Stupidity abounds

Little Preston Scarbrough took his family’s car and led police on a high-speed chase last Sunday because he didn’t want to go to church. Preston’s little prank, which could have killed him or others, “drove” mom and dad to sentence their up-and-coming Indy driver to four days in his room, sans television or video games.

Then Mom and Dad Scarbrough screwed up. They accepted an invitation to appear on NBC’s “Today” show.

The family showed up, adorable little Preston in tow. I am not at all convinced Preston understood the gravity of his little joyride. I am, however, positive he reveled in every second of his stardom, especially the front-row “seat” he was given for the show’s weekly concert in Rockefeller Plaza.

The camera loved Preston and its love was not unrequited. Preston’s family loved the camera loving Preston. I assume Preston loved the airplane trip from Utah and his whirlwind tour of New York, too. That’ll teach him, huh? Imagine what this clever lad will come up with when he has a book report he doesn’t feel like writing--or how he’ll get out of visiting crotchety old grandma in the stinky nursing home.

I know most families would love to be on the “Today” show, even though mine would rather guzzle strychnine. But shame on the Scarbroughs for using Preston’s potentially deadly prank as currency for buying 15 minutes of fame.

And shame on the “Today” show staffers who invited them.