Story for a Slow News Day
Really a who cares? story in the larger scheme of things, but having said that, what kind of parents (or human beings, for that matter) would report that a lighter-than-air helium balloon got loose from its moorings with their six-year-old son inside it; and let dozens of rescuers, including the Colorado Air National Guard, spend four hours chasing the balloon over a distance of 90 miles, at an as-yet un-nailed down cost, but certainly tens of thousands of dollars; while literally tens of millions of television viewers around the world watched with their hearts in their throats, praying for the small boy inside to be saved, and not to die, when — as now seems very likely — they knew all along that the boy was at home, in a box, napping and playing with his toys, and the entire event was part of an elaborate publicity stunt?
Suspicions were raised from almost the start, because of the implausibility that a helium balloon carrying a child weighing 50 pounds could possibly get 7,000 feet above the ground, while retaining its saucer-like shape. Then the boy himself — Falcon Heene by name — answered his father’s question, on camera, about why he had not responded to his parents calling him, “You guys said we did this for the show,” and his father, Richard Heene, could not come up with a credible explanation for CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. In the 24 hours since Falcon was found, he has vomited twice on-camera, while being interviewed with his family. I mention that because vomiting is a not-uncommon response to anxiety, fear, or a shocking experience — especially, one would think, in the case of a small child who has not necessarily developed more sophisticated coping skills.
Like I said, this is not the most pressing news of our time, but it does make me angry to think Richard and Mayumi Heene may have involved their own little boy in a hoax to publicize their own careers.
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9 Responses to “Story for a Slow News Day”
” while literally tens of millions of television viewers around the world watched with their hearts in their throats, praying for the small boy inside to be saved, and not to die”
No, “we” [sic] didn't.
???
“With their hearts in their throats”
???
Plenty of us didn't even learn about this story until late in the day. Our lives don't involve teevee, nor silly, stupid trivia like this. We didn't have our herats in our throats, we weren't fixated or obscessed with this trivial event, and we weren't crying in anguish, or otherwise making complete idiots out of ourselves!
Kathy:
Just paraphrasing (pretty much quoting verbatum) one of our readers on a previous post on this issue
To save him or her some more aggravation in commenting on your post
This comment came from a 6 yo after being questioned multiple times making it more than a little bit hard to tell what went on. The local Sheriff is saying they are going to re interview the family after hearing about the statement but isn't to concerned. Seems he and the investigators who where at the home with the family are sure it was not a planned hoax. But why not try and keep the story alive even if it's BS.
Drama queens. <snort>
Whom was harmed? No point in ruining these people for this. I suggest that the media simple never report on it again as if it never happened. Otherwise THEY are harming these people as some instituted self rightous judge and jury.
The media is evil here, not this silly young couple.
While Balloon Boy was on TV, important stories like the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the 10% unemployment rate, the DOW at 10,000, the Daily Foreclosures, the Collapsing CRE market, the falling dollar, the thousand who die prematurely due to lack of health insurance, and other important stories were being ignored…
The modern version of Bread and Circuses…
why?
I agree that it is suspicious, Kathy, but I'm not ready to pile on just because the kid said something awkward. Kids say weird things sometimes. And I don't understand the physics argument. Even if that balloon could not have carried the child, how does that support the argument that it was a hoax? It supports the argument that he wasn't in the balloon, which we all know now. Or throwing up? What does that have to do with whether it was a hoax or not?
I'm suspicious too, but what if we're wrong? If something in my family happened that heaven forbid got us national attention, I would certainly hope I'd get the benefit of the doubt by the media until there was something more than speculation.
On the other hand, I wasn't one of the millions of people who was following this on TV, so maybe that's why I don't get the outrage.
Dorian, there's no reason for you to be immature, again.
I described things correctly (along with mentioning the aircraft-in-distress and car-chase kindred examples).
Kathy had it correct here:
“a who cares? story in the larger scheme of things”
and I'll answer Kathy's question she went on to ask: The parents (or perhaps just the father, but who knows?) raise a good deal of suspicion as well as lose respect.
The Stephanie Miller show had the best response to what followed this event, namely the appearance on a teevee morning show, and had a good laugh (and elicited laughs from all who heard her):
“Lying makes me barf, Daddy!”
DLS:
Since you are now into personal insults, let me just set the record straight, cite the facts, without calling you any names, and let the issue rest.
While the attempted rescue efforts of young Falcon Heene were still going on, I wrote and posted “Americans Hope and Pray as a Silvery Balloon Speeds Across the Skies of Colorado.“
I said:
As soon as I had posted it, I heard that the boy had been found and Updated: “UPDATE: I have just heard that young Falcon has been found safe and sound. Thank God.”
You commented:
I found your ridiculing those of us who in fact were holding our breath for the life of a young child, crude and offensive, and posted:
You reply was:
I wrote about an ongoing event that captured the attention and the hopes and prayers of most Americans, expressed my hopes and prayers for the safe rescue of the boy.
If you feel that is overreacting or supporting sensationalism, fine, but no insults are necessary.
End of story