Hal Boedeker's Column of Sunday Sept 6th

"Inside the Anthony Household" -- it's like an episode of "The Twilight Zone."

The audio interviews released Friday provide a crucial look at Casey Anthony
and her family. Those interviews confirm that the Anthonys are one
strange clan -- what many observers have suspected for a long time.

In the interviews, bounty hunter Leonard Padilla and associate Tracy McLaughlin talked with investigators. Both Padilla and McLaughin sound baffled by their dealings with the Anthonys in summer 2008.

Television played snippets to dramatic and enlightening effect. WFTV-Channel 9's Jeff Deal said that Padilla described a family of built-up tensions and highlighted an argument between Anthony and her father, George.

"I saw more tears shed among my people that were there than her family," Padilla told investigators.

Casey Anthony is charged with the first-degree murder of her child, Caylee. The toddler's remains were found late last year.










WESH-Channel 2's Amanda Ober said
McLaughlin painted "a somewhat bizarre picture of Casey" after spending
a week with her a year ago. Anthony bristled when any conversation
turned to Caylee, who was missing at the time. Casey wanted to be the
center of attention.

"It was competition. She wanted the limelight," McLaughlin told
investigators. "It was sad. You couldn't talk about anything else."

WESH also highlighted the argument between Casey and George. Tired of lies, George said he wanted the truth.

"Don't treat me like a scumbag cop," Casey replied. "Act like you're my father."

In that argument, George knew his daughter was lying, WKMG-Channel 6's Tony Pipitone said. Casey acted "like a little prima donna" in the argument, McLaughlin told the investigators.

In another strange tidbit, WESH's Ober noted that Casey wore eye
makeup to flirt with one of Padilla's male employees. In what Anthony
called "the sunglass game," she would lower her sunglasses and flirt
via the rear-view mirror.

All very "Twilight Zone."