# Scary stuff: the boy in the balloon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 15, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940 "2009-10-15T18:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/301 "2009-10-21T02:28:44Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Whoa!, thanks for the tip, dude! > > _Grabs shovel and runs outside_ I’m just gonna buy some really, really cool shades. big fat dummy. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/302 "2009-10-21T02:32:33Z")
Wow. This is the story that keeps on giving! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/303 "2009-10-21T03:31:46Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I find a personal silver-lining in all this: There is at least _one_ guy out there who is a bigger fuck-up then me. 😃 Aw, c’mon, guy. Don’t sell yourself short. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/304 "2009-10-21T03:41:01Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > …the sun blows up then the world ends but you are safe in your underground bunker. I wouldn’t make jokes. This guy being from another planet, he may be privy to information us humans don’t yet have. ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/305 "2009-10-21T04:48:48Z")
I almost feel ashamed to admit that I absolutely don’t give a ---- about this whole balloon-boy incident, and was sick of hearing about it after the first day. Maybe I’m just weird :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/306 "2009-10-21T04:53:47Z")
You’re not weird, you may not just have a certain interest in watching some people self-destruct on national television. Call it an interest in odd human behavior who have delusions of grandeur (or in this case, just plain old delusions). ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/307 "2009-10-21T14:21:07Z")
> [@SweetLucy](#): > > I almost feel ashamed to admit that I absolutely don’t give a ---- about this whole balloon-boy incident, and was sick of hearing about it after the first day. Maybe I’m just weird :rolleyes: Aw, c’mon! This story has it all! And every day we get more of the crazy! What’s not to like? In our troubled times, we can unite as Americans around the balloon boy. All hail balloon boy! He makes us forget our troubles! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/308 "2009-10-21T14:29:58Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Aw, c’mon! This story has it all! And every day we get more of the crazy! What’s not to like? > > In our troubled times, we can unite as Americans around the balloon boy. All hail balloon boy! He makes us forget our troubles! I feel sorry for bat boy myself. How’s he gonna make a living now ? Damn hard economic times when you see an old, worn out bat boy in a soup kitchen line, let me tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/309 "2009-10-21T14:45:47Z")
> [@SweetLucy](#): > > I almost feel ashamed to admit that I absolutely don’t give a ---- about this whole balloon-boy incident, and was sick of hearing about it after the first day. Maybe I’m just weird :rolleyes: Aw, c’mon! This story has it all! And every day we get more of the crazy! What’s not to like? In our troubled times, we can unite as Americans around the balloon boy. All hail balloon boy! He makes us forget our troubles! ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/310 "2009-10-21T14:59:17Z")
I feel for the kids in this. Having grown up Jehovah’s Witness, I can relate to being told the world will end before you grow up. It totally sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/311 "2009-10-21T15:39:19Z")
> [@SweetLucy](#): > > I almost feel ashamed to admit that I absolutely don’t give a ---- about this whole balloon-boy incident, and was sick of hearing about it after the first day. Maybe I’m just weird :rolleyes: Yeah, when I first heard I thought “Wow. If he survives he’s going to have an amazing adventure to tell throughout his school years.” Then I pretty much stopped caring. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/312 "2009-10-21T23:45:11Z")
[BUILD FIRE TRUCK with BOXTER™ and the Heenes!](http://news.aol.com/article/balloon-boy-dad-richard-heenes-kiddie/727829) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/313 "2009-10-24T02:17:28Z")
court documents released today has statement from Mayumi Heene (the mom) that is was a planned hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/314 "2009-10-24T03:01:30Z")
Watch the Oct 19,2009 [Uncle Jay Explains](http://unclejayexplains.com/) episode, whcih includes a comment about the balloon, and suggests that it looks like something Chef wore in South Park. Clever graphics in all of Uncle Jay’s episodes. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/315 "2009-11-12T15:47:05Z")
they have reached a plea bargain. From online news. Richard Heene will plead guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a felony. Mayumi Heene will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor. Prosecutors have agreed to allow both to serve probation sentences. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/316 "2009-11-13T18:05:07Z")
Mayumi Heene, a Japanese citizen, faced possible deportation if found guilty of a felony. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/317 "2009-11-13T23:13:56Z")
Maybe they can send her back by balloon. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/318 "2009-12-28T06:43:37Z")
As it’s only just over a month since the last pst, i figured a bump would not be out of order. [Colorado parents sentenced for “balloon boy” hoax.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091224/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_usa_balloon) > [@](#): > > A Colorado couple who riveted America with a bogus claim their son had floated away in a balloon received a 90-day jail term for the father on Wednesday, and both face thousands of dollars in restitution. > > General contractor Richard Heene will spend at least 30 days behind bars – the rest he can serve on work release if employed – for masterminding a hoax and publicity stunt aimed at gaining the family their own reality television show. > > His wife, Mayumi, was spared from any jail time for her part in the hoax, sentenced instead to 20 days of supervised public service work. > > \ > > Still to be calculated are fines and restitution for the search-and-rescue operation unleashed by their bogus claims. > > Prosecutors said an initial tally of expenditures by various government agencies came to $47,000 (29,000 pounds) and could climb higher, not including an $11,000 fine sought by the Federal Aviation Administration. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/319 "2009-12-28T06:52:07Z")
Those jerks! ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/320 "2009-12-28T12:25:36Z")
You must admit, they were successful in obtaining a reality TV series, albeit one that doesn’t have a normal timeslot and channel…or a payoff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940.md?page=17)