Big Time Reality Producer -- Heene's a 'Liar'

The CEO of a big time reality show production company says Richard Heene lied his way through Hollywood trying to hock a reality show that could have put his kids in harm's way.

Richard Heene, Tom Forman

Tom Forman, the CEO of Relativity Real and creator of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," tells TMZ he saw the Heene family on "Wife Swap" and was both "intrigued and aghast." Forman says he ended up speaking with Heene on the phone a month ago and discussed Heene's idea for a reality show about his family -- including the small kids chasing storms.

Forman says Heene gave his word that he had not pitched the show to anyone else. Turns out, just days later, Forman's people were in a meeting with TLC about another show and they raised the Heene proposal. The TLC folks said not only had Heene pitched the show to them a week earlier, he flew to L.A. to personally make the sell.

Forman says Heene is a "liar" and he made one last call, telling Heene never to contact them again.



Tags: balloon boy, BalloonBoy, extreme makeover home edition, ExtremeMakeoverHomeEdition, liar, reality show, RealityShow, Richard heene, RichardHeene, tom forman, TomForman

Relevant Posts

Reader Comments

(Page 1 of 6) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. The word is Hawk, Hawk, Hawk, Henne tried to Hawk a show, not Hock. Come on TMZ, get it together, Harvey, you are an attorney, you know better than this

Posted at 7:07PM on Oct 19th 2009 by donnar

2. EVERYONE HATES THESE PEOPLE

Posted at 7:08PM on Oct 19th 2009 by Ghetto Boy

3. If this doesn't prompt a child protection investigation, what will? This sorry excuse for a man needs to lose custody and end up in jail. He's a complete moron.

Posted at 7:08PM on Oct 19th 2009 by Heene's a loser

4. just let him go so he can build a balloon big enough for Lindsay Lohan and John Gossleinso they can float away on , and then POP in the middle of the Atlantic !

That would ROCK !

Posted at 7:08PM on Oct 19th 2009 by goodstuff

5. Reality Real must be Real Racists because they hate asian mixed children and they don't allow asians on their shows.

Posted at 7:11PM on Oct 19th 2009 by nightcrawler

6. Yo Heene,The JIG is up, You crazy Mo-Fo.

Posted at 7:12PM on Oct 19th 2009 by TMZ OLD TIMER

7. I see someone beat me to the "hock" correction. No big deal really, but geez guys, you are in the biz. I would have thought you knew that.

Posted at 7:12PM on Oct 19th 2009 by suzanne

8. Clearly this dude is unstable and needs immediate medical attention. The kids need to be taken away from them and the mother needs to go back to where she came from. She has a face of a beaten woman. She is abused and its VERY CLEAR. I hope they investigate that as well.

PS: SORRY DONNAR your incorrect. Look up YOUR word!! Your wrong darlin!!!

Posted at 7:13PM on Oct 19th 2009 by QTE

9. Ok, ok, OK, I'm happy for the Heenes being caught, and imma let this story finish, but I have to say that the Japanese make the BEST DAMNED REALITY SHOWS EVER.

Posted at 7:16PM on Oct 19th 2009 by Kanye

10. Why haven't the authorities taken away the children from this insane couple?

Posted at 7:20PM on Oct 19th 2009 by Carrie

11. Hawk : (verb)
1: sell or offer for sale from place to place [syn: peddle, monger, huckster, vend, pitch]

Posted at 7:19PM on Oct 19th 2009 by disgusted

12. wow i guess this storm is a bit to much for him

Posted at 9:46AM on Oct 22nd 2009 by chris

13. Yes, these parents need to have their children taken away and from what I understand it is in the process of happening.
To think that he would think it is cool for the public to be glued to our tv's and possibly watching a little boy fall out of a balloon from soaring heights is just sick!!!

Posted at 7:21PM on Oct 19th 2009 by imjustsayin

14. To Hock is to pawn, To Hawk is to pitch, sell, etc, two different things

Look it up in Websters.

Posted at 7:21PM on Oct 19th 2009 by donnar

15. bloggers check out blogaboutanyone.com you can post anonymouscomments about anyone, celebs, co-workers, exes, you don't have towait for an article to comment. Start your own topic or people blog.blogaboutanyone.com

Posted at 7:26PM on Oct 19th 2009 by jan

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.