# Balloon Boy Saga - Fear and Loathing in the world of Reality TV



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

This story, to me, illustrates cleary the state of affairs in America today. I am no fan of reality TV. I find it un-funny and mostly stupid. The case of Jon and Kate should be enough to prove that it's not good for families to expose their lives to public consumption. Now you have idiots like this Heene family that are doing everything they possibly can to land just such a show.

From what I have seen of this family so far, the Father appears to be no more than a halfwit at best. The Mother a thoughtless follower. The kids, who are too young to understand what is happening are being led around by these two like circus freaks. Making videos with filthy language, making soup with snots. It's not even remotely funny. 

I hope that this stunt costs them a ton in fines at the very least, maybe even a little jail time. But knowing corporate America, they will probably end up rich out of it. Very sad. These kids are already warped, possibly beyond repair.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

This reeked of a publicity stunt from the get-go. I happened to watch an episode of Wife Swap a while back, and this family were on it - I remember the Father in particular, as he seemed particularly unstable (not an uncommon trait on that show). I feel sorry for their kids, who are caught in the middle of this 3 ring circus.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i find it extremely difficult to give a hoot. but the mob mentality of the masses tripping over themselves to jump on the bandwagon to condemn the father and family is a bit scary. then again, we live in a society where an exposed nipple caused similar outrage...

-dh


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## ThePass (Aug 10, 2007)

what pisses me off is a few things.

What a waste of time for the police, army, medics, FAA, ect ect ect invovled. 

I read there was a Blackhawk chopper, at $4600/hr to operate, following it for at least two hours.....well spent taxpayers money.

MY wasted time actually getting wrapped up in this, worried for a kid I've never met. Instead of glued to the tv worried how this was gonna turn out, I could have been with my OWN kids.

And those parents are assholes, using their own child in a scam like this! What does that teach the children involved? It a 'good idea' to dupe the world?


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Times is tuff in the reality Tv business?.. you create your own buzz.. nothing new there... Stones were doing it in the 60's


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

david henman said:


> ...i find it extremely difficult to give a hoot. but the mob mentality of the masses tripping over themselves to jump on the bandwagon to condemn the father and family is a bit scary. then again, we live in a society where an exposed nipple caused similar outrage...
> 
> -dh


I just spit coffee across the room on that one Dave. I had forgotten about the nipple thing. That actually got law changed. Seriously though, this fool Heene is a sub-human. He cannot hold a job as a carpet layer, don't use three kids, none more than 10 years old to support your dreams.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

hate to say it, but as soon as I heard these folks were reality tv whores, i had a strong feeling that this balloon thing was a hoax.
charge them the full cost of rescue, for starters. 

the bigger problem may be the growing mass of this crap on TV.
do you blame the networks for making it, or the masses for eating it up kqoct


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...i find it extremely difficult to give a hoot. but the mob mentality of the masses tripping over themselves to jump on the bandwagon to condemn the father and family is a bit scary. then again, we live in a society where an exposed nipple caused similar outrage...
> 
> -dh





GuitarsCanada said:


> I just spit coffee across the room on that one Dave. I had forgotten about the nipple thing. That actually got law changed. Seriously though, this fool Heene is a sub-human. He cannot hold a job as a carpet layer, don't use three kids, none more than 10 years old to support your dreams.


The more disturbing aspect of that "nipple" (really some jewelry hung over a nipple) wasn't that it was a nipple at all. It was a BLACK nipple and it was a lot of screaming white people bemoaning the corruption of their white children. I cannot recall a single non-white on the news screaming at how bad it was to have a nipple on TV. There have been a lot of white nipples before and since and not a word mentioned of them. I think that whole sad episode simply showed how much hate there still is in the USA along lines of colour.

As to the OP, yes as the modern saying goes: if you can build a better Reality TV Show....

You know, here in Canada, the CAS would already have those kids in protection. Pending the outcome of the court case, it is clear they probably have been used to commit a felony (and probably more than just one), and that here at least ends your parental rights at least until it could be shown otherwise.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

What is this thing you speak of, TV?

(Okay, okay, I watch TV, but nutjobs like this only succeed when there's an audience. I try not to be that audience.)

Go, Leafs, Go.

