Abby Sunderland's Dad Was Exploiting Her to Get a Reality Show: He's Balloon Dad Two!

Abby Sunderland's father, Laurence Sunderland, has signed a contract to do a reality show called Adventures in Sunderland, about his family of "daredevil" kids, he revealed to the New York Post.

He also admitted that he's broke, has seven kids, another on the way and that "the show might be about family, it might be about Abigail's trip. It's something that was shopped around," he said.

Now, are you shocked? Angry? Was 16-year-old Abby sent off on a dangerous global sailing voyage at the most dangerous stormiest time of the year in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans -- as I've previously reported -- just so her dad could score a TV show?

Abby ran into serious danger in a remote part of the Indian Ocean after days of stormy weather. Her mast broke, she lost satellite communications, and she was alone adrift.

Fortunately, after a frantic international rescue effort, Abby was located by an Australian plane on Friday and finally picked up by a French sailing vessel, Ile de la Reunion, late Saturday.

So the question now is -- did she truly decide on her own to pursue her passionate dream of breaking the world record for youngest non-stop global sailing trip or was she influenced to undertake a highly dangerous exploit as a stunt to get her dad a TV show deal?

Is she really just an older version of Ballon Boy, 6-year-old Falcon Heene?

Is 16 actually mature enough to not be influenced by a fame-craving parent? In fact her father told the NY Post, "we thought it might be a good idea if it was encouraging kids to get out and do things."

 

Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller

Comments

[haimchaim]

10:48 AM on 06/16/2010

Abby is a force to reckon with ..someone is taking about her in a good way ..Bonnie don't go there .. she is in my little world ..a hero ..not looking for any glory from family or friends.

[Jeff Hendren]

03:22 PM on 06/16/2010

She was fortunate, not heroic.

[haimchaim]

12:38 PM on 06/18/2010

what are u talking about are u serious ..fortunate & a hero in my book ..OK

[tm22]

03:54 PM on 06/15/2010

What is with this dangerous breed of parents? Why are these people allowed to keep a child under their roof? Who is responsible for creating this mental disorder that allows this predatory ideology to use their off-spring like 15th Century beggars who used to cut off their child's hands for sympathy/money?

[mrjames1]

12:02 AM on 06/16/2010

the kid's PR machine needs to spread around the good comments a bit to other sites, because the major networks all seem to be bla/sting her and her family. wow, they are not holding back

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/abby-sunderland-parents-cash-kids-fame/comments?type=story&id=10912811

sure HP is a top ten ten site, but good PR knows how to cover all bases. get on it people, the kid needs rescued again, this time from fed up Americans. wow. double wow. you are welcome for the advice, i think it will help. peace.

[oafishcad]

03:26 PM on 06/15/2010

Why the sexist assumption it's all the dads? Where's mom? Doesn't a mother also have to sign a contract about their kids? Men are responsible, women are tools and victims? Really?

[Cicera]

02:58 PM on 06/15/2010

Thanks, Bonnie Fuller, for exposing the background of this publicity stunt. Too often, the "news" we read/hear is blind reporting of a cunningly plotted bid for publicity. Reports of the lawsuit by the fired "too beautiful" bank teller is another recent example. Newsbiz, in general, is more interested in fanning sensationalism than in actually working to dig up real news.

[flamenco]

02:47 PM on 06/15/2010

Funny, when I first heard about her exploits, my first thought was that she was trolling for a reality show. It's all about the money.

[bruinlover09]

05:25 PM on 06/15/2010

I was thinking the same thing.

[UTUEintuitive]

01:44 PM on 06/15/2010

As an Intuitive I see that Abby was motivated by a competitive desire create a record. This is an example of too much competition in our world today. It is hard to blame Abby or her parents because we make heroes out of people who against all odds achieve some type record or distinction. I think the biggest misconception around competition is that it brings out our best performance. Not True! Traditional competition takes us to a place of destruction and limitation. Look at Abby she almost died from too much competition!

[thebirdstheword]

02:23 PM on 06/15/2010

it is quite easy to blame her parents.

[ladylove114]

03:45 PM on 06/15/2010

Yes, it is real easy when they ARE to blame. Very easy.

