The plot thickens: Parents were watching when balloon took off
posted at 9:06 am on October 16, 2009 by Allahpundit
I promise, we’re not going to be balloon-blogging all day, but the increasing shadiness of this story makes it momentarily irresistible. This whole clip’s worth watching — note that the kid’s obviously sick, and even vomited on camera on the Today show, yet mom and dad are still dragging him out for interviews — but pay special attention to the home footage of the liftoff at around -7:45. Cameras just so happened to be rolling when the balloon came untethered to capture the parents’ alibi-creating shock and anger? And how exactly did it become untethered? The story yesterday was that the kid might have crawled in and unmoored it himself, but the parents were right there when it took off. Who untethered it? Click the image to watch.
Update: Surprise, surprise: The sheriff has a few more questions for the family.
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So does Richard Dawkins.
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM
No, the bird is out of the cage. -_*
TXUS on October 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM
CNN using it’s world respected, lolololol, fact checking team to get to the bottom of this!
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:02 AM
CNN: Hi Falcon, this is Wolfe
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:03 AM
They were already in CO fact-checking the last episode of South Park.
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Dan Rather has papers that PROVE the flying saucer balloon is from Mars, just like Falcon.
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
…14:56, 14:57, 14:58, 14;59, aaaand Andy Warhol says you freaks are done.
Doorgunner on October 16, 2009 at 10:05 AM
lol..excellent point
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:05 AM
This whole thing is a planned distraction by the DNC or the White House. There is something going on they don’t want us to know about.
Maybe when it all calms down, we can walk the cat back along the money trail and find out who paid this acting family.
platypus on October 16, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Balloon Boy will be this years hottest action figure toy
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Just out of curiosity, do you know if he ever explains the genesis of the “aliens”?
mr.blacksheep on October 16, 2009 at 10:06 AM
anniekc on October 16, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Now that the police are actually investigating the crime will be revealed. Right now it still falls under the “hoax” title. I still think that by the end of the day the truth will come out. Question is: why would someone do this?
milwife88 on October 16, 2009 at 10:06 AM
It’s not clear they were called first…but they were called very early on in the incident…by the family. It sounds like calling the news station was a PRIORITY.
AUINSC on October 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Follow the money. There should be an inverse ratio between the amount of cash these people have in the bank and the chances that they are scammers. My guess is that the cupboard is bare-or nearly so.
MaiDee on October 16, 2009 at 10:09 AM
They were after a reality TV show.
God bless them, because what TV needs now and is desperately crying out for is more reality tv.
/sarc
Anders on October 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM
To the poster who asked what’s in it for the family…
During a couple of interviews, the Dad made some comments along the lines of “This is just us,” “This is just how we live every day,” I think he’s angling for a reality show. Storm Chasing Family Adventure Kids or something like that.
I’m glad the little boy is safe, but I don’t buy the story.
Boudica on October 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM
As we speak, this episode has given ideas to Mexicans to build balloons and float over the border.
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM
I don’t want to hijack… BUT since you asked…
To the question: Nope… since we have no idea who they were or how they got here or how they came to be (by accident)… it’s his get out of jail free card. Reminds me of Sagan’s “explanation” of the pre-big bang non-universe… “why go there?” It was my love of Carl Sagan… which led me to watch the Cosmos series… which led me to doubt his “logic.”
Back to Falcon, South Park, 12 parsecs and criminal prosecution!
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Millions flee California economy in balloon rides eastward.
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Fake, but accurate.
digitalintrigue on October 16, 2009 at 9:28 AMCharles Johnson, regarding the faked Rush quotes
bikermailman on October 16, 2009 at 10:13 AM
There is money to be made there. The “Bridge to the New Millennium Falcon” could sell on the black market for $7000 a ride.
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:14 AM
We travel back in time and seed their planet. How can you not see that? It’s science, dammit! You religious people are so dumb.
/sarc
John Deaux on October 16, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Wow, I just need a bit of start up capital.
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Those poor kids. The Parents’ next TV gig should be on Lockup.
Gang-of-One on October 16, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Just don’t let them talk you into 7000 pesos/ride or you’ll never recoup the investment.
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:21 AM
NO, I’ll trade rides for chickens & goats
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Um, you do realize that by posting continually about this hoax,
‘you are giving the publicity hounds exactly what they want?
corona on October 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM
I don’t they planned on being mocked mercilessly. I bet South Park skewers them at some point.
They also have a publicity event with the Sheriff’s Office soon.
mankai on October 16, 2009 at 10:30 AM
The Falcon and the Snowjob.
Jim Treacher on October 16, 2009 at 10:32 AM
LOL
Jeff from WI on October 16, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Great clip! Wow, a family headed by a dad whose alien parents appeared to him when he was knocked unconscious, the other family headed by a psychic mom who can see into past, present, future. Nothing like nut job tv.
Gang-of-One on October 16, 2009 at 10:36 AM
LOLOLOLOL
beachgirlusa on October 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
And the kid’s story changes by the minute, last night he said he did it “for the show” but today he is saying “RRRRRRRRRAAAALLLLLPHHHH”. Inquiring mind want to know.
LevStrauss on October 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM
I hate to say it, but it’s probably staged, which is still better than the kid being in the balloon, but the parents need to pay for the rescue services and should be embarrassed at least one good time on national TV.
DFCtomm on October 16, 2009 at 10:45 AM
If it’s a “hoax,” why is daddy runnin’ around actin’ all mad n’ $hit?