Peace, Mooh (speaking of nutjobs).


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Mooh said:


> What is this thing you speak of, TV?
> 
> 
> Go, Leafs, Go.
> ...


TV is a short form for Television... invented just after the Leafs won the Stanley cup


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

Mooh said:


> but nutjobs like this only succeed when there's an audience.
> 
> Go, Leafs, Go.


I think you summed up why the Leafs still have an audience. :smile:


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

John Walsh has been a TV host for a decade or more on "America's Most Wanted". How did he get that job? His son Adam was murdered. Now, please understand that I imply absolutely NOTHING untoward about John Walsh or his sincereity. BUT....the facts are that tragedy gets you noticed in American media, and acquiring notoriety, for even the very worst of reasons, CAN get you fame and a contract. (I'm sure Elizabeth Smart and Jacey Dugard have already received calls to pose for Playboy or whomever, and offers from cable stations to host shows.) Why do you think so many people ended up on Springer, Montel Williams, Povich, and the dozens of other similar regional market shows that none of us here even know about? They wanted to be there not because the host would somehow manage to resolve their issues in the space of 45 minutes, but because their misery would get them noticed, and somehow something good was going to come out of it.

All Heene did was manufacture a tragedy...of epic and costly proportions...but a tragedy nonetheless.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

mhammer said:


> John Walsh has been a TV host for a decade or more on "America's Most Wanted". How did he get that job? His son Adam was murdered. Now, please understand that I imply absolutely NOTHING untoward about John Walsh or his sincereity. BUT....the facts are that tragedy gets you noticed in American media, and acquiring notoriety, for even the very worst of reasons, CAN get you fame and a contract. (I'm sure Elizabeth Smart and Jacey Dugard have already received calls to pose for Playboy or whomever, and offers from cable stations to host shows.) Why do you think so many people ended up on Springer, Montel Williams, Povich, and the dozens of other similar regional market shows that none of us here even know about? They wanted to be there not because the host would somehow manage to resolve their issues in the space of 45 minutes, but because their misery would get them noticed, and somehow something good was going to come out of it.
> 
> All Heene did was manufacture a tragedy...of epic and costly proportions...but a tragedy nonetheless.


IMHO there is a big difference. The low-life sub human people that appear on shows like Springer etc. do so only to get the 15 minute factor. They very rarely ever get anything beyond that. John Walsh has gotten to where he is because of the facts that you have already listed but also because he is a well spoken, seemingly educated man who has a good TV presense. This Heene guy is the type that you would find on Springer. I would not even put him into the category of Ozzy. That show was funny as hell for a year. but you can't keep at it for long, it wears off very quickly. Ozzy is Ozzy and he does not even act. He is naturally funny. This Henne low life is niether a natural or good actor. He is just a dumbass hoping that by acting stupid, making his kids act like clowns ie, rapping to filthy lyrics, having them go on "dog shit round-ups" and making soup for their Mother and putting snots in it will somehow entertain a small fraction of dumb America, and maybe dumb Canadians too. Even for a little while. Long enough for him to cash a few cheques.

I find it sickening.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> IMHO there is a big difference. The low-life sub human people that appear on shows like Springer etc. do so only to get the 15 minute factor. They very rarely ever get anything beyond that. John Walsh has gotten to where he is because of the facts that you have already listed but also because he is a well spoken, seemingly educated man who has a good TV presense. This Heene guy is the type that you would find on Springer. I would not even put him into the category of Ozzy. That show was funny as hell for a year. but you can't keep at it for long, it wears off very quickly. Ozzy is Ozzy and he does not even act. He is naturally funny. This Henne low life is niether a natural or good actor. He is just a dumbass hoping that by acting stupid, making his kids act like clowns ie, *rapping to filthy lyrics, having them go on "dog shit round-ups" and making soup for their Mother* and putting snots in it will somehow entertain a small fraction of dumb America, and maybe dumb Canadians too. Even for a little while. Long enough for him to cash a few cheques.
> 
> I find it sickening.


Where the heck did you learn about the bold-faced stuff? I've heard none of this, but then I'm not following it all that closely. However, the fact that this stuff is even made available is one of those "Made you look!'" things, isn't it? And that's pretty much what he was aiming for.

