I’ve just watched a 14 minute video of an interview with the father of the 6 year old boy who hid in the loft while half the National Guard and Air Force chased a silver balloon shaped like a flying saucer believing he was in it.
Didn’t believe a word of it. This is a robust “man’s man” who is used to chasing storms and who brought up his kids to be adventurous, yet his body language for the entire interview was humourless, with broken speech, no eye contact, and the most unconvincing display of almost-weeping I’ve seen for some time. Sure, there’s tear-jerking emotion in getting your kid back, but isn’t there als joy? And there is room for humour in the ridiculous side of the story. I am sure that his display of emotion was entirely artificial.
The guy has media experience including some tacky reality TV show, and his kids are making music videos - all the trappings of a family wanting celebrity.
The balloon is shaped like a classic 1950s style flying saucer. Hardly the best shape when surface area to volume is important to keep the weight down. What’s wrong with a sphere (or something very similar to a sphere)? Was it designed for some sort of UFO hoax?
Weight is crucial - so if there is a compartment for instruments (camera, weather observations)why would it be sufficiently robust that they would believe it could hold the weight of a child? Instruments could be attached to a frame, which is lighter than a box.
The balloon was seen spinning in flight - and no obvious door for the kid to climb in.
He says he pressed the button for it to go up from ground level to about 20 feet - would he not have wanted the kid there to see this happening - the crucial preparations for a first flight of a family project?
What is the law on sending up something several metres across which might interfere with radar and air traffic? Would someone that enthusiastic not have more knowledge, and probably need to see permission?
Why did father conduct the entire interview with mother sitting quietly throughout. Surely the “human interest” is more likely to come from the mother of a small child - at least in the minds of the media. Clear case of Dad keeping control.
Why did the kids sit in “dejected poses” at the start of the interview - surely every American kid’s dream is to be on TV.
Hoaxer or idiot? I know which I think.
