THE ANTI-REALITY OF A REALITY SHOW

INFLATED HOAX OF BALLOON BOY

WASHINGTON,Oct.19-As people began to doubt Falcon Heene's parents really believed their son was in a homemade helium balloon that was accidentally released, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden defended the family. But yesterday at a news conference, he said that Falcon's parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, had planned the whole thing for two weeks as part of a publicity stunt that they thought would help them land their own reality-television show. "They put on a very good show," he said, "and we bought it." The sheriff refused to say whether someone had confessed, but did state that the part of the story about how Falcon was hiding in the garage the whole time wasn't true, either. Richard and Mayumi Heene could face felony charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and attempting to influence a public official as well as a misdemeanor of making a false report. They could also be billed for the costs of the rescue operation, which involved two National Guard helicopters and even temporarily shut down Denver International Airport. The three boys were "100 percent involved," said the sheriff, but probably won't face charges because of their ages. The Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI will also have to determine whether the couple could face federal charges. One media outlet may have already paid Heene in connection to the scandal, but it was unclear whether it was complicit with the hoaxor just put up the money afterward. That leads the LAT to take a look at how Falcon "is one of many children who have in recent months been featured as players in sensational, reality-TV-ready story lines involving what might be dubbed extreme parenting." From "Octomom" to Jon & Kate Plus Eight, children's advocates say there's no shortage of reality TV producers ready to exploit children for higher ratings