And yes, John Walsh is articulate...but so am I and so are you. HE was approached because someone wanted to leverage his personal tragedy into ratings. Do you have any idea how badly someone is probably trying right this very moment to get Jon Gosselin to agree to host a couples show on Lifetime or TLC? TV thrives on misery because it knows it will attract us.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

mhammer said:


> Where the heck did you learn about the bold-faced stuff? I've heard none of this, but then I'm not following it all that closely. However, the fact that this stuff is even made available is one of those "Made you look!'" things, isn't it? And that's pretty much what he was aiming for.
> 
> And yes, John Walsh is articulate...but so am I and so are you. HE was approached because someone wanted to leverage his personal tragedy into ratings. Do you have any idea how badly someone is probably trying right this very moment to get Jon Gosselin to agree to host a couples show on Lifetime or TLC? TV thrives on misery because it knows it will attract us.


This nit-wit has been making videos of his kids for a few years and posted them on you-tube. You better hurry though because he has been taking them down fast. They also (as a family) appeared on an episode of Wife Swap. They have also in the last year pitched two reality TV series to at least three networks and have been turned down. He claims to be a "storm chaser" and some kind UFO chaser and astrologer. He is in fact a nobody who has been unable to find and keep a job for more than a few months at a time. His wife is clearly a programmed Yoko Ono look-a-like contest winning robot clone that does what she is told. He has allegedly beaten her up a few times as well. 

The children are paraded around with these sickening youtube videos. totally unaware by virtue of their age that they look like idiots.

[youtube=option]nmlBPAY90MM[/youtube]


You want to listen to a loser, play this

[youtube=option]1KHwhQUxUvc[/youtube]


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Where the heck did you learn about the bold-faced stuff? I've heard none of this, but then I'm not following it all that closely. However, the fact that this stuff is even made available is one of those "Made you look!'" things, isn't it? And that's pretty much what he was aiming for.
> 
> And yes, John Walsh is articulate...but so am I and so are you. HE was approached because someone wanted to leverage his personal tragedy into ratings. Do you have any idea how badly someone is probably trying right this very moment to get Jon Gosselin to agree to host a couples show on Lifetime or TLC? TV thrives on misery because it knows it will attract us.



Normally I enjoy your posts. You are usually have pretty intelligent posts. Then you make a moronic comparison of John Walsh to these other "15 minutes of fame". crack pots. Of all those useless reality shows with people making asses of themselves. How much do they accomplish compared to John Walsh. That show has helped track down countless criminals all over the nation. The one characteristic I respect in a person is the ability to take a tragedy and turn it in to something good and beneficial for others. If my son had been taken like his I might have been tempted to crawl in to a hole and die. John Walsh rose above it and used his life to help others. To suggest that he used his son's death clearly for fame is an ignorant assumption. I'm pretty sure he'd rather be unknown and have his son alive.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> Normally I enjoy your posts. You are usually have pretty intelligent posts. Then you make a moronic comparison of John Walsh to these other "15 minutes of fame". crack pots. Of all those useless reality shows with people making asses of themselves. How much do they accomplish compared to John Walsh. That show has helped track down countless criminals all over the nation. The one characteristic I respect in a person is the ability to take a tragedy and turn it in to something good and beneficial for others. If my son had been taken like his I might have been tempted to crawl in to a hole and die. John Walsh rose above it and used his life to help others. To suggest that he used his son's death clearly for fame is an ignorant assumption. I'm pretty sure he'd rather be unknown and have his son alive.


I didn't suggest for one moment that he leveraged it or that he personally did anything dishonourable. It was the network that did. I have no quarrel with him, nor do I wish to slag him. My point was that it is media's instinct to lunge for guys like that because of the belief that personal tragedy grabs attention of the viewer. Somebody at FOX saw his tragedy and thought "I bet a guy like that could attract a lot of viewers".


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> TV is a short form for Television... invented just after the Leafs won the Stanley cup


Come on now, you don't have to revise history to slag the Leafs. (But it's funny anyway.)

Peace, Mooh.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

ne1roc said:


> I think you summed up why the Leafs still have an audience. :smile:


Good for you. Did you figure that out for yourself, or are you a Leafs fan? LOL!

