldn't help it, I kept thinking about my own son and when the balloon landed, empty, I was frightened again. Then sweet relief when the child was found safe and sound. After that well, to be honest I just can't care about those people anymore. I still feel badly for the child, he is in a lousy situation, but I have no emotion left for his parents.
CCL - to be honest if I were at a news organization I would have reported it too. Not sure about it becoming international news but with the Internet info spreads so quickly. If the story was true, it would have been so bizarre and interesting.
shannon - when I first heard about it, I was freaked out for the little boy. Then later I heard he was found in the attic. First I thought thank god he's okay, then, man is he going to be in big trouble. Now this? Insane.
Amy - it's not looking for the parents. Little Falcon spilled the beans by accident on CNN.
gigi - true they are getting attention but I'm sure they will not be pleased with the jail time and/or fines. I wonder what their neighbors think?
shelley - it was so warped! That emotion during the 911 call? Seriously, I can't really wrap my head around this. This was not some little harmless prank.
girasoli - I didn't see the Wipeswap episode they were on but other people have said the same things. Something is off with the parents.
sonia - same here but hope little Falcon is going to be okay. That his dad realizes he's to blame for this, not his son for failing to keep a lie going. Nice values to teach to your kids.
joanne - when they found the balloon empty, I was upset as well. You can see the emotion when the Sheriff was talking about the case. To think the parents might have orchestrated the whole think is outrageous. Some people are just sick.
Honestly, I have to add the media into the whole blame game - really, the amount of coverage that this story garnered (never mind that young boys are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan for NOTHING and despite all the talking-heads, the economy in the US is in a free-fall)was obscene. You're lucky you don't live here - there was so much coverage, especially subsequent to the boy being found safe, that I had to unplug my TV. American journalism at its best, I guess....
anon - I only received bit and pieces of the news being overseas. I don't think the media attention on this case is going to go away, especially if there's a trail.
It's sad this what we have come to as a soceity.
Excellent observation....
anon - opps that should be trial not trail!
glamah16 - it's sad. I always say it can't get worse, then it does.
mdeals - thank you.
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