Reality TV-Family Pulls a Hoax

The dominant story on Internet and TV news headlines for the past several days has been that of 'balloon boy,' a hoax pulled by former "Wife Swap" contestants in Colorado. Richard Heene's homemade over-sized helium balloon, which was said to transport his son Falcon at altitudes of more than 7,000 feet, has been officially named a publicity stunt.

The world watched the balloon float across 50 miles of sky, and finally land right outside Denver International Airport. When Falcon was nowhere to be found, fears that the child had fallen tragically became a widespread concern. Officials searched high and low for the boy, and it was eventually reported that Falcon had been 'hiding' in his attic the whole time.

Criminal charges, one misdemeanor and two possible felonies, are expected to be filed in the near future. "We did this for the show," said Falcon.