Steven Slater's Story Continuing to Unravel?

(CBS)  JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater became something of a modern folk hero this week when he cussed out an unruly passenger, grabbed some beer, cursed and shouted on the plane's loudspeakers, then exited the aircraft by deploying its escape slide -- and using it.

But while his "take this job and shove it!" gesture gave him working class hero status among many, he now says he wants his job back - and his story is apparently springing leaks.

Slater does seem to be enjoying the attention, says CBS News Correspondent Ben Tracy. Slater told reporters Thursday, "It's been amazing, the support and the love and everything that's has been brought to me and given to me by my community and my friends, and my industry at large."

Pictures: Steven Slater

His lawyer, Howard Turman, says Slater's meltdown Monday began when he got his head nicked as two passengers tried to shove their bags into the overhead before takeoff. "With great difficulty," Turman says, "they were shoving the bags around, attempting to get it in. Stephen came over to assist, and either the bag or the overhang hit him in the head."

But, The Wall Street Journal reports, Port Authority police are beginning to doubt how true that is. The Journal quotes them as saying none of the passengers told investigators they witnessed Slater being injured. "I think this is moving toward a working theory of, 'It never happened,' the Journal quotes one Port Authority officer as saying. "There are some people who have said he came on board the aircraft with injuries," the officer continued.

And police who took Slater into custody told the Journal that, at the time of his arrest, "His eyes were bloodshot, he smelled of alcohol and he was unsteady on his feet."

Howard Deneroff, an executive producer for CBS/Westwood One Radio, told "Early Show" co-anchor Erica Hill Friday Slater's demeanor was different from that of the other flight attendants from the start of the flight - he seemed stern - then Slater was gruff during an encounter with a passenger.

Deneroff described a run-in he had with Slater over the position of his seat as the plane landed. Deneroff says Slater wound up slapping the back of the seat, then walking off "in a huff." (You can see the entire interview at the bottom of this story)

Other passengers are coming forward, saying Slater's story doesn't hold up.

Lauren Wood told CBS News Slater he was more zero than hero. "He was very rude to everyone throughout the entire flight," Wood says. "I feel like, yeah, we all have our moments where we're pushed to the limit, but there's a line that he crossed. I don't think this man should be called a hero at all."

Asked by reporters to respond, Turman said only, "I can't answer for the intent of the minds of those people you spoke to."

While Slater may have tapped into some people's frustrations with their jobs in a time of seemingly endless cutbacks, Tracy notes, some say it's really a cautionary tale. "This guy reminds me of if Mel Gibson were the one monitoring your flight," observed Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture. "Who knows -- what if the next time this guy goes off and loses his cool, he decides to open the emergency exit when the plane's still up in the air?"

JetBlue has suspended Slater, who has some criminal charges pending as a result of the incident, and there's no word on whether the carrier will allow him to return to work.

The Deneroff interview:

[icanseeyou]

The more details that come in about this story and the former flight attendant the more I feel that everyone who was on that plane is lucky this guy didn't deploy that emergency hatch 30,000 feet up in the air.

[queenofclubs]

Slater wrote a check his butt couldn't cash, plain and simple. Now that reality is setting in, and he realizes he has rent and bills due, now he wants "his" job back. Well, he should've thought of that before indulging in his over-the-top behavior. If I were a Jet Blue executive, I wouldn't hire him back. Slater has proven that not only is he unprofessional, he is possibly mentally unstable to boot

[fedup12]

I foresee him on the next Survivor reality show. Walking around naked grossing everyone out.

[piercetheval]

simply...the guy's a Drama Queen...

[begnaud3]

If nothing hit slater on the head , then explain the mark and the bump that was on his head the next day . Why did'nt they arrest the woman who caused slater that cut and bump on the haed , thats called assalt , its a crime . Whats next assalting pilots too ? How much can passengers get away with ? It sure looks like Jet Blue will let a passenger do anything to their crew menbers if they buy a ticket !!!!!!

[1Marxist]

"...gave him working class hero status among many..."

Captain C.B. 'Sully' Sullenberger and crew are heros.

This guy...not even close.

[fedup12]

AMEN!!!

[nomossonmyrocks]

Should have taken his fifteen minutes and faded into the sunset.

[Mike-Torrance]

Steve Slater, Does not deserve another chance at his old job back at Jet Blue, he made his point very clear when he got of the plane in the fashion that he did. Jet Blue is very lucky that this did not happen enroute or in the air. remember he made his intentsions very clear over the intercom. This has too be very embrassing for you and you customers

[vonmissy]

when Slater made the move to react the way he did that pretty much would mean that he was quitting his job and did not care to work as a flight attendant again. to want his job back? ***? I seriously would not even attempt this one. and I have quit MANY a jobs in my lifetime. no way I would return to the scene of the crime so to speak.

[gingerlulu]

I fly on business, only when I have no other choice. I have not noticed rude flight attendants, but I have noticed many rude passengers. Passengers with luggage too big to put into overhead bins always shove and stuff their luggage in and do not care if someone else has room for their briefcase. I think the luggage size rule should be enforced by the airlines. Personally, I always check my baggage, everytime, and I have to wait up to 25 minutes to deplane because of selfish, rude passengers holding up the exiting of the planes because of their oversized luggage. Rant over!

[skyhawaii]

You clearly don't fly often. I a million miler on two airlines and there are tons of rude flight attendants. I also get irritated at people who bring overstuffed luggage but the airlines bring it on themselves and all of us. This guy had no right to do what he did, regardless of the provacation. Calling him a hero is disgusting.

[Positively]

I have to agree. Just last week, a passenger from the back of the plane walked back towards the front of the plane, stopped me from placing my laptop in a compartment that was over my seat and started shoving his oversized luggage in where I had tried to place my laptop. Everyone around just rolled their eyes and could not believe his rude behavior. As it would be, he was unable to occupy the compartment and I put my laptop in. I fly at least once a month including once a year to Europe and really don't recall any airline crew members rude to me. Of course, I am sure that it happens, but the culprit here is allowing these bags that are obviously too big on board.