Balloon Boy Is Finally A TV Sham

Hollywood, Politics & Issues | Comments (0)

By MAJOR TOM | October 19, 2009

That’s how the ‘balloon boy’ brouhaha is turning out to be, a huge TV sham, when many on boobtube seem to be all gas.

Falcon Heene and his parents drew worldwide attention when on international TV, they faked what appeared to be a very serious and grave incident, the boy purportedly got accidentally brought into the air by a fancy giant balloon.

It turned out the boy was just hiding in their house’s attic all that time.

Police authorities are set to arrest the boy’s parents for staging what could be the cruelest joke on TV, and that would be the costliest stunt for them if they got prosecuted.

The vision of a shiny, mushroom-shaped balloon swept aloft kept viewers spellbound, breathless and (let’s face it) titillated. On-air commentators and experts kept busy speculating on how fast and far it might fly, when it might come down, and how much damage might result when it did. Meanwhile, voices were raised that maybe the child wasn’t on board after all, raising questions of whether the boy had fallen from the balloon — introducing another potentially tragic set of circumstances.

The parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, met in a Hollywood acting school and “put on a very good show for us,” Alderden said. Authorities know there was “a conspiracy” between them, he added.

He said charges are expected to be filed in the case.

The couple’s attorney told CNN affiliate KMGH that he hasn’t seen any evidence beyond “speculation,” but the Heenes would turn themselves in if charges are filed.

“All I’m saying if you’ve got some reason to arrest him, let me know, he’ll turn himself in,” said Denver attorney David Lane referring to Richard Heene. “If you got the goods, just tell me.”

The sheriff said investigators also want to interview 25-year-old researcher Robert Thomas who worked with Richard Heene for about two months last spring. Thomas was paid by Gawker.com — a popular gossip site — to write about his experience with Heene for a story published on Saturday.