Balloon Boy hoax exposed!
The world watched intensely as an experimental balloon supposedly carrying a boy cruised for 60 miles in Colorado Thursday afternoon.
The balloon was found, but the boy, quickly dubbed “balloon boy,” was not in it. Then we heard balloon boy had been found in the family’s attic in a cardboard box, hiding.
Now things are getting really fishy.
The boy, Falcon Heene, and his family appeared on CNN Thursday night and if you had any sympathy for the family early on, it might just turn to disgust and anger after seeing this clip.
In the footage, Wolfe Blitzer asks the family if Falcon ever heard them calling out for him when he was hiding. Falcon’s dad asks the child, “Did you hear us calling your name at any time?” Falcon replies, “Uh huh.” His dad, sounding (fake) surprised says, “You did?” then mom chimes in (also fake sounding), “You did?”
Already it’s feeling uncomfortable.
(Pause.)
Falcon: “You guys said . . . that, umm . . . we did this for the show.”
Jaws dropping are heard around the world.
“Yeah,” dad says uncomfortably. (Insert weird fart noise here. I’m just sayin’, lol. Was that dad making a fart noise with his mouth? Was that his way of saying, “What the funk do I do now?”)
“No,” mom interjects. Then the really terrible acting begins.
“You didn’t, erm, come out?” dad asks again. Probably wishing to God he could give his child some direction as to how to reply.
“No,” little Falcon answers. Dad exhales loudly, as if to say, “Whew!”
Wolfe Blitzer, despite saying he heard what Falcon had said, obviously didn’t get it.
What the hell? Was that the most bizarre interview ever? So they were doing it “for the show,” but their Wife Swap episode aired already! What’s the point now? Why use your child this way? I am heated about this. If this does turn out to be a hoax, these people should be prosecuted. There was a lot of manpower and money involved in this. Un. funking. believe
To me it sounds like the kid is still embarrassed, and doesn’t know what to say – he’s still worried he may get in trouble. I understand how his parents’ response could sound fishy, especially considering the time delay, but I really think they sound like they’re trying to both support a 6 yr old, and make him feel comfortable enough to say what really happened. In my own experience (with a 4yr old) when you catch a young child embellishing/denying the truth, it is important to emphasize the truth but not scare him too much.
This interview certainly makes them look more than a little suspicious. Mom and Dad looked panicked after the boy said that. Then the dad goes off on some weird rambling trying to get away from the topic. Weird!
When you see people like this, using a child to get… fame or exposure it almost makes me wish their little darling had been in a box when the balloon crashed. At least the story would have had a far more interesting end, and new generation of this family wouldn’t be around to try another stunt probably with his own kids.
What is wrong with people, some are destined to die in anonymity but these hillbilly goobers decided to grab that brass ring. If they get a reality show I will shoot myself. Real children are dying daily in displaced persons camps, I will worry and care about them thank you very much.
The whole thing does sound goofy……who builds flying saucers in their back yard and the Wife Swap show sounds idiotic. But anybody who puts any stock in what a six year old says on a national TV show after all the hullabaloo and stress needs to take a deep breath and give their head a shake. No doubt it will be investigated and the truth will out….but for Pete’s sake ….wait for it. But one thing is very real…the American people are pretty great. When it appeared the kid was in mortal danger the whole nation was praying and ready to pitch in if they could. (I am not from the U.S.)
Wow do I enjoy this article. It basically says everything that was going through my head. I watched the interview after I got home from work. I cranked up the surround sound REAL loud and did a rewind on that particular moment. And yup that sure was an awkward moment. HAHA I love it…. some stupid idea turned bad. Love to see these type of events backfire, dirty dirty dirty. I hope the world reveals it so all the really naive people can be properly informed. Thanks for the good article.
I spent a substantial amount of time working with Mr. Richard Heene and his family, during the spring/summer of 2009. I assisted Mr. Heene with several documents pertaining to a proposed Reality Series. I have several of these documents/emails, which contain credible information that the balloon episode was in fact a publicity stunt/hoax, perpetrated by Mr. Heene. I have already begun the process of disclosing this information to reporters, so stay tuned!
My husband and I said it long before the balloon even touched down, as they were playing balloon boy dad’s crazy pyramid on Mars (or the moon? idk) videos and I said, “What if this is some big stunt for that guy to get his wacko ideas out there, I mean most people didn’t know about the alien pyramid until now.” And we both laughed . . . but seriously, that is a very awkward moment during that interview and the dad does seem to try to cover. Suspicious to say the least. It’s also suspicious that the family kept throwing out the option that the kid never got on the craft. Like, “oh crap I never expected this to go to world wide news, I better give us an out since the kid’s not even on the thing.”
