Why are parents of a joy-riding little boy putting him on TV?

That kid who led police on the chase after he took a car out to avoid church was on the "Today" show today, which one critic finds that befuddling. "It seems a case of parental lunacy to treat the incident like a bizarre joke because he was lucky enough not to hurt himself or anyone else." (TampaBay.com)

Comments

[twerp]

I totally agreee with whoever wrote this article.

If anybody can find the name of the person who wrote it, please let me know because I couldn't.

[Jim Romenesko]

He's Eric Deggans, the paper's TV critic.

[Bill B.]

Yeah, there is nothing like rewarding a child for engaging in dangerous behavior. Some parents are beyond belief.

[buddy]

the parents should not be parents. did the kid even get arrested?

[Bill B.]

Also, it seems like these "parents" could not resist the star treatment that goes with being guests on the Today Show. What idiots.

[Phranqlin]

I second the article. Amusing as the kid's joyride may have been to bystanders like us, the boy's parents need to nip this behavior in the bud (not reward it).

Any time something weird happens to a kid, he or she appears on one of the morning shows. Kids in freak accidents, stupid kid tricks, baby brainiacs, and now little Grand Theft Auto Junior. I wonder how much money the producers dangle in front of the parents? Or is it just the chance to get their Warholian 15 minutes?

[stopeatingmysesamecake]

I'll also put some blame on the Today Show producers who called them up in Utah and offerred air, hotel, dinner ar the 4 Seasons, and a carriage ride through Central Park to come to New York.

[sometimesilie]

Anything for 15 minutes!

[kevy]

I was watching Today when this came on and wondered WTF.

[biff steele]

This article was spot on.

[MONKEY JERK]

THE KID IS A HERO...HE DEFINITELY MADE HIS POINT ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH.

[Sheila]

Dr. SESMC has made the correct diagnosis.

[stopeatingmysesamecake]

My esteemed colleague Dr. Phranqlin was also on the same track, too. GTA Jr- lol.

[Soo]

If this had been my kid, it would have been followed up the next day by an article concerning my sending the kid off to be "educated" by the nuns.

[twerp]

Years ago, The Today Show was a decent newscast. Now it's just gone to hell. The fact that one of the anchors to that show is a former anchor of The View shows what a sh*tty broadcast it is.

[bodhisattva]

Never thought I'd say this, but, ditto what Monkey Jerk said.

[Worker]

I'll say the same thing I said about this family when the article first broke:

"The parents should be forced to go to parenting class! This is a symptom of something much deeper. If it was bad parenting, then they need the class to learn how to teach. If it is good parenting but a difficult child, then the parents need to go to the class to learn new skills -AND the child needs to go to counselling."

As for those of you who are heroizing the kid because you have difficulties with religion: get over yourselves! This is not about religion. The child chose to do something very dangerous and illegal. It doesn't matter if it was due to church avoidance or broccoli avoidance. He is no hero, but a child in need of discipline and (most likely) therapy.

And now we see the real issue: the parents need to be in therapy. They should also probably have the child placed elsewhere until the parents learn how to parent -for the safety of the rest of the people on the streets.

[catholick priestz]

Give the youngster to use so we can force jesus into his life. By jesus we mean our big weiners and by life we are talking about his butthole.

[Dave]

Wow, that kid is a really good driver! He was cute, too. I was laughing at all the funny faces he was making. So why is he on TV? Well why not? It's a story. People are interested in it and want to learn more about it, and it's entertaining. Let these folks have their 15 minutes of fame.

[sometimesilie]

I resent that reading that last comment killed some of the brain cells I was reserving for alcohol.

[bodhisattva]

To Worker: How about getting over yourself? A seven year old did something stupid and dangerous. HE'S A KID. Children raised by the most attentive, caring parents are still capable of this kind of behaviour because THEY ARE CHILDREN. Sometimes there are tragic consequences, but that's life, babe. You can't police everyone all the time, and who the hell would want to anyway? I don't want that tax bill or that kind of government.
Although I wouldn't put my family on television and laugh off something like this, people have the choice to do so. Don't like it? Vote with your remote. Change the channel, or better yet, turn the f'ing thing off.

[David]

The kid needs a spanking, not a TV career. Although, maybe he'll get the MJ stuff off the air.

[vksjk]

If he was a little black boy the white establishment would never in a million years shape this story with a simple 'boys will be boys' harmless fun angle.

[Sheila]

The White Establishment runs the Today show.

Ditto what Twerp said. The Today Show cast and the View are all stunningly stupid. I saw Meredith Viera on The View a couple of years ago, claiming she had read somewhere that children should not bathe more than once a week, so she was having her children bathe only once a week, especially in the summer. Even the other dolts on the The View seemed astounded.

[sometimesilie]

*Not Dave's.

vksjk I was going to say that everyone knows little black boys aren't cute but I think of all the unknowingly racist comments I've heard from usually elderly Middle America type and Flannery O'Connor, and they all peg them (little black boys) as being "cute."

So I will have to disagree with you. ;)

[sometimesilie]

LOL, Sheila! Did she really say that?! WTF, that is a mentality straight out of the middle ages? Uncontainable stupidity is a dangerous thing and should be harshly penalized.

[kevy]

I don't mind Matt Lauer but Meredith, Al, and Ann are schmucks. That Meredith can be as goofy as Katie was in her day. Yeah, the show sucks anymore.

[Sigh]

Man, are you guys all retired? I thought daytime tv broadcasting was created by the Man to get you to go out and get a job.

[jj2]

Daytime TV is why some genius invented Tivo. Now, I can watch "The Daily Show" or the "Late Late Show" while getting dressed in the morning. I was particularly grateful during the whole "Michael's Dead, Michael's Dead, let's all roll around in the dirt" days.

[jj2]

Mind you, those "dirt" days may never end... Tivo rocks.

[Worker]

Bodhisattva, I don't think government should step in to teach children. Also, I realize these statements are based on just one event and, therefore, we really can't make global statements of what should happen. The purpose of these comments is simply to state our opinion of what we're reading about.

In other words, our coments shouldn't be taken quite so seriously. I'm sorry if you were offended, but I do still feel that, based on what I've read, and based on over 15 years training parents and teachers, that this family is in need of help.

You're right, government money shouldn't be spent policing how parents are raising their children.

[Sheila]

SIL: Meredith said exactly that. After that, I read in some magazine or newspaper article (I never read "women's" or gossip rags) that she claimed that at their home somewhere outside of Manhattan that she and her husband liked to sit in their driveway reading the newspapers while they're dressed "in their underwear." The article didn't indicate the proximity of their neighbors, or just how skimpy are their skivvies. I just thought that was an odd thing to be declaiming to the press.

[dorkster]

to catholick priestz: I don't care if it was a joke you have mental issues. Anyways WHAT KIND OF PARENTS ARE THESE PEOPLE!!! and I am with worker on this one every step of the way worker you have a good point about the therapy thing and the goverment thing. they really need to be more careful about what there teaching these children and what the parents are teaching the children. But I will say this kid has an asteemed postion in the mafia someday.

[Jamie]

Well, Im sure the good old american dollar, all expense paid trip to the studio was an infleuence in the parents stupid desiscion to glorify the boys actions in front of all America including other children who just happen to catch this airing. Thanks Merideath!

[petep]

That kid needs a dirt bike!

[thing1]

Gotta pay the bills... pay telephone bills, pay auto mobiles, then maybe we can chill...