Peace, Mooh.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> I didn't suggest for one moment that he leveraged it or that he personally did anything dishonourable. It was the network that did. I have no quarrel with him, nor do I wish to slag him. My point was that it is media's instinct to lunge for guys like that because of the belief that personal tragedy grabs attention of the viewer. Somebody at FOX saw his tragedy and thought "I bet a guy like that could attract a lot of viewers".


I think you're reading the whole intention of the show completely wrong. If it were just a networks idea of exploitation simply for ratings the show would never have lasted this long. The show provides quite an important public service.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

this is the first ive heard of any of this, or those people. living under a rock has its priveleges.
i have however, been watching the leafs.
great screaming krist man- whats up with those guys? lol


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I love my PVR. I can watch TV shows and skip the sensational advertisements for stupid reality shows as well as skip the commercials. Move over Obama, the inventor of the PVR should get the Nobel Peace Prize.

As for reality TV, the media has taken an interesting concept and completely exploited it (big surprise) and FUBAR'd it. The only reality TV show I watch is The Ultimate Fighter - until they get into the drunken parties and destruction of property - i can't believe they highlight that every season (or maybe I can). When that happens I just fast forward. There have been some good reality TV shows but the trash that is put out now is completely irresponsible.

These balloon people should be arrested and jailed. Their kids should be given a chance with another deserving family.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

:zzz: ... :zzz: ... :zzz:


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> :zzz: ... :zzz: ... :zzz:


Yup, that's the only post in this thread I read and mostly sums up my opinion. My worldview is that the media is dragging us to hell in a handbasket, but I guess I don't feel like doing my curmudgeonly old man rant right now.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

keto said:


> Yup, that's the only post in this thread I read and mostly sums up my opinion. My worldview is that the media is dragging us to hell in a handbasket, but I guess I don't feel like doing my curmudgeonly old man rant right now.


The media is certainly a large part of the probelm. But what drives a man, a Father and Mother to do this kind of thing? That is the question. Money? yeah, I guess there is a possibility there but it is very short term. People get bored with these things very quickly. As I mentioned earlier, even Ozzy fizzled out, Gene Simmons will too. But these guys actually have talent. What does some fool from Colorodo have to offer? He has no talent, his wife has none and to be very honest, the kids are not that cute physically. So what can you play on? Circus fare, stupid half wit jokes. Farting, burping, swearing, bad music video's, gathering dog shit in a back-yard contest? 

This is art? This is the question you have to ask. What kind of society is breeding these people? What do the rest of us define as funny and cute? Maybe I am getting old but I would love to get my hands on this guy and throttle him within an inch of his life, just for the "fun" of it.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

:wave:

Here, and we know it:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0yQunhOaU0]L0yQunhOaU0[/youtube]


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

keeperofthegood said:


> :wave:
> 
> Here, and we know it:
> 
> [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0yQunhOaU0]L0yQunhOaU0[/youtube]


My god, I am glad I will be dead by then kksjur


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> :zzz: ... :zzz: ... :zzz:


I wholeheartedly agree.

Meanwhile, here's a little something stupid to amuse the masses while this is playing itself out.

http://www.balloonboygame.com/


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

bobb said:


> Meanwhile, here's a little something stupid to amuse the masses while this is playing itself out.
> 
> http://www.balloonboygame.com/


I like how he hangs out of the balloon while the saucer shoots at other flying stuff.kkjuw


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> TV is a short form for Television... invented just after the Leafs won the Stanley cup


The Leafs won the Stanley Cup?

When did that happen?


:smile:


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

zontar said:


> The Leafs won the Stanley Cup?
> 
> When did that happen?
> 
> ...


I thought the thread was about "reality" TV


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> I think you're reading the whole intention of the show completely wrong. If it were just a networks idea of exploitation simply for ratings the show would never have lasted this long. The show provides quite an important public service.


Perhaps, but so does Crimestoppers, and so does Fifth Estate, and so do many other shows that try in a less sensationalistic way. Crime prevention/resolution doesn't HAVE to be done in Fox's style. Although in the grand scheme of things, I'd rather they wiped Nancy Grace's face off the air long before they get to AMW.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...reality television is similar to those 976 telephone sex lines.

both are successful for only one reason.

