Clark: We get the show we deserve

They did it "for a show."

And a show, they certainly got. Heck, we all got a show beginning last Thursday when the so-called Balloon Boy and his saga took over, well, pretty much the entire nation.

Sadly, confoundingly, tragically, the entire thing was a hoax, concocted by the boy's parents to get back on reality TV. It was the boy himself, 6-year-old Falcon Heene, who spilled the helium-filled beans and shot this riveting maelstrom of a story even more sky high.

Falcon Heene sat with his parents during an interview on CNN last week and posed his "for a show" prose. And the winds definitely shifted.

So, let's tally up the blame, shall we? The Heene parents certainly shoulder the lion's share of the load. And for more than just getting millions of aghast Americans, every cable news channel and, yes, even the National Guard to bite on their disgusting ploy.

Possibly even bigger than that combined affront is the fact that they have almost certainly left a lifelong and tragic imprint on an innocent little boy.

An adorable and wide-eyed Falcon Heene only told the truth during that CNN interview. Suddenly, instead of being the cute tyke whose safety America had collectively prayed for, he became a pawn in a loathsome stunt for personal gain and attention.

And for a 6-year-old boy who did nothing more egregious than simply tell the truth, it will feel like it's all his fault because of an innocent, honest comment.

His fault that his parents face criminal charges for staging the elaborate hoax.

His fault that a nation of warm-and-fuzzy onlookers became snarling naysayers.

His fault that the family he loves is being made a villain across television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet.

His fault that they've all become a punch line for comedians and talk-show hosts.

His fault. For doing what his parents told him to do, then being honest about it.

Of course, none of it actually is his fault. Not a bit of it. But that's how it likely will feel to Falcon Heene. As unforgivable as it was to fool the nation into believing their small child was spinning out of control through the stratosphere on a warm fall day, it is more unforgivable to be the catalyst for that kind of damage on the psyche of a little boy.

Second on the blame chain is reality TV. A shock, yes?

Without the allure of that insidious spectacle, none of this would have happened. Reality TV continues to be a societal bane — making often lurid entertainment out of keyhole gazing. The more shocking the keyhole view, the bigger the ratings.

The Heenes got their first taste of reality nectar by appearing on "Wife Swap" and, apparently, the lure was so great they were willing to sell out the innocence of all three of their children to get a bigger sip.

So Americans in general get a big piece of the blame, too. We watch reality TV in droves. The more we watch, the more producers produce. We all have a hand in our own bamboozlement.

And what about the media? Well, yes, the media certainly fanned the firestorm flames by covering it all.

While I'm rarely one to defend the 24-hour cable news networks — I believe them to be less about news and more about filling time between commercials — this time, I'm going to spend a minute in their corner.

Because when any journalist hears that a boy is trapped in a runaway balloon hurtling through the air over Colorado and a rescue attempt is being planned, you cover that story. Of course you cover that story. You follow any lead, interview neighbors, question experts, find out how it all happened and what's being done to fix it.

It's news. Plain. Simple.

And before anyone calls out the "unsubstantiated" battle cry, note this: Once the National Guard is manning up to attempt a rescue, things pretty much appear substantiated.

Just think if CNN, et al, hadn't covered it? America would be up in arms over how the news networks ignored a huge story. People at home for the day or tuning in at lunchtime would froth over not being able to follow the turmoil.

It's all a pretty doggone vicious cycle, isn't it? Attention hounds seek reality TV exposure by exploiting their children to the fascination of the masses, then create a media event to garner even more attention, all of which just might lead to a new reality TV show and more fame, which undoubtedly will be covered by the media ... and on it goes.

Blame all around.

But let's not forget the real victim here, the one who isn't to blame at all. A little boy who likely will long carry the guilt of exposing this sad mess by being the only innocent one in the bunch.

Reach Scene editor Pat Clark at pclark@modbee.com.