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Guy Claims He Helped Plan Balloon Boy Hoax
TMZ ^ | 10/17/2009

Posted on 10/17/2009 5:10:15 PM PDT by GoldStandard

A man who claims he once worked for Richard Heene says Heene was obsessed with becoming famous, wanted to get his own show, and had an idea for a massive media stunt that involved a "weather balloon" that "resembles a UFO." Sound familiar?

Robert Thomas claims, in an interview with Gawker, that Heene believed such a stunt would "be the most significant UFO-related news event to take place since the Roswell Crash of 1947."

Thomas said Heene was "driven by ego and fame" after appearing on "Wife Swap." He says Heene's idea for a show was something like "'MythBusters'-meets-mad scientist."

Thomas says he worked for Heene from March through May 2009.

(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: chat; falconheene; hoax; scam
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To: TigersEye

That bottom portion was pretty small, even for a 6 year old, theoretically if he was in there, we would have seen some sag or ANY type of movement from that tiny confined space. He would have been smushed in that little part, no way that you couldn’t tell. No way that thing lifts off with a 6 year old in it and the “father” knows that.


21 posted on 10/17/2009 6:01:23 PM PDT by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: CaptainK
It’s like a web of crackpots, so who are you going to believe?

after seeing the father on Wife Swap, which i had seen just the day before the balloon incident, i assumed it was all a stunt to get him some attention... i believe he set it up... he's a jerk...

22 posted on 10/17/2009 6:05:39 PM PDT by latina4dubya ( self-proclaimed tequila snob)
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To: TigersEye
If their story is true then it is not odd at all.

watch ths family on Wife Swap... you will likely come away believing they planned it all...

23 posted on 10/17/2009 6:07:29 PM PDT by latina4dubya ( self-proclaimed tequila snob)
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To: word_warrior_bob

Those are different issues aren’t they?


24 posted on 10/17/2009 6:11:59 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: latina4dubya

I was only speaking to one specific speculation.


25 posted on 10/17/2009 6:12:41 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: word_warrior_bob

I agree with your observations.
What’s puzzling is why the spokesman for the Sheriff’s Dept doesn’t seem to be bothered by the obvious discrepancies.completely


26 posted on 10/17/2009 6:14:31 PM PDT by Wild Irish Rogue
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To: TigersEye

Yes, kind of. It’s just that there’s so many “holes” in this story that a 6 year old, unnoticed gets in the balloon, says nothing while “Dad” is filling the balloon and launching it. The size of the small bottom portion and the size of the kid, never noticing the added weight....I could go on, but it defies all logic that he actually thought his kid was in that thing.


27 posted on 10/17/2009 6:19:13 PM PDT by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: TigersEye
I was only speaking to one specific speculation.

well, okay...

28 posted on 10/17/2009 6:20:12 PM PDT by latina4dubya ( self-proclaimed tequila snob)
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To: word_warrior_bob
I don't disagree with any of that. On the live thread there were quite a few people working on the physics (helium lifting capacity, balloon volume, etc.) and they came up with a pretty good probability that it could have lifted and carried 50-60+ lb.s and Falcon weighs 37-40 according to a report that day from the Sheriff's dept.

I think it would have looked a lot different if it had been carrying 50 lb.s but I don't know if that guy would have known that or not. I don't think he had ever flown it before. If your other two boys were swearing up and down that lil bro got in it you might forget all common sense. Which Richard seems a little short of.

29 posted on 10/17/2009 6:26:31 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: latina4dubya

LOL Thanks. ;-)


30 posted on 10/17/2009 6:27:26 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: word_warrior_bob

Fox News just announced that criminal charges WILL be filed. Looks like your hunches are going to be vindicated and I don’t disagree with them. Geraldo is going to cover it tonight if you can stomach that.


31 posted on 10/17/2009 6:37:10 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: Wild Irish Rogue
What’s puzzling is why the spokesman for the Sheriff’s Dept doesn’t seem to be bothered by the obvious discrepancies.completely

My guess is they are perfectly willing to sit back and let the family basically convict themselves with their own words, knowing that this is a family that thrives on media attention and will keep talking and keep increasing the odds of slipping up like the kid did in the first interview. Colombo would approve of this tactic.

32 posted on 10/17/2009 6:41:10 PM PDT by Humbug (hmm mmm mmmm)
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To: TigersEye

Bringing in Geraldo for added credibility, that always works. In our current twisted America, I bet he eventually winds up with a reality show on MTV.


33 posted on 10/17/2009 6:41:40 PM PDT by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: Humbug

whoops, the first sentence should have been in italics from my previous post (to indicate it was a quote)


34 posted on 10/17/2009 6:42:09 PM PDT by Humbug (hmm mmm mmmm)
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To: Humbug

I think the Sheriff’s Dept. first instinct without knowing the background of these characters would be to think that no one is that TWISTED to pull this kind of stunt.


35 posted on 10/17/2009 6:43:34 PM PDT by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: word_warrior_bob
Yeah, Geraldo, the one-man reality show himself. You'll need Maalox, eye wash and a brain restorative tonic on hand if you're going to tune in.

I don't doubt that this Heene guy gets a show out of this but he could be facing some really stiff penalties. The Larimer county sheriff's dept. won't be the only ones looking into this.

Three county's sherrifs departments went on full alert, the National Guard, two military helicopters from Buckley Air Base were sent out, the air space over DIA was put on alert and restricted and that's just what I heard the first day. That last would have to include attention from the FAA, the FBI and DHS. He is in deep deep doo doo.

36 posted on 10/17/2009 6:52:24 PM PDT by TigersEye (Imagine the uproar when people imagine what Rush says?)
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To: Humbug

” My guess is they are perfectly willing to sit back and let the family basically convict themselves with their own words,..”

With the latest reporting that criminal charges are pending...your guess looks to be correct.
The home video clinched it for me.


37 posted on 10/17/2009 6:52:45 PM PDT by Wild Irish Rogue
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To: word_warrior_bob

True, though i think they probably had a good indication of what type of people they were dealing with pretty early on, even before the balloon deflated. But when you have a suspect who loves to talk, let him talk, let him think you’re not suspicious, let him think he is smart enough to fool you and everyone else, and sooner or later he’ll slip up. I think that’s what they were hoping for here and it looks like it worked.


38 posted on 10/17/2009 6:57:48 PM PDT by Humbug (hmm mmm mmmm)
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To: TigersEye

IMO the family sounds like a bunch of kooks. If they have to pay for this stunt then they better pray they get their show. If it was a stunt then I think they ought to pay. I know I wouldn’t watch this bunch of loonies. I’ve got enough of my own loonies to watch in my house lmao.


39 posted on 10/18/2009 12:09:52 AM PDT by pandoraou812 (Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn.....................^........................)
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To: JSteff

I listened to the 911 tape. I was not really convinced it was not faked.


40 posted on 10/18/2009 12:15:45 AM PDT by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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