It seems implausible to believe the family actually say one of the children video taped the 6 year old child getting into that jiffy pop balloon contraption with a supposed cardboard bottom and he could somehow be able to secure himself inside of it?? If the boy’s weight is between 40-45 lbs.and the speed of the balloon is traveling @ approximately 25 miles per hr in a 2 hour span at an elevation exceeding 500′ in the air and it finally lands around 50 miles from the home the scientist father logically explain exactly how he woud believe his son could have been inside of it? It truly defys logic and sounds like a publicity stunt or hoax of some sort. It is most unfortunate for parents to involve small children in dangerous activities, such as storm chasing, mommie swapping and bogus balloon mischief.
What 6 year old would stay in an attic for 4 hours with all the commotion going on? It sure sounds fishy, he can’t even sit during an interview without taking off.
I doubt the story for the following reasons:
1) Dad has already showed himself to be a publicity hound by being on Wife Swap
2) Balloon launching was videotaped
3) Young boy Falcon’s comments on Larry King “We did this for the show”
4) The flimsy mylar balloon that looked too small and fragile to EVER be able to lift off with a 60 lb boy
5) The body language and speech of the father’s interview on the Today show today (Oct 16, 2009)
It all smell very fish too me…and I would say I’m 85% sure that this is a publicity stunt and host.
man i think this boy is a fake ass i dnt even think hese chinesse he looks more phiillipino you could tell tht his dad is a fake dude you should see his facial expression wen the boy gives his answer… man i believe and many do 2 tht they jst did it for the publicity of their experiments 2 b heard by the world…
also wat about wen the father was asked 2 ask his kid wat the meant wen he said tht “YOU GUYS SAID WE DID 4 THE SHOW” the father didnt even want 2 ask his son wat he meant by tht..BUT NO HE SAID THT HE FELT OPPOST MY ASS HES JST A FAKE ASS DUDE…AND I AM 10000% THT THIS WAS ALL A STUNT..
WHAT A DISGRACE FOR THESE PARENTS TO USE THEIR CHILDREN FOR THEIR “15 MINUTES OF FAME”. ONE CHILD TO FIB REGARDING SEEING HIS BROTHER ENTER THE BALLOON AND THE “BALLOON BOY” TO HIDE ALL DAY IN THE ATTIC WHILE HIS PARENTS MADE SURE THEY CALLED THE MEDIA TO GET FULL COVERAGE OF THEIR HOAX. IT IS A DISGRACE WHEN NORMAL PEOPLE WORK HARD TO MAKE A LIVING OR TO LOOK FOR WORK WHILE YOU HAVE THESE ABNOXIOUS JOKERS OUT THERE LIVING IN “TV REALITY SHOWS”!! I DO HOPE COLORADO SENDS THEM A BILL FOR THE AGGREVATION THEY CAUSED…AND OF COURSE THEY PROBABLY HAVE NO INCOME..AS BOTH PARENTS HAVE NO JOB
What some people will do for attention. First off, that balloon is not capable of lifting the weight of that child and the father knows this.
Second, the familys prior appearances on the ridiculous television show, “Wife Swap,” illustrates the narcissistic and greedy motives of the father, who will gladly subject his own chldren to an emotionally damaging and unnatural experience of having their mother temporarily replaced with a stranger for the sake of “entertainment” and phony drama.
Then there is yet another attempt to profit with his “Family Storm Chasers” concept. This is just further proof that he would expose his children to needless danger for the sake of attention and potential monetary gain.
This is an obvious attempt by the father to exploit his own family for profit and he is addicted to media attention.
I started watching the interveiws of this family with no particular opinion but i came away with a point o veiw where its very obvious that they are not telling the truth. It is also very apparent that, before the interveiws they asked there children not to speak. I can understand a shy aspect coming from them but there is also a creepy silent undertone. Something else that came to my attention is why the “balloon” was designed to look so much like a UFO, or alien spacecraft… even the kids refer to it as such. I will honestly probably vomit if any more publicity is generated from this for that disgusting family…. poor kids.
http://gawker.com/5383858/exclusive-i-helped-richard-heene-plan-a-balloon-hoax
it’s official the sherrif’s department now says they believe it WAS A HOAX and are planning on possibly prosecuting the family. I hope they do, what horrible parents to use their kids as pawns to get famous.