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Special Investigation : Monster Pig
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"The Monster Pig Photo's a Fake:" Reader's Comments
Exclusive Interview: With Kerry Dart, New York Farmer and Owner of World's Largest Hog
By: Rhonda Roland Shearer
May 30, 2007 12:00 AM EST
 
"The Monster Pig Photo's a Fake:"  Reader's Comments
 
 

Dart weighs in on monster pig controversy. Says rush to slaughter pig is evidence of fraud. To be uploaded Friday, June 1st.


UNPUBLISHED PHOTO INDICATES
MONSTER HOG DOES NOT SIZE UP


SPECIAL REPORT

Exclusive: Follow the Bacon: Part II
12 year old faces possible Grand Jury charges for animal cruelty.

Hog Washed!: Part I
Stinky Journalism investigation debunks AP and FOX News: “Giant Hog with Small Boy” Photo

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Oh, and I almost forgot: That man is lying. I don't care if he's a Christian or not, Christians lie too. Once again, stop hiding behind Christianity. Christianity doesn't mean that anything you say is the truth and the whole truth. Christians are no better than any other religion and as a Christian myself, I'm telling y'all to get off your high horses!

Comment by Emily | Jul 11, 2007 at 05:58 PM EST

I'm sorry, but this is a fake. The proportions are different in each picture. That's it. Unless the boy is a shape shifter, this is a fake. And who brought up Christianity? Stop using Christianity as some sort of tool to prove that you are correct. We're discussing the existance (or non existance) of a monster pig. I don't know how some people could somehow put monster pigs and Christianity together. They have nothing to do with each other.
Comment by Emily | Jul 11, 2007 at 05:47 PM EST

Yeah, but where in heck did they find that huge bunny?
Comment by JackonFire | Jun 15, 2007 at 11:37 PM EST

I still can't figure out who's the fattest hog! The real story here is that someone is one strip of bacon closer to a heart attack! LOL. What a fat and lazy family will do! God Bless you.
Comment by doesnt matter | Jun 8, 2007 at 04:42 PM EST

this is in response to Karins comment, lost of those right wingers haven't herd about science, as 3 of the republican party nominee's for president stated they did not believe in evaluation at the republican debate two nights ago , your cant blame those one for believing this i real,
Comment by Amalya | Jun 7, 2007 at 03:31 AM EST
Our witty friend Amalya wrote: "this is in response to Karins comment, lost of those right wingers haven't herd about science, as 3 of the republican party nominee's for president stated they did not believe in evaluation at the republican debate two nights ago , your cant blame those one for believing this i real," Oh boy it is a shame that the Republican party nominees don't believe in 'evaluation' as you stated. That somewhat puzzles me...I know I 'evaluate' many things throughout the day. For some reason I am thinking you mean EVOLUTION. Yep, I bet that's it. There is a big difference between the two, maybe you should read up on it sometime. Oh and by the way--I am a right winger who knows all about science but doesn't believe in evaluation (oops I mean EVOLUTION) either. But hey, I can grasp the English language and form sentences. This is what is so frightening: people like you actually VOTING when you don't even know what you are talking about.
Comment by Tami | Jun 8, 2007 at 09:28 PM EST

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! WOW really?! You're bashing on someone for making a grammatical mistake??! I can spot several mistakes in your response, hell I already see I've also made some sort of mistake. Sure he put 'evaluation' vs evolution but he still got his point across, and if you think that what he said or her intelligence is lacking in the least when it comes to one little mistake in grammar, then you are obviously delusional. Sure, you "can grasp the English language and form sentences" but I'd be surprised to find out if you could do much else. I mean honestly, take a look at your message, the bulk of your argument is based off not the context she presented in her words but the accidental type. (And might I add most likely was an auto-correction mistake instead of her own as many Microsoft programs are based off) But not only did you make, what I may consider the must irrelevant argument that I have ever read, you also went onto say how frightful it is for people like her "actually VOTING when you don't even know what you are talking about." when in all fairness its rather clear to me now that it is you who knows not what you speak of! You brought up not one point that related to what she was talking about nor did you provide any evidence to prove that you have the slightest background of science; there is a huge difference from learning your 8th grade science in some right winged republic state that I am more than positive lays on the bible belt that likely had not spoke once even the word evolution. Now let me break this down, as I am sure that was all rather confusing. Here is the premise of your argument: Evolution is not spelled evaluation. then you say how its rather how you are somehow better than Amalya because you can use proper English. then from there said how she shouldn't be voting. Now honestly, do you think that because she put one wrong word that she is not able to vote even though we all understood what she meant? Can you not see you're failure to evaluate (IRONY) what you say? You're weak and pathetic in your simple minded ways, and clearly either OCD or obsessed to the communication arts, which in either case really doesn't have relevance to this forum, just like your message.