-dh


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I don't watch reality TV.


I think the dickhead sould be prosecuted, simply because of the risk and expense associated with any rescue operations that may have been launched.



Teaching his kids to lie to authorities?

Yup, fines and a criminal record.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Milkman said:


> I don't watch reality TV.
> 
> 
> I think the dickhead sould be prosecuted, simply because of the risk and expense associated with any rescue operations that may have been launched.
> ...


I agree. It seems to me that he/they were very lucky there wasn't collateral damage. A stunt like that could have hurt or killed innocent people.

It may be too late to change the parents, but I hope the kids get some help.

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Although the underlying motives, and the circumstances, are clearly different, it is an ongoing issue of what to do about individuals who take on activities that may require spectacular and expensive, and _dangerous_, rescue attempts by public authorities. That could be duping police into thinking your kid is on a runaway balloon, but it can also involve skiing or snowmobiling or hiking or climbing or sailing where you should not have gone in the first place. 

Regardless of what one thinks about a stranded mountain-climber, relative to Richard Heene, from a public purse perspective, it still costs the same to rent the helicopters and do the paperwork. Can one ever recover the full costs from the person who required the services? Not bloody likely. Can any jurisdiction afford to say "Don't sweat it, we'll rescue you no matter what it takes"? Not bloody likely either.

So what sort of line does one draw, what sort of cost-recovery protocol might exist that can be applied consistently, and how does one keep the public well-informed about what their responsibilities are and what they can expect authorities to expect of *them* in such instances? All challenging questions.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Although in the grand scheme of things, I'd rather they wiped Nancy Grace's face off the air long before they get to AMW.


ah, you've redeemed your self.:smile:


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Although the underlying motives, and the circumstances, are clearly different, it is an ongoing issue of what to do about individuals who take on activities that may require spectacular and expensive, and _dangerous_, rescue attempts by public authorities. That could be duping police into thinking your kid is on a runaway balloon, but it can also involve skiing or snowmobiling or hiking or climbing or sailing where you should not have gone in the first place.
> 
> Regardless of what one thinks about a stranded mountain-climber, relative to Richard Heene, from a public purse perspective, it still costs the same to rent the helicopters and do the paperwork. Can one ever recover the full costs from the person who required the services? Not bloody likely. Can any jurisdiction afford to say "Don't sweat it, we'll rescue you no matter what it takes"? Not bloody likely either.
> 
> So what sort of line does one draw, what sort of cost-recovery protocol might exist that can be applied consistently, and how does one keep the public well-informed about what their responsibilities are and what they can expect authorities to expect of *them* in such instances? All challenging questions.



Again your comparisons aren't really valid. Despite someone getting them selves in to trouble, by their own actions, the fact is they are in trouble. What this balloon guy did doesn't compare whatsoever to someone skiing, hiking climbing etc. You could probably say driving your car to work everyday is more dangerous. And for the record, in some cities when you're in an accident you will be billed for a firetruck showing up to the scene. I know because in London, Ontario I was billed $300. So on that premise I believe that skiers or snowmobilers, hikers etc who require emergency response services should be billed partially even if only a fraction of the actual costs.
This balloon guy should be charged criminally and should be billed in full as well. What he did doesn't compare to someone who through either their own actions or stupidity, needed emergency help. Maybe he didn't think it would quite escalate in to the frenzy it did. But he should have recognized when it started to spiral out of control and should have at least ended it there.
The biggest reason this guy should suffer the full weight of the law and financial isn't so much because he deserves it, but to act as a deterrent for any one else that gets a similar idea. A message needs to be sent that you can't profit from this sort of thing and that in fact you will lose too much to make it worth it.
Most reality shows I think are such a waste. Although I admit to watching American Idol. But at least with that show there is a greater chance of watching someone that actually has talent. But I'm not stupid enough to think that true reality shows even exist. Every one of them are nothing more than "Scripted Reality", which I guess is an oxymoron.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i have little doubt that balloon boy's dad will be dealt with in court, and i refuse to give in to the mob mentality of shock and moral outrage. the tabloids and am radio, not to mention nancy grace, already have that well covered.

child poverty and hunger in guatemala - _that_ is worthy of our outrage.