Sure would be a funny way to perpetrate a hoax.
franksalterego on October 16, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Its a “cheap” way for him to get footage of his craft’s maiden voyage, at least that was the first thing to pop into my head after more info came out. There’s no way he could get the video that the news copters gave him.
LevStrauss on October 16, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Growing up watching my parents fight I would get sick just from the stress and tension. I think this child is under incredible stress, I feel terrible for the kid. To have parents like this – hoax or no, devious actions or not, it is apparent that all of these kids are begging for appropriate and responsible parental interaction.
quiz1 on October 16, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Yup. Here’s their audition video:
Wife Swap Heene boys Not Pussified music video
Nichevo on October 16, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Honestly…..to be fair about it, I don’t get the vibe that this is a hoax. I could be wrong..sure.
But it looks to me like two parents that are just embarrassed cuz no matter how you slice it, they screwed the pooch here.
It was loosely tethered. They THOUGHT that the kid was inside it. They were clearly irresponsible at this moment. No ifs, ands, or buts.
…..and they had an entire cities resources scrambling to figure how to save this kid WHO ENDED UP NOT BEING IN THE BALLOON.
I think that they are also worried about the consequences for that irresponsibility.
I DO NOT get the feel that they are stupid people tho. To HOAX everyone and put the on the line the future of a family of FIVE. That’s just a bit too much to believe.
Handel on October 16, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Why were these kids not in school? I truly hope they aren’t homeschooled! Am I the only one thinking that the mom was a mail order bride?
kellie71 on October 16, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Not to be conspiratorial, but that mama-san is Japanese. How do we know this isn’t part of a Tokyo Game Show: Yank the Yank.
EMD on October 16, 2009 at 11:05 AM
comon…lets keep it kinda cool…sheesh.
Handel on October 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM
The parents are full of ‘hot air’. I only wish that the balloon had the Obama logo. Then the news coverage would have been justifiable.
MestizoMaverick on October 16, 2009 at 11:13 AM
High-larious!
TXUS on October 16, 2009 at 11:16 AM
I’m embarassed to say I saw one of the “Wife Swap” episodes with these tools, and they’re such attention whores it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they routinely video most of the father’s daily goings-on. I suspect he’s manic-depressive, and usually manic. But I doubt even they’re stupid enough to expose themselves deliberately to imprisonment by hoaxing a missing kid. I suspect the kid simply learned how to attention-whore from Dad, and Dad was all too eager to buy into the excitement of the idea that his son had taken off in his fake flying saucer.
Clearly, though, they were planning a UFO hoax. And it would’ve been a great one! We’d've been hearing about the “Colorodo Disk Incident” from “UFOologists” on The “History” Channel for decades! (Wow…three different contextual useages of quotes in one sentence. Do I get a prize for that?) Shame it got spoiled, but it’s not fair to expect the mentally ill to execute to perfection.
Blacklake on October 16, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Or terrorists.
Although the Japs have already been there, done that in WWII.
Sharke on October 16, 2009 at 11:42 AM
After watching a wife swap clip, at this point, I’m thinking the kids overreacted, made assumptions and the dad, who has little self control ran with it/panicked, rather than think, hey this thing can’t lift anything yet.
aikidoka on October 16, 2009 at 11:57 AM
“Um, you do realize that by posting continually about this hoax,
‘you are giving the publicity hounds exactly what they want?
corona on October 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM”
I’d surmise that these parents crave the kind of fame that will create a fat payout for them. I have a feeling that these hoaxers won’t be getting rich off this situation.
Edouard on October 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM
After Falcon made the comment about doing this for a show, Wolfe pressed a little, about that statement. The father is appalled, and says he knows where this is going, and ends the interview. A few short hours later, they’re doing the interview circuit, until the oven gets a tad hot. Then the family needs rest.
Watch the video. A count down? Why do a count down if you don’t intend to launch? Makes no sense. They knew it wasn’t tethered at that point. I don’t like to point fingers, and will wait for more info, but as it is now….it really looks like a hoax. Watch the dad in the Blitzer interview. He looks like he’s trying to show himself off, as a star.
capejasmine on October 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Fox just ran a chyron under Maccallum with your zinger! I wonder how many interns they have trolling blog threads for perspective, quips and inside info.
The Race Card on October 16, 2009 at 1:03 PM
I believe that the father is a liar, a very poor liar. He lies like a little kid.
Watch and listen closely to how he handle critical questions. He always deflects the questioner, then reframes the question or answers his own question over the interviewers.
The Race Card on October 16, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Instead of talking about this classless family…why don’t we talk about the kid that was set on fire by a group of boys at his apartment complex for retaliation…because the kid’s parents called the police on them for trying to steal a bicycle. The kid was dowsed with rubbing alcohol and set on fire with a lighter……he is in the hospital with 65% of his body covered in burns….if he didn’t run across the complex and jump into the pool, he probably wouldn’t be alive.
His prognosis is unknown.
Prayers to the child.
Scrutiny and a big bill to the balloon boy’s family.
HornetSting on October 16, 2009 at 1:58 PM
The image above links to a news story but I don’t see anywhere the video of the tethers being released or the takeoff, both of which I would find interesting.
AnotherOpinion on October 16, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Video is here:
http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?aid=87013
The acting in this is almost as bad as Keanu Reeves in Much Ado About Nothing.
There is no conceivable way the father wouldn’t have noticed this was carrying an extra 50 -70 lb payload when it took off. Also, no conceivable way BOTH tethers would have mistakenly been untethered.
Conclusion: HOAX!
pleaseandthankyou on October 16, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Um. . . who cares?
RedNewEnglander on October 17, 2009 at 12:16 AM
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