Balloon family Heene "admit" hoaxing the world!

The Heene family of Colorado are just a product of our age. An intelligent father is seemingly seduced by the charms and apparant riches of reality television. He thought that, by staging this stunt and getting half the Colorado law enforcement officials up from behind their desks to go chasing a saucer-shaped balloon, he would get a better chance of being picked. Instead, he entered the largest reality show by default.

Most of the world knows of this family now. The children think it is all great fun. The sheriff is hopping mad and threatening jail time. And the world carries on.

I hope the lessons learned from all this is that irresponsible parents have an influence on their children. The sins of the fathers, etc. No good will come of jailing the parents. Possibly a hefty fine. But as in all things American, the fine is a crazily high amount for the particular crime. In this case a maximum of $500,000!! If it ever came to court and that was whacked onto the couple, the children would be the sufferers.

It's a salutary lesson in greed and ambition getting ahead of proper reality. So-called reality television is nothing of the sort. It is just another form of humiliation dressed up as entertainment.

Octomom's $250,000 Brood

Apparently a TV production company from the UK, Eyeworks UK, has signed a deal with Nadya Suleyman, otherwise known as the Octomom. I'm sure that's not an eight-legged female parent. She's reported as getting $250,000 for her troubles by agreeing to appear in a reality show. I'm wondering if that's a good deal. After all, she ballooned up to a pretty good size with eight babies banging about inside her. She has six other children and will have a tv crew running amok in her house and following her around all day. I'd say $250,000 was not a great deal for three years toil.

I wonder what the TV company thinks they will make out of it all?

Jade Goody dies

Reality is not what it was. Once upon a time it was knowing about life and growing up to appreciate it, in all its forms. Now, it seems, it means quite the opposite, especially to TV bosses. Reality to them is taking normal life and turning it upside down.

Jade Goody became rich and famous, vilified and valued, talked about, and generally discussed by all and sundry. A young woman catapulted into the limelight. The only person not to know of her in much detail was Gordon Brown. The PM referred to her as "Jane Goody" but that did not matter. We all knew who he was talking about.

Although she could be described as a "normal" person at one time, she came to live in the spotlight, much of it self-promoted. However, her death has been extraordinarily public. Many have criticised her. I would think they may not know why.

First of all she was ridiculed for "being thick" and then got at for "being a racist". She obviously believed she was neither and set out to prove them wrong. Her legacy will be that she is remembered for bravery and courage. For who would like cancer ravaging their liver, groin and bowel? The pain must have been excruciating at times, even with the drugs.

Then she will be remembered for her vitality. Her ability to stand up for herself. I'd say she didn't come across as thick at all. Maybe some were jealous of her?

The cervical cancer awareness barometer has shot up the scale. Cancer Research UK chief executive Harpal Kumar said of Jade Goody, "Her brave battle with an aggressive form of cervical cancer has received widespread public attention and encouraged thousands of women to seek advice on how to prevent the disease. She has done a great public service by raising awareness of the importance of screening during her last few months of life."

If she helps to save lives, even in death, that is some legacy. She has been a creature of her time. Limelight and fame. Like all of us, she has been a mixture of moods and personality traits. Unlike most of us, Jade Goody has been famous. She is now firmly embedded in the internet's maze and can be accessed at any time.

That seems to me to be the reality of it all.