Whether or not this whole thing turns out to be a hoax, enough doubt and suspicion has been raised about the whole thing that I think we're missing the most significant aspect of the event: The next time a little boy gets trapped in an experimental helium balloon his storm-chaser father is building in the backyard, I bet state and local authorities are going to be much less quick to initiate rescue proceedings. And that's the biggest tragedy of all.

Awl stalwart Mathnet is more or less liveblogging the Balloon Boy Family's appearance on "Larry King Live." Much like the story itself, it is both disturbing and unmissable.