All posts containing the tag: "Balloon Boy"
Richard Heene and his overexposed balloon family took a break from televised interviews to do a little sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty on Thursday.
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled convicted felon con artists yearning to be famous..."
Filed under: Balloon Boy
Far be it from ABC to pay for interviews -- something they say they don't do -- but they will pay to stuff the stomachs of those they interview and then drive them comfortably to their hotel ... which is exactly what happened with the Heene family last night. 
We got the entire Balloon Family out for a fabulous sushi dinner at Ocean Grill in NYC.
Sources told TMZ that ABC paid the tab. We contacted ABC and they acknowledged they broke tuna rolls with the Balloons and did foot the bill.
Now here's the best part -- a source at GMA says, "We did not pay for a limo to drive them around the city. We did have a car service (SUV) take the family as they required a bigger car. "
Filed under: Exclusives, Balloon Boy
For a convicted felon, Richard Heene claims he has some serious job opportunities flyin' in from N.Y. -- where there isn't a high demand for carpenters or balloon builders ... you know what they do need?
TV show guests...
In court today, Richard Heene's lawyer told the judge that Balloon Dad wanted to roll to NYC -- to seek "an opportunity for employment" in the next week ... while he still happens to be relevant.
The lawyer also stated that Heene, "has other plans to go to California." Of course he does...
Wonder if he'll wind up on "Entertainment Something."
UPDATE -- Heene's lawyer tells TMZ his trips to NY and Cali are not for media interviews and that he has advised his client to "shut up."
Filed under: TV, Balloon Boy
Richard and Mayumi Heene just pled guilty to a felony and misdemeanor charge, respectively, stemming from the Balloon Boy hoax.
Neither will be sentenced today. Another hearing has been set for December 23.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
TMZ has learned Richard Heene is currently in police custody, and his wife Mayumi is expected to turn herself in shortly.
Richard's attorney announced earlier today that Richard will plead guilty tomorrow to attempting to influence a public servant -- a felony -- and Mayumi will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities -- a misdemeanor.
The lawyer also said the Heenes aren't expected to do jail time.
UPDATE: Richard has been released. We're told Mayumi will not be booked because her charge is a misdemeanor.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
Those awful Balloon Boy parents are finally going to fess up to what we've all suspected for weeks -- that they're guilty of engineering the entire hoax.
Richard Heene's attorney issued a statement explaining how Richard will plead guilty Friday morning to an offense of attempting to influence a public servant -- a felony. His wife, Mayumi, will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities -- a misdemeanor.
The Heenes could receive jail time for the charges stemming from the infamous Oct. 15 incident, but Richard's attorney claims the prosecutor has only recommended probation.
The attorney also claims the couple agreed to the deal because Mayumi was afraid of being deported. The lawyer explained that she's currently a Japanese citizen and "any felony conviction or certain misdemeanors would result in her deportation, even though her husband and children are Americans."
Wonder if they would send her back in a balloon?
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
The sheriff from the Balloon Boy fiasco will not be charged with a crime for running his mouth about the Heene family -- and revealing that the county's Child Protective Services team had been asked to investigate Richard and Mayumi in the wake of their hoax.
Heene's attorney had claimed Alderden broke a Colorado law, which bars officials from discussing information about a family investigation publicly.
But now, the Larimer County District Attorney's office tells us they "have carefully reviewed all public statements we were able to find of Sheriff Alderden with regard to the Heene investigation ...
... Although Sheriff Alderden references the fact that the Department of Social Services has become involved, he discloses no data or information obtained from a Deparent of Social Services report, nor does he improperly release any identifying information obtained from records or reports of child abuse.
Thus, no criminal charges are warranted."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
We've already established Richard Heene is no scientist -- turns out he isn't a comedian either.
TMZ has obtained a copy of a book Heene wrote back in 1994 called "The Official Offensive Driving Handbook." We know it's supposed to be funny because it's categorized as "humor" -- but that's the only clue. Mostly it just comes across as offensive.
In a chapter about the types of drivers to avoid, he refers to one group as "Jam'in Bro in His Cadillac," another as "Towelheads" and another as "Orientals." And the book is littered with photos with Heene dressed up as people from the various groups.
There are also photos of Heene on the toilet and one of him holding a water gun as if he were Rambo -- for reasons that aren't immediately clear.
Filed under: Balloon Boy
The tell-it-like-it-is Sheriff who first labeled the Balloon Boy incident a "hoax" will be investigated by the local D.A. -- for allegedly telling a little too much about the Heene family.