Comment by Nate | Oct 27, 2009 at 10:33 PM EST
I still can't figure out which one's the fattest hog! The real story here is that someone needs a diet of alot less bacon!
Comment by doesnt matter | Jun 8, 2007 at 04:40 PM EST

The untruthful dad is the only giant pig that I can see in the picture,bwaha.
Comment by Meg | Jun 6, 2007 at 05:36 PM EST

This is not about a rather obvious and naive PhotoShop job. This is about American child-rearing values. And this is, above all, about integrity. How would the international media howl now had Prince Charles taken his sons to butcher a tame pig.
Comment by The Editrix | Jun 3, 2007 at 03:35 PM EST

I can't believe all of the idiots on here that are saying the photos are fake. The family set up that website to let their relatives see it. They were NOT seeking fame, but the news caught wind of it and started reporting it. Yes the pig was that big. NO the photos are not fake. I am a photographer and I use the computer to doctor up photos. These photos are genuine. And for you at Stinkyjournalism, your articles stink. As you did NOT do your homework.
Comment by Jim | Jun 1, 2007 at 02:59 AM EST
if this is real then why dont the measuerments taken add up? and if they made the website for there relatives to see them then why did the original site have a postivie and negative comments page on it, surely if it was for family to see they would e-mail it to them. if u shot a pig that was that big, of course you would seek fame... and how come then the unpublished picture pig is so small compaired to both of them
Comment by andy | Jul 8, 2007 at 09:21 AM EST
Jim, do you work for Fox News?
Comment by JackonFire | Jun 15, 2007 at 11:40 PM EST
Totally agree with you here. They even had a poster for sale for their relatives, a poster of the monsterpig. I wish my relatives would be as kind and honest as this folks are, some of us are not that lucky that there are good christians in our familys. y
Comment by Yay | Jun 10, 2007 at 12:38 PM EST

Ahahah Kevin... I love it when people such as yourself make arrogant comments which are WRONG. Muscle is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH heavier than fat. Personally I think the kid is a fake - look at him... Could he have chased that thing for 3 hours as claimed? He doesn't even look like he could go 3 hours without eating.
Comment by Vagabond | Jun 1, 2007 at 02:43 AM EST
im only 13 and i kno somebody thats 195 LBS. en they wont even get the controller thats sitting right to them
Comment by kenya | Dec 27, 2007 at 04:15 AM EST

Heres the lattest news to all you Christians and non Christians, It was a hoax! I'm sorry Mr.Stone used his Christianity to maniplate you, but guess what he did! I'm a Christian as well, People need to realize the church is a spirtual hospital for the hurting and we all hurt, THERE IS NO PERFECT CHRISTIAN, you all need to get over your 'perfectness'! this attitude is what keeps non-believers away> Get a life! obviously Mr. Stone needs help! they killed a pet named FRED this was so wrong on so many levels, I hope y'all are not deceived again by someone again just because they claim to be Christian. Get a life. If you dont believe me go to ABCNEWS.COM
Comment by kim | Jun 1, 2007 at 11:22 PM EST

Deception for profit and notoriety. Last time I checked deception was not a good Christian value. I'm not doubting that a hog was killed by the kid. I just believe that they altered the pictures to make it appear larger than it actually was so they would receive more press and attention. You have to respect a father who teaches his son to lie and deceive people. That's really pathetic.
Comment by jason | Jun 1, 2007 at 11:21 PM EST