-dh


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> Again your comparisons aren't really valid. Despite someone getting them selves in to trouble, by their own actions, the fact is they are in trouble. What this balloon guy did doesn't compare whatsoever to someone skiing, hiking climbing etc. You could probably say driving your car to work everyday is more dangerous. And for the record, in some cities when you're in an accident you will be billed for a firetruck showing up to the scene. I know because in London, Ontario I was billed $300. So on that premise I believe that skiers or snowmobilers, hikers etc who require emergency response services should be billed partially even if only a fraction of the actual costs.
> This balloon guy should be charged criminally and should be billed in full as well. What he did doesn't compare to someone who through either their own actions or stupidity, needed emergency help. Maybe he didn't think it would quite escalate in to the frenzy it did. But he should have recognized when it started to spiral out of control and should have at least ended it there.
> The biggest reason this guy should suffer the full weight of the law and financial isn't so much because he deserves it, but to act as a deterrent for any one else that gets a similar idea. A message needs to be sent that you can't profit from this sort of thing and that in fact you will lose too much to make it worth it.


And that's why I say these are challenging questions. I personally do not know where to draw the line between people who knew they would *require* heroic assistance as a result of their actions, people who *should* have known better (e.g., those who snowmobile in spite of avalanche warnings), and folks who needed large-scale assistance through no direct fault of their own (e.g., immigrant families whose homes burn to the ground and lose everything because there was no smoke alarm installed by their landlord). I think we all agree that there is not a bottomless well of public funds, and we all have an intuitive notion that there is a _spectrum_ of situations that spans from deserves-all-the-help-we-can-give-them to should-pay-for-every-last-penny-of-it-themselves. What is not immediately clear is where to cut that spectrum into mutually agreeable, and *fair*, pieces. I'm asking myself how much MORE deserving of fully subsidized rescue efforts someone would be if they took on a stunt that was stupid and bound to run into trouble and anyone with half a brain would have known, in comparison to Richard Heene. And I'm having difficulty coming up with an answer that satisfies me completely. That doesn't mean I lump them together. It just means it is a *really* tough question to answer.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...i have little doubt that balloon boy's dad will be dealt with in court, and i refuse to give in to the mob mentality of shock and moral outrage. the tabloids and am radio, not to mention nancy grace, already have that well covered.
> 
> child poverty and hunger in guatemala - _that_ is worthy of our outrage.
> 
> -dh


Correct! (plus extra characters)


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

and, just in time for Halloween... 

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Sales+high+Saskatoon+company+balloon+Halloween+costume/2129544/story.html


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

So, now I hope they clean them out with lawsuits and payback. Let this be a lesson to all others.



> DENVER - The mother of the 6-year-old boy once feared missing inside a runaway helium balloon admitted the whole saga was a hoax, according to court documents.
> 
> Mayumi Heene told sheriff's deputies that she and her husband Richard "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence" in Fort Collins, according to an affidavit, released Friday, that was used to get a search warrant for the home.
> 
> ...


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Although in the grand scheme of things, I'd rather they wiped Nancy Grace's face off the air long before they get to AMW.


GAWD, I HATE her!
-Mikey


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Looks like we can close the book on this one.



> (CNN) -- Authorities in Colorado have filed charges against the parents in last month's notorious "balloon boy" case, and the pair's lawyers say the two are expected to plead guilty on Friday.
> 
> The Larimer County district attorney's office Thursday said Richard Heene has been charged with one count of attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, and Mayumi Heene has been charged with one count of false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor.
> 
> ...


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

The reality TV craze has given way to things like "Twitter". Now we can all share our fabulous realities with those that care. Man, they didn't put the word "twit" in there for nothin'.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Just to put a cap on this story...

They also got a bill from the county for $42,000



> FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — The parents who carried out the balloon boy hoax were sentenced to jail Wednesday and given strict probation conditions that forbid them from earning any money from the spectacle for four years.
> 
> Richard Heene was sentenced to 90 days in jail, including 60 days of work release that will let him pursue his job as a construction contractor while serving his time. His wife, Mayumi, was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
> 
> ...


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