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden is on the hot seat after recently announcing that the county's Child Protective Services team had been asked to investigate Richard and Mayumi Heene in the wake of the hoax.
Heene's attorney claims Alderden broke a Colorado law, which bars officials from discussing information about a family investigation publicly.
So far, no comment from the Sheriff.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
Ten years before the Balloon Boy hoax, Richard Heene pulled an equally unfunny stunt -- only this time his kid really was in danger. 
We've obtained footage of Richard Heene from 10 years ago -- trying to shove a cigar into his then infant son Bradford's mouth -- while posing him with an empty bottle of beer ... and it's all for the cameras.
At one point Mayumi can be heard telling him "No" -- but Richard doesn't stop ... seemingly obsessed with getting what he thinks is the perfect shot.
P.S. -- We apologize in advance for Richard's incredibly grating, beyond annoying baby talk.
Filed under: Exclusives, Balloon Boy
The fate of Richard and Mayumi Heene is officially in the hands of the Larimer County District Attorney. 
The Larimer County Sheriff's Dept. has just presented its case regarding the October 15th Balloon Boy incident to the D.A. -- who issued the following statement:
On October 26, 2009, Larimer County Sheriff's investigators presented the District Attorney's Office with their investigative findings regarding the October 15, 2009 incident involving Richard and Mayumi Heene.
The District Attorney's Office has requested additional information and will be making a charging decision as soon as we have had an opportunity to complete a careful review and analysis of this case.
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden has said he will recommend charges against the family including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
The mother of the "Balloon Boy" has finally come clean, admitting the whole ridiculous fiasco was the hoax everybody knew it was anyway.
In a search warrant affidavit that was released today, Mayumi Heene told sheriff's deputies she and Richard "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence."
In the document, it says "Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier ... she and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax."
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden has said he will recommend charges against the family including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.
Filed under: TV, Balloon Boy
There's one man in the Balloon Boy saga who isn't a total media whore -- the Larimer County Sheriff claims he told Dr. Phil to kick rocks!
Sheriff Jim Alderden just posted a hilarious blog on the LCSO's website -- describing all the craziness he put up with in the wake of that little "spaceship balloon incident" ... and he didn't hold back.
In the blog, Alderden claims he was inundated with calls and emails from all sorts of "wing-nuts" -- some of whom called him "big mouthed," "fat" and "bald-headed."
Alderden quotes one person who wrote in just to criticize his American flag shirt -- saying " I will encourage any federal investigators working with you on the balloon boy case to charge you with crimes against the flag if that shirt is worn again."
Jim fared better with the Finnish -- one foreign fan telling him "you are good looking, a 'real man' ... you have a sense of humor when you tell the story." Alderden replied, "I might be moving to a Scandinavian country at the end of my term."
But the best call came in from a guy who claimed he had proof Hillary Clinton was an alien. The Sheriff's reply -- "At least that caller had some credibility."
Filed under: Dr. Phil, Balloon Boy
Falcon Heene wasn't the first Heene boy to hide in a box -- one of the other boys sought refuge in a box house during a kids show Richard produced called "Box Time."
The show was made by Richard in 2003 and was billed as a "family video encompassing values, entertainment, education, and fun!" -- but nowhere in the program was there a lesson on the negative effects of bamboozling an entire nation.
Surprisingly, the show -- which featured cameos by little Bradford and Ryo Heene -- was never picked up. Just watch the clip and you'll see why.
Filed under: Exclusives, Balloon Boy
"Law & Order: SVU" star B.D. Wong took the harshest, most volatile stance yet on Balloon Boy's parents today in D.C. -- saying ... wait for it ... "That was beyond uncool."
Hey B.D. -- Jennifer Aniston wants her catch phrase back. Dun dun.
Filed under: Balloon Boy
MileyCyrus house MichaelJackson DUI CarriePrejean ustream lawsuit LasVegas Dr.ConradMurray PeepingTom airport twilight court JonGosselin RandeGerber MissCaliforniaUsa paparazzo fight SexTape DanaWhite photo extortionist NewMoon pageant playgirl butt CindyCrawford MichaelLohan photos KristenStewart extortion TLC paparazzi DjAm NicCage video sick JoeJackson twitter divorce prize gossip RichardHeene suit MichaelBarrett gallery ParisHilton JohnBranca winner NickPrugo contest wwe RobertPattinson lax propofol BalloonBoy estate death pictures ChrisBrown KatherineJackson LindsayLohan football KateGosselin BritneySpears CelebrityPictures JanetJackson BrockLesnar vote MikeTyson ShawneMerriman ufc rihanna stalker JonKatePlus8
