I Nominate Helium Balloon Dad, Richard Heene, for Reality Show Award
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
Of course the police swears the 6-year-old in a UFO-like helium balloon flying saucer was the real thing, not a publicity stunt. But millions of Americans are not buying it.
CNN's Anderson Cooper says as many as 95% of his viewers think Mr. Richard Heene schemed the whole thing.
When Wolf Blitzer, sitting in for Larry King, asked Mr. Heene to ask his son, "Why didn't you come out of the box when we were calling you?", the youngster shyly but firmly replied something to the line of "We did it for the show", or "It was for the show..."
Maybe Mr. Heene can pass a lie detector test, but his stunning agitation with Blitzer for insinuating a publicity stunt was another tell-tale sign that something smells fishy here.
In an age of reality TV shows, one can't help but connect some dots...
There are some lessons for us all, if we'll ever learn them: (1) How easy it is to dupe the sympathetic masses - we so easily fall for anything, or maybe instead of being gullible we've become all too cynical; (2) one human life remains the most precious asset in the land, valuable enough to rally the resources of police, fire department, and volunteers to rescue or locate a missing boy; (3) law enforcement is still a friend to individuals and families; (4) how difficult it is to discern a publicity stunt (the show) from a real tragic incident anymore.
If Richard Heene pulled one on us all, then I say the guy has a future in Hollywood. Give the guy his own reality show. Better yet, how 'bout getting him an agent to begin work on a blockbuster?
I may change my mind about this nomination once the result is in from the polygraph. Until then I unreservedly nominate Mr. Richard Heene to be the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Realty Show Award.
In case the man flunks the lie test, then should he not repay the $30,000 or so of tax payers' money that was spent to "find" young Heene? Just an innocent question...
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)Did you hear Blitzer's followup question near the end of the program? He asked the father to ask the boy why he said it as "for the show". That was a brilliant question by Blitzer. It created a catch-22 for Mr. Heene if he indeed staged the event.He could (1) go ahead and ask the boy the question and risk the likely possibility of the boy spilling the beans on live TV (six-year-olds obviously aren't good at staying on script in a situation like that and would likely have come back with something like, "Because you told me to, Dad"), or (2) he could refuse to ask his kid the question and create even more suspicion.As it turned out, he acted as if he were going to ask the boy the question that Blitzer suggested, but quickly backed off and opted for choice #2. At the same time, he became indignant and began accusing the media (particularly Blitzer) of trying to make him look bad.That did it for me. If the thing had not been staged, he would not have had anything to fear by asking the boy that question.Thanks for your comments, Terry. Few things reveal the truth and cut through the deceit as quickly an innocent child! ~mogama~
All the Heenes need a swat on the hinnie! I hope they get invoiced for the costs of this prank. The EMTs and law enforcement officers could have been doing better things like really saving lives as opposed to being a part of the Heenes' selfish "more than 15 minutes" of fame.That's a really nice way to put it, Pat: "All the Heenes need a swat on the hinnie!" Totally agreed. ~mogama~
We don't have enough information to cast judgment. I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to the father, based on what little we all know. But, Americans like to cast judgment anyway, because we are still a mostly mean-spirited, hypocritical and provincial gang of villagers who pick up our pitchforks and shovels need a Frankenstein Castle to storm.- GGreg, we do not "cast judgment" in a vacuum. We've been fooled too many times...I can't recount the instances here. As intelligent people, not "hypocritical...villagers", we are equipped with the capacity to decide or "judge" if a story is true. Even "villagers" are capable of sifting truth from falsehood - by the way, I was born a villager. To lose or not utilize this capacity would make us less than human. The willingness to believe Mr. Heene makes room for my suspicion of his story. I know you know this, for you are usually a critical guy yourself as per your brilliant observations throughout SearchWarp. Thanks for your comment, my friend. ~mogama~Very well argued, Mogama, very well argued, indeed.- GMogama was right! Publicity stunt; hoax.- G
Mogama, Congratulations, at the moment you are the only person "alive" to call me "Pat".We need a "culture" chat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am Patricia.Oh oh, did I just step on a land mine there?! Pardon me, Patricia. I thought that was the cute thing to do. It won't happen again. No need for the "culture chat". Thanks for the spanking. I deserved it. ~mogama~
Mogama, you have done a remarkable job of putting your best foot forward on this issue and I love the intelligent way you have put certain desenters in their place!Thanks for a great article and even better comebacks!SandraI humbly appreciate your kind words, Sandra. You are certainly skilled in the business of encouragement. Thanks much -:) ~mogama~
I just heard on CNN this morning that charges will be filed. Good article MogamaBut not for the reasons Mogama stated. Infractions of FAA rules, that kind of thing. Makes it sound menacing, doesn't it? But not one word about charges for fraud or fakery.- G
Thanks for the article but believe it has been over televised news!! I agree with Gregory and this article should have been filed in the news section not a featured article because of that very reason.This article was filed in the news section of SearchWarp, as you can see from the location path above the author's photo. Any SearchWarp article, regardless of section, can be featured. That's my understanding...I may be wrong. Thanks, Sharon, for commenting. ~mogama~
I agree. It was staged. And it's disgusting to play with people like that - and to take away emergency services (not to mention the money spent) from something real they could have been doing. Thanks for sharing.CrystalIndeed, Crystal. I like your term, "staged". Thanks for commenting. ~mogama~
Great job here, Mogama. I'm sure he'll pocket some serious cash in one way or another.Seriously, Ken, when the outrage subsides, it's not unthinkable that a TV or Hollywood type may contact Richard Heene with a creative media offer. We'll be listening, watching...will it actually happen? That would be the winning vote for our nominee. ~mogama~
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