I think it was a reality TV show family looking for a little publicity.

Last night during a CNN interview, the kid said "you guys said we did this for the show" - awkward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtIuE93spBU

I think everybody got punked, but that's just my observation.
Source(s):
http://trueslant.com/jeffhoard/2009/10/16/balloon-boy-falcon-heene-farts-on...

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It looks like he was hiding according to the dad's instructions. He was not answering when the questions were asked. He was only telling when his dad ask the questions again and prompted him to answer. When the boy said he was hiding because they said it was for a show, the dad was not trying to make the kid clarify his answer.
On the other hand, the he is a small kid. He may be mentioning about the present interview that was going on. You can see in the CNN video, the kids are restless. The boy sitting in the middle is very annoyed his fathers hand touching his shoulder.
May be they were too tired after all that happened during the day.
So, we cannot say for sure, it was all an act.
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A FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THAT AND IM NOT SO SURE ITS REAL.
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Of course it's real. I live in Fort Collins and my wife works at the police department. She helped handle all the crazy people from out of state calling in requesting ridiculous information and offering to help.

The media just managed to report every little thing they heard, whether it was real or not. They portray everything in a different light and I think they just dreamed up this hoax thing to get more press.
Source(s):
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=125214&catid=339

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It smells like a hoax to me. I personally think the situation should be investigated more. If they did it as chance to be on television again, they should have to pay the city back. There is no excuse for this garbage.
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I'm thinking total publicity stunt here, to keep their name and their 'show' things going on and in the public eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxtFXtiUbbw

Sometimes I think you can get a little bit 'too' defensive, you know what I mean?
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Definitely a hoax. The boy obviously would never have fit into that small basket. It was connected to the balloon sac as well. Unless humans can use helium for oxygen (?) it's impossible to stay inside the basket even for a few minutes.

I have to say, I was surprised that it was the same family on Wife Swap. I watched that episode and It made me feel like I knew the family personally. And "Knowing" them, you can easily conclude that the father is a fanatic when it comes to his science experiments. And knowing that you can conclude that he needed more "tv time" after the Wife Swap gig.

You see, most scientists need publicity for their experiments to be noticed. And be given monetary funds or some kind of break to further their studies.

The father is a brilliant scientist, I think he has a huge potential. Unfortunately, he is too obsessed with his research. Which only plummets his brilliance.

And terrible at making hoaxes. :D
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Balloon Boy - the quickest internet meme ever! Must see all the images :) so funny....no, just an Attention h'ore

http://www.urlesque.com/2009/10/15/balloon-boy-meme/

http://img.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/balloon__opt1.jpg
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It really depends whether you're more inclined to believe the news media (which hasn't been the most factual lately) or more inclined to believe the police department and professional investigators that were on the scene.

Although as a society we love a good drama and we might actually want to think this was a hoax as we tend to live for that type of stuff, I'm more inclined to believe the actual people that were there. Based on the police reports and the side investigators that deal with cases like this day to day they said there was no evidence that suggests this was a ploy by the family or a press stunt. They did say there is cause for concern from what the boy said, but it's our nature to read into what he said with the most negative outlook. One comment by a confused kid can't outweigh loads of evidence that suggests that the family was legitimately concerned that he was in the balloon.

So unless there's some factual evidence (what the kid said wasn't specific enough to be 'factual') then there's nothing that could suggest (at this point) that it was a hoax.

Just my two cents worth ;)
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Absolutely not!! There is one thing and that is that children most always tell the truth. During an interview, the child was asked, "why he did not come out when he was called?" and he replyed, "because it was part of the show". This is what has prompted the suspicion of police. Children do not make up things at the drop of a hat for no reason. It is most often the adults that have taught these children to lye.
Source(s):
Fox News

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They wanted publicity and they got it. The whole world was watching it live, even Africa and Asia.
Even cesar the dog trainer hasn' been on larry king but just a few minutes of blowing a ballon in the air and Viola! they are on larry king.
Well, I think it is a better way of getting on the limelights than doing something cracky like threatening to jump from the statue of liberty if you don't get a raise.
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