What are you feelings about balloon boy?

[angie1976]

I just keep hearing about that crazy family in Colorado that created the hoax that their son flew away in their homemade weather balloon. Apparently it was some kind of publicity stunt for them to get a reality T.V show. I am amazed at the things people will do for fame. What are your feelings or thoughts on the matter?

[TNShannon]

I sincerely hope the father has to pay for the use of emergency services. His hoax could have pulled emergency services away from serious issues, and what if someone had died because EMS service was on a wild goose chase?

I've read that the family was homeless, that there was abuse, that the children were allowed to run wild...who knows what the real story is here. It's obvious that the parents got what they wanted, which was attention, and they are still getting it with every new story that pops up.

What disturbs me the most about the whole thing is not the hoax, but the media's reaction to it. I was watching one of the news shows as the balloon was flying and suddenly I realized there could be a little boy in there, and he could plummet to the ground, and DIE right on my television screen. The cameras kept panning closer and closer and the newscaster kept saying this was a live feed, not a delay...the unspoken point was that we would see whatever happened live and in color, even if it meant the death of a little boy.

How far has the media stooped when the impending death of a child is delivered with a dramatic, almost delighted attitude?

[SMFH]

I'm sick of hearing about it. Sometimes I feel the media is desperate for a story and just latch on to anything they can.

[TNShannon]

How much do you want to bet the family does get a reality show out of all this? After seeing the debacle surrounding Jon and Kate + 8, I would not be surprised. It seems that probing into the lives of others is what the media does best these days, and they seem to have no shame about it whatsoever.

[TNShannon]

Just saw this morning that Balloon Boy's parents were sentenced to time in prison (90 days for him with some on work release, 20 days for her), and they will also have to pay a rather hefty fee -- 42,000, if I remember correctly, for improper use of emergency services.

I'm glad they will have to pay for their deception...but I still have that sneaking suspicion that some network will pick them up for a reality show. We'll see.

[angie1976]

I heard that, too. I also saw an interview with their lawyer, what a D-bag. He said " make sure that you child does not let a balloon loose, or you could be fined by the FAA". Yeah, because that giant weather balloon, or whatever it is, is just the same as a small, helium-filled balloon. And a small child can be hidden inside of a regular balloon. I don't think that these people still understand the seriousness of what they did.

I think that more should be done than give them a fine and a slap on the wrist. They wasted hours of emergency rescue workers time; the crazy balloon flew over an airport, delaying dozens of flights take off and arrival times; and they not only faked their son being in this balloon, they tried to make their children lie about this. What terrible people!

I hope that nobody gives them a reality show, they are not only a dysfunctional family, they are anti-role models. Giving them a reality show would show people, everywhere, that it is okay to behave this way, and obviously, it is as far from okay as you can get.