Published: October 21, 2009 12:42 am      

GEORGE ROOT: Sick of attention-mongers

Octomom made me pretty sick. She has 14 kids now, and she admittedly had a litter of eight this year to try and get her own reality television show. Of course, television can be partially to blame. Now that there are hundreds of channels all competing for advertising dollars, it was only a matter of time before the crazies started to come out. But these adults need to start paying the price for exploiting children, and the balloon people make me just as sick.

Recently, little Falcon Heene was on “Larry King Live.” No, Falcon did not rescue his parents by knowing to call 911 when there was danger. And, no, Falcon does not have a terminal disease and started his own foundation to raise funds for research. That does not get viewers to watch cable television news. Falcon Heene is the 6-year-old child of Richard and Mayumi Heene. Both of Falcon’s parents should be in prison right now and Falcon should be placed with a relative who has a shred of decency and an iota of common sense.

You see, Falcon’s parents used him as a pawn to get themselves on television. They are attention mongers. Richard Heene and his wife Mayumi have been on the show “Wife Swap” twice. Richard chases hurricanes and tornadoes just to get his name in the papers. That is all fine and dandy when they are exploiting themselves. But their child?

Here is what makes me sick. Octomom got her television show. She was put on American prime time television for two hours back in August, and now she has a show running in England. A judge actually signed off on paperwork allowing Octomom to exploit her children and have each get paid $250 per episode. If you are not throwing up yet, then you will be by the time this balloon thing is over.

I am fairly confident that someone will offer Richard Heene money for the rights to his hoax and make a television movie out of it. To each his own, right? Let the guy make a few bucks when he can, right? Not when kids are involved. On “Larry King Live,” Richard Heene asked Falcon why he hid in the attic and Falcon said that he did it because his parents told him it was all part of the show. Damage control instantly started right there on live television. His parents said he is confused. He doesn’t know what he is talking about. Baloney. A 6-year-old just says what is on his mind. That is what makes a child’s honesty so brutal, it is complete. They don’t start learning how to effectively lie until they hit 9 or 10.

So when his parents told him to say he hid in the attic because he was scared, Falcon probably asked why he should say that. Six-year-olds need reasons for everything. Richard Heene probably said, “Well, it is all for the show, Falcon, but for now just tell people you were scared when they ask.” All Falcon heard was the truth that was buried in all of the lies. The truth that said it was all for the show. So what did Falcon do when asked that question about why he hid? He told the truth as he knew it.

Richard and Mayumi Heene should be put in prison for child endangerment and they should never be allowed to see Falcon again. That is my opinion. It may be a little harsh, but who knows what the Heenes will use their child for next? Do they drop him off in the middle of the desert and say he wandered away? Do they hide him in a shed in the backyard and claim he was abducted? If it happened again, the Heenes may try and say, “See, we told you he likes to hide.”

You may think I am overreacting, but let me ask you this: If the Heenes will allow the authorities to be mobilized to chase a balloon they claimed their son was in, putting the helicopter pilot at risk while their son hid in the attic — do you really think there is anything they won’t do to get your attention? And if the Heenes are allowed to get away with this without punishment, what is to stop some other crazy from risking their child just to get their 15 minutes on television?

George Root is a Lockport resident. His column runs every Wednesday.