Heene Family: From Guilty Plea To Reality Show?
Richard and Mayumi Heene pleaded guilty to charges (a felony and a misdemeanor, respectively) associated with the Balloon Boy hoax today.
Sentencing, which likely will not include jail time, was postponed until next month. Now, the big question is whether their next move will involve a reality TV show.
Reality tv sometimes rewards jerks (e.g., Michael Vick, Speidi, etc.), but the Heenes have two big strikes against them.
First, they already have jumped the shark. Any plot in a reality show likely could not be as outrageous as the now infamous Balloon Boy incident and, as a result, ultimately would be disappointing.
Second, networks often are reluctant to work with unknown people who have violent pasts. Mr. Heene’s violent past has been exposed, including a stint in jail following an alleged fist fight and vandalism, so it’s unlikely that he would pass a background check for a show, regardless of the Balloon Boy incident.
Remember, it’s a post Ryan Jenkins world. He’s the guy who participated in two VH-1 reality shows and hanged himself after allegedly killing Jasmine Fiore. His conduct resulted not only in the loss of a life, but also in the cancellation of two VH-1 shows.
Networks are more sensitive to this kind of outcome and, as a result, may not work with a man like Heene, especially if the show is supposed to be a family show.