What I don't understand is why everyone is lauding this boy as a hero. What he did wasn't an accomplishment- he was on a PAID game park...there's no skill required for that. If he had hunted him down and killed him with a knife, maybe I would give him some credit- but using a pistol is a cowardly way to kill another living creature, and it gives humans an outrageously unfair advantage. What people really need to focus on is Number 1 why was this 11 year old boy out shooting (good family values, huh) and Number 2 why did his father allow him to chase down such a huge and obviously dangerous animal (whether the pictures are faked or not.) What a screwed up society we live in.
Comment by Quincy | Jun 1, 2007 at 11:12 PM EST

These people shot a hand-reared pet so gentle that children could feed it by hand. They shot it badly so it took three hours to die. They used forced perspective in the photos to make it look bigger than it is. Then they lied and lied and lied to claim that wasn't true. The picture of the boy and his dad make it SO obvious. Not only do they have different ideas of "manliness" to most of us, they obviously have different ideas of what it means to live according to precepts too.
Comment by Gary | Jun 1, 2007 at 09:49 PM EST

Anyone who is as uneducated about the feeding of a wild hog, the behevior of a wild hog and the hunting of them needs to keep their comments to themselves. I would pay to see you feed a 200lb wild hog by hand. I promise you that you wont be able to tell people that you did it. Either you wont be alive to tell it or you will get to scared and run off when it comes charging at you. Wild hogs are no pet. They are responsible for many deaths of livestock and household pets such as dogs. so you really need to get a education before you speak up.

Comment by brett | Dec 11, 2008 at 11:47 AM EST

Of course these pictures are fake. I used my secret fake picture decoding ring and could easily tell that this was really a little piglet that was blown up with helium to make it look really big, then they used a trick zoom lens and then took it down to Kinkos and had them enlarge the pig and then shrink the boy behind it, then the trees, the sky, the individual grains of dirt and using scientific formula boy/(pig hair/x2+freakishlytinyarm )x2 =(grainofdirt+dirt3)/x2 = pig/(x1+x2+d) clearly proves the pictures were faked and anyone who doubts otherwise is obviously deserving of immediate execution along the boy, his entire family and the inventor of PhotoShop.
Comment by Get a Life Lady | Jun 1, 2007 at 09:35 PM EST

It brings me much sadness reading these responses. We truly are a stupid country and headed for the bottom of the heap. The lack of proper grammar alone is sickening. Sure, it's just an opinion board, but I think it really exposes who we are in this country. We are indeed becoming the 'hicks' of the world. Maybe I will feel better if I hit myself over the head, beat my wife, drive a pickup, live on welfare, and believe in a mythical being that rules us all. It is stories like this one that shows us all how the divided will fall. Cheers to the author for your work on uncovering this hoax.
Comment by Eric | Jun 1, 2007 at 08:34 PM EST

There is no doubt that the photo with the boy looking as though he is kneeling alongside the tree is different in perspective from the one in which he is between the hog and the tree. If you measure the length of the snout of the hog and compare it to the width of the boy’s face for each image then when he is alongside the tree the ratio is 2:1. But in the other image it is almost 1:1. So in the first image the boy is placed further back from the hog than in the second image. The photos have not been doctored, but in one the boy has been posed to deceive the viewer. Mike
Comment by Mike | Jun 1, 2007 at 08:25 PM EST

I have seen them that big, it is real! congrat to the kid. Too bad it turned out to be a pet.
Comment by paula | Jun 1, 2007 at 07:53 PM EST

I still believe in innocent until proven guilty. I'm not saying it's real and I'm not saying it isn't real, but you folks who swear it's a fake...where's your proof. I will tend to give the boy the benefit of the doubt here, until proven otherwise.
Comment by traci | Jun 1, 2007 at 07:47 PM EST

