Reality television makes people crazier

By Staff
Scot Beard
I have never been a fan of reality television for several reasons.
The main reason I do not watch reality television is because it is a magnet for stupidity.
I work hard during the day, some more stressful than others, and when I get home the last thing I want to be assaulted with is someone who is whiney, self-centered, a drunken buffoon or an airhead.
If I wanted to deal with all of that – hopefully not all in the same person – I would move to Los Angeles.
The sad thing about reality television is that it allows any person willing to humiliate him or herself to make a desperate grab for their 15 minutes of fame.
Sometimes when those people get those 15 minutes of undeserved fame they are unwilling to let it go.
The Heene family of Fort Collins, Colo. is a great example of this.
Last week the world watched as a balloon that looked like a UFO floated around Colorado. Many, including local authorities feared the youngest child, Falcon, was trapped inside.
I was chatting with one of my friends on Facebook when I found out about the story.
I read the early reports and responded to my friend, "The boy's name is Falcon and his family has been on the show 'Wife Swap.' I think he has bigger issues than being stuck in a balloon."
A few hours later Falcon was found hiding in the family's attic and rumors of a hoax began circulating.
The incident had the feel of a publicity stunt and young Falcon said during an interview that his parents told him to do it for the show.
Now local and federal authorities are talking about pressing charges against the Heene family, including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, attempting to influence a public servant and filing a false police report.
There is the possibility that the family really did think Falcon was in the balloon, but the way they have presented themselves to the public is highly suspicious.
I have no problem with people being eccentric, which the Heenes are, but I do have a problem with a hey-look-at-me attitude that puts other people at harm.
If this had not been a hoax, the problem could have been avoided by simply searching the house. Instead they create a big drama.
What if there had been a real child abduction at that time?
The authorities that should be looking for the real missing child would have to divide time between that case and the Heene case.
Would the Heenes have cared if that had happened?
I can't say because I have never met them.
My hunch is, however, that they would not have lost too much sleep over it.
Something tells me if they had never been on reality television in the first place, none of this would have happened.