Brazilian Balloon Priest Still Missing

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RACHEL MARTIN, host:

So today we've armed you with the information you need to know. We've told you about ANZAC day, we've told you about an important DNA bill ahead of Congress. We've told you about an important case here related to the police in New York City. And now we're going to give a little news and information. Maybe you can use it, maybe you can't, but I bet you're going to think it's fun. We call it The Ramble.

MIKE PESCA, host:

That is our intention.

MARTIN: That's our intention. We hope it bears true. So the search for a Brazilian priest harnessed to hundreds of helium balloons is winding down. The reverend Adelir Antonio de Carli set out last Sunday in a special contraption attached to about a thousand pink, white, green and red helium balloons, quite a spectacle. He also had a parachute on board. The Roman Catholic priest seemed pretty well-prepared for his plan to fly along the coast of Brazil. He planned to use this as a stunt, really, to raise funds for this spiritual center for truck drivers. That's a whole different story, it sounds like. But shortly after take off, the priest was forced off course by strong winds that carried him out into sea. I know, not good. Rescuers were holding out hope because Father de Carli was seemingly, you know, prepared for this trip. I guess as prepared as you can be to float along the coast with helium balloons. He was dressed an aluminum thermal flight suit, he was carrying a lot of food and water, he had a parachute, GPS, sat phone.

According to reports about an hour after takeoff he called his contacts on the ground and he reported that he had been blown out over across the ocean. Searchers sent out to find him right away but they never located him. Wednesday, rescuers continued to search near this cluster of balloons that they found in the water, not good. But on Thursday the Brazilian air force announced it is not scaling back its search. So, that's a sad story.

PESCA: Yes it does seem like a sad story in Brazil. A while back we told you about some controversy on the long-running soap opera "As the World Turns." There is a gay couple on the show, Noah and Luke, and they kissed on screen a couple times last year when they first got together and that was believed to be the first time a gay couple kissed on a daytime soap. For those of you scoring along at home.

But after that without explanation, even though they remained a couple and every other couple on the show was all over each other, the public displays of affection between Luke and Noah stopped. And some of the fans of the show started protesting, alleging that producers were worried about offending viewers. Well, after months of waiting those fans got their wish this week.

(Soundbite of TV soap "As the World Turns")

(Soundbite of kissing)

MARTIN: Hot and heavy.

PESCA: Smoocharooski.

MARTIN: Smoocharoo.

PESCA: One of the leaders of that fan protest, I'm not going to judge how much time Roger Newcomb has on his hands, but lets just say that he runs the "As The World Turns" Web site- weloveatwtw.com. He joined us back when the protest was getting off the ground. Everyone needs a cause, this was Roger's. We called him yesterday to see what fans thought of the first kiss in months.

Mr. ROGER HOWARTH (Actor, "As the World Turns"): Fans were overjoyed. It was like totally unexpected. Very rare these days with spoilers and previews are fans surprised. I mean everyone was totally surprised and excited, and you know, really happy because it felt like, you know, our fan campaign and being vocal about our feelings about the kissing ban have really paid off, and they were listening to us.

PESCA: So the first kiss since the protest was Wednesday, but was it a one time thing?

Mr. HOWARTH: Thursday's show. They were pretty affectionate with each other. Luke kissed Noah again. Sort of a half lip, half cheek kiss, but it definitely seems like something has changed, like somebody has finally decided we are going to treat them like every other couple, just like we originally said.

PESCA: But trouble is a brewing. Don Wildman's America Family Association has issued an action alert to its members. They say Proctor and Gamble, the show's producer, is promoting the homosexual agenda. Their Web site has a link to the kiss with the note quote, "warning, content is repulsive." So what about Luke and Noah? Well their relationship has a new wrinkle. Ye, the Reverend Donald Wildman has intervened. No, they do not know about that. Noah married an Iraqi woman, so she could get her Green Card. It was a marriage of convenience. She knows he is gay, and he is with Luke. I am sorry if I am boring you if you are a huge fan, but over time, she has developed feelings for Noah, even though Noah isn't interested.

MARTIN: That is amazingly complex.

PESCA: Yeah! Luke is moving in with Noah and the woman. It is a scandal. I guess we will have to stay tuned.

MARTIN: OK, guess what?

PESCA: What?

MARTIN: Tom Cruise is coming back to Oprah.

PESCA: Uh-huh.

MARTIN: Nail down your coaches. You might remember Cruise made a big splashy headline about three years on when he was - he was on Oprah. He jumped up and down, and was so excited about Katie Holmes, and a lot of jokes came out of that situation. Well.

PESCA: Easy jokes, satisfying jokes.

MARTIN: More fodder on the horizon. He is coming back to Oprah. Oprah is doing a two-part series, commemorating his career. It has been 25 years since he made "Risky Business", and I think they are good friends, so she is going to do this little two-part series.

PESCA: Yeah, I bet. My prediction is there will be some sort of coach gag on the show. Some sort of upholsterer comment or something. They will acknowledge it. And speaking of furniture, musical chairs, and late night TV, NBC is expected to announce that Jimmy Fallon will take over from Conan O'Brien as the host of "Late Night". NBC could not confirm reports. But Conan O'Brien is leaving "Late Night" next year to fill Jay Leno's chair on the "Tonight Show". Fallon once part of the team on "Saturday Night Live". He has been a network favorite to replace O'Brien on the show. The AP reports that the head of "Late Night", Rick Ludwin says Fallon is quote, "at the top of our list", and that is your ramble. These stories and more on our Web site, npr.org/bryantpark.

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