[bruinlover09]

05:27 PM on 06/15/2010

Because they are legal responsible to her until she reaches 18 or becomes legally emancipated

[Leota2]

02:58 PM on 06/15/2010

Not only is it easy to blame her parents--I'd say they were criminal. I remember the old stage parents. The danger they put their children in may have been emotional pressure--but now I figure this new breed has encompassed the emotional and ran butt naked through the dangerous. This isn't competition, this is pure exploitation and needs to stop.

[KingFool]

01:37 PM on 06/15/2010

At least she didn't end up pushing a button ever 118 minutes in an underground hatch.

[Charles Jackson]

01:27 PM on 06/15/2010

The words of Jesus are "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and care for your neighbor as you care for yourself." Somehow these words are twisted 180 degrees into the opposite direction - into the killing and maiming of innocents in the streets of the Midde East and the proliferation of nukes among nations around the world who either hate God or don't believe in apocalyptic consequences. This is not what God had intended when he created us from the beginning. God's words and miracles would save of us if we listened to Him, yet we choose to pay attention to the world instead, which as the song says, "Every man wants to rule the world".
Mankind proceeds to do exactly this - he threatens his fellow man with whatever means he has at his disposal.

A few years ago, I too was an atheist but experienced a hell shattering after-life experience as described in my book "Transformed Forever by Hell".

- Charles Jackson, PHd, Computer Science

[russ1169]

12:42 PM on 06/15/2010

I am glad that this young lady was rescued but I also feel sorry for Jessica Watson who, only last month became the youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. Abby Sunderland failed in her attempt but she gets the book and tv offers. Seems like success should be rewarded....not failure.

[intelliwoman]

11:41 AM on 06/15/2010

And they want Australian taxpayers to pay for their irresponsibility.

[nlightenup]

10:48 AM on 06/15/2010

Ah, yellow journalism strikes again! Ms. Fuller should do a little fact-checking. Two hours and five minutes after this post, HuffPo puts this AP story online:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/14/sunderlands-parents-had-r_n_611324.html

AP apparently needed only another couple of hours to get the story straight. Some people just can't wait to go all sensationalist when given the opportunity.

[rosiebond007]

12:33 PM on 06/15/2010

Book, reality show - what difference ? They are seeking attention and publicity! Sick

8 kids and another on the way - family broke - Dad can't keep his pants on - attention seeking fools.

[ReaderTeacherCitizen]

02:36 AM on 06/16/2010

The parents are claiming they cut ties with the reality production company because the company was hoping Abby would die. Joy Behar interviewed someone involved with the proposed reality show who called the father a liar--and that was the nicest thing he said.

Of course the parents are spinning their involvement with the reality show because it makes them look like the exploitive parents that they are. The books, the sponsorship, the website selling stuff, the brother's new adventure stunt--the dad was selling his "adventurous" kids who do things other kids do don't. Because their parents haven't lost their minds.

[fumes]

10:14 AM on 06/15/2010

you can't fake..

sailing over half-way around the world..

and then surviving a storm that broke your boat!

[cungar]

10:39 AM on 06/15/2010

But your parents can sure try to exploit you for financial gain

[ReaderTeacherCitizen]

02:38 AM on 06/16/2010

Yes, she is a brave kid and clearly a good sailor. But she was no match for the Indian Ocean in winter. She's also very, very lucky that she wasn't killed and no one was killed trying to rescue her.

[pene]

10:02 AM on 06/15/2010

he should have put a hat on it long ago and got a job. if he's broke and exploiting the children for money, he's no moral example. and 8th kid on the way? this family is a disaster.
of course, american's will watch this while they are systematically stripped of their rights so it won't matter. Didn't arnie do a movie about entertainment as the opiate of the people?

[jalowe1957]

09:21 AM on 06/15/2010

Has the MSM lost its bullsh@t detector by covering trivial stories like this?

[Chubbster]

09:19 AM on 06/15/2010

Love the garbage stories.... Abby's brother already circumnavigated at age 17. This has next to nothing to do with being on TV except for the pinheads who live and work in concrete towers who sniff and fabricate a balloon-boy meme.

[eeasyrider]

01:07 PM on 06/15/2010

One woman quoted Thoreau when discussing her three daughters. Worked for me too. "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."