By BRAN STRICKLAND The Anniston Star FRUITHURST, Ala. (AP) -- Before he became known as "Monster Pig," the 1,051-pound hog shot in Delta was known by another name. Fred. Rhonda and Phil Blissitt told The Star on Thursday evening that, on April 29, four days before the hog was killed, Fred was one of many livestock on their farm. Late Thursday evening, their claims were confirmed by Andy Howell, Game Warden for the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. "I didn't want to stir up anything," Rhonda Blissitt said. "I just wanted the truth to be told. That wasn't a wild pig." Added Phil Blissitt: "If it went down in the record book, it would be deceiving, and we'd know that for the rest of our lives." The monster hog gained worldwide acclaim after he was harvested by 11-year-old Jamison Stone, a Pickensville native, with a .50-caliber pistol on May 3 at the Lost Creek Plantation, LLC, a hunting preserve in Delta. The big boar was hunted inside a large, low-fence enclosure and fired upon 16 times by Stone, who struck the animal nearly a half-dozen times during the three-hour hunt. The Blissitts said they were unaware that the hog generating all the media attention was once theirs. It wasn't until Howell spoke with Phil Blissitt that the pieces of the puzzle came together. Phil Blissitt recalled Howell asking him about the now-famous hog. "Did you see that pig on TV?" Phil Blissitt recalled Howell asking him. "I said, 'Yeah, I had one about that size.' He said, 'No, that one is yours.' "That's when I knew." Phil Blissitt purchased the pig for his wife as a Christmas gift in December of 2004. From 6 weeks old, they raised the pig as it grew to its enormous size. Not long ago, they decided to sell off all of their pigs. Eddy Borden, owner of Lost Creek Plantation, purchased Fred. Attempts by The Star to reach Borden were unsuccessful. While Rhonda Blissitt was somewhat in the dark about the potential demise of her pet, Phil Blissitt said he was under the understanding that it would breed with other female pigs and then "probably be hunted." Many other of their former pigs -- like their other farm animals -- had been raised for the purpose of agricultural harvest. As the Blissitts recounted the events of the last two days, they told stories and made many references to the gentleness of their former "pet." From his treats of canned sweet potatoes to how their grandchildren would play with him, their stories painted the picture of a gentle giant. They even talked about how their small Chihuahua would get in the pen with him and come out unscathed. "But if they hadn't fed him in a while," Rhonda Blissitt said, "he could have gotten irate." Phil Blissitt said he became irritated when they learned about all the doubters who said photos of Fred were doctored. "That was a big hog," he said. The information of the pig's previous owner came out on the same day that officials from the Fish and Wildlife concluded their investigation of the hunt. They concluded that nothing illegal happened under the guidelines of Alabama law. Allan Andress, enforcement chief for the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, said they learned the hog's origin as the investigation unfolded. "We were able to determine that he came from a domesticated environment," he said. "So, he was not feral to start with. Therefore, he would not violate our feral swine trapping and relocating rule." Mike Stone, Jamison's father, contends that he was unaware of the origin of the pig. Before, during and after the hunt -- and until late Thursday night, when contacted by The Star -- Mike Stone was under the impression that the hog was feral. "We were told that it was a feral hog," Mike Stone said, "and we hunted it on the pretense that it was a feral hog."
Comment by | Jun 1, 2007 at 06:52 PM EST

I am an avid outdoorsmen. I personally can say I have seen ferrell hogs close to 600lbs before. When they weigh that much they are usually 5-6ft in length. Most all fans of fishing have seen Jimmy Houston on Saturday morning catching fish. He takes that 15in fish shoves it up to the camera and says "That's a nice 3 pounder." When I catch a large fish I hold my arms out as far from body as I can get them and get that fish as close to the camera as possible. It makes 'em look huge. This kid and his father were doing the same thing here. I don't know if the hog weighed 1050lbs all we can do is speculate until we all see either a mount(even those with the right taxidermist can be embelished a bit). Point is, all we have is his word and the word of the people in the pictures. If they are getting some monetary gain from this and it is false then shame on them. Otherwise, I still believe in this country your innocent until proven guilty. Leave the kid alone until proven otherwise. To say the photo's are fake just isn't true, embelished might be a more accurate statement.
Comment by Soonerken | Jun 1, 2007 at 05:42 PM EST
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