FARK.com: (7478175) Australian radio station cancels radio show responsible for the Kate Middleton pregnancy prank

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		Australian radio station cancels radio show responsible for the Kate Middleton pregnancy prank (tmz.com)		161
		More: Followup

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4792 clicks; posted to Main » on 10 Dec 2012 at 10:25 AM | Favorite | share:

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DontMakeMeComeBackThere		2012-12-10 10:28:41 AM

I hope the station owners don't hurt themselves, what with the jerking knees and all.

special20		2012-12-10 10:28:47 AM

Sad dingo, is sad.

JustinCase		2012-12-10 10:28:58 AM

The nurse that took the phone call killed herself, right?

van1ty		2012-12-10 10:28:58 AM

There are innocent prank calls, and there are 'dick' prank calls.

If you make an innocent prank call and someone kills themselves over it, that's not on your conscience. That's what happened here.

abhorrent1		2012-12-10 10:29:26 AM

It's sad and all but who the fark kills them self over something stupid like this? There had to be more going on with that woman and this just pushed her over the edge.

SockMonkeyHolocaust		2012-12-10 10:29:37 AM

I hope they get Jeff Bridges to play the DJ in the movie version of this.

ExcaliburPrime111		2012-12-10 10:29:55 AM

I suppose that from a PR standpoint, this was inevitable, and the loss of human life for any reason is always tragic.

BUT,

Nothing these two goof balls did warranted that poor nurse to take her own life. There were almost certainly other factors that led to her death, perhaps pre-existing emotional, mental, and physical problems. We will know more about the precise causes of her death when the inquest is complete. At any rate, a harmless prank with no real malice has turned into an awful situation, but I don't really believe the radio show presenters did anything particularly contemptible.

FriarReb98		2012-12-10 10:30:21 AM

Serious question that probably got asked in another thread while I was away from Fark for the past few days: How much legal pull does the UK *practically* have in Commonwealth countries? I know they were saying UK officials wanted to talk to them at some point.....

LowbrowDeluxe		2012-12-10 10:31:51 AM

The nurse killing herself wasn't a reason to cancel the show. Misrepresenting themselves in order to acquire private medical information, however, yeah. Cya.

Jeremysbrain		2012-12-10 10:31:55 AM

I just don't get how this is the DJ's fault. She was so embarresed by a innocent prank call that she had to kill herself? There had to be something else going on with this woman for her to kill herself.

Biness		2012-12-10 10:32:08 AM

this seemed pretty inevitable. fair or not, this was just going to happen.

SockMonkeyHolocaust		2012-12-10 10:32:42 AM

OUCH that's gotta hurt. Now to Bob THE SHARK Davis in the Accuweather SHARK TRAFFIC COPTER.

detroitdoesntsuckthatbad		2012-12-10 10:32:43 AM

Prank? Pranks are funny.

TWX		2012-12-10 10:32:46 AM

FriarReb98: Serious question that probably got asked in another thread while I was away from Fark for the past few days: How much legal pull does the UK *practically* have in Commonwealth countries? I know they were saying UK officials wanted to talk to them at some point.....

With the Queen and the Royal Family having official standing as head of state, probably more than one would otherwise expect.

oldfarthenry		2012-12-10 10:32:49 AM

One doesn't fornicate around with the royals if one knows what's good for one's arse!

Louisiana_Sitar_Club		2012-12-10 10:33:02 AM

abhorrent1: It's sad and all but who the fark kills them self over something stupid like this? There had to be more going on with that woman and this just pushed her over the edge.

Or, equally likely, she killed herself for some reason entirely unrelated to the prank and it just happen to occur right around the time she was going to off herself anyway. As it's been stated many times by many folks, a stable person isn't going to pull their own plug over a prank.

abhorrent1		2012-12-10 10:33:30 AM

ExcaliburPrime111: I don't really believe the radio show presenters did anything particularly contemptible.

I find it contemptible only in that prank call are juvenile and stupid. Jonathon Brandmeier still does this shiat. Prank calling random hotel front desks and stuff. Are you farking 12?

brimed03		2012-12-10 10:34:03 AM

I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

TommyDeuce		2012-12-10 10:34:49 AM

abhorrent1: It's sad and all but who the fark kills them self over something stupid like this? There had to be more going on with that woman and this just pushed her over the edge.

True, however even though they meant no real harm, it's become a PR disaster for the station. Not sure it's a career ender for them, but they may want to rebrand with new air names. I'd go with " Queeny" and "Killer".

SockMonkeyHolocaust		2012-12-10 10:35:32 AM

That's terrible. Really terrible. Now can you tell us about your first lesbian experience? RIGHT after the break to hear some words from HONDA HARRY'S HOUSE OF USED HONDAS.

furterfan		2012-12-10 10:35:33 AM

JustinCase: The nurse that took the phone call killed herself, right?

No

the reception nurse that took the prank phone call, and passed it onto a nurse, *may have committed suicide*

As I hear it, the nurse who died probably spent 10 seconds on the call and did not give away any info, she simply passed the call on to the ward nurse

Biness		2012-12-10 10:35:39 AM

this was just a really stupid prank, and they should have pulled the ripcord when they realized they were going to actually get private medical data on the future Queen. They needed to realize they were crossing a line.

ghall3		2012-12-10 10:35:42 AM

Jeremysbrain: I just don't get how this is the DJ's fault. She was so embarresed by a innocent prank call that she had to kill herself? There had to be something else going on with this woman for her to kill herself.

I wouldn't necessarily call a prank designed to humiliate the targets as 'innocent'.

/Still don't think she off-ed herself purely because of it though

dudemanbro		2012-12-10 10:39:33 AM

Maybe it just LOOKED like a suicide.

SockMonkeyHolocaust		2012-12-10 10:40:01 AM

2-3-59: the day the music died. 9-11: the day our innocence died. 12-10-11: Crazy Steve and the King of Hotwings ask themselves if fart jokes are enough to keep Drive Time Zoo alive.

DROxINxTHExWIND		2012-12-10 10:40:38 AM

brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

THIS.

You know, one thing that always bothered me about the show "Scare Tactics" was that a lot of the prank victims were told they were getting a job. Sure, scare me with a fake monster but don't tell me that I've got a gig paying $$ per hour. I'm sure the victims have two immediate thoughts:

"Whew! Sweet Jesus I'm glad that maniac is really an actor with a plastic machete" followed by, "Fark me, I'm still unemployed."

special20		2012-12-10 10:40:44 AM

dudemanbro: Maybe it just LOOKED like a suicide.

I had to wonder, but I don't know what motive anyone else would have - other than to cause a big fat stink about the prank.

JohnCarter		2012-12-10 10:42:09 AM

These two boys better mind their manners

encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com

maddermaxx		2012-12-10 10:42:24 AM

LowbrowDeluxe: The nurse killing herself wasn't a reason to cancel the show. Misrepresenting themselves in order to acquire private medical information, however, yeah. Cya.

Bingo. Prank calling a hospital, pretending to be a relative and getting a nurse to reveal private info on a patient is a dick move.

Plus, it may well have broken some phone laws, as they did not inform the nurses they were being recorded, which is what's being investigated. Very few people are soley blaming the hosts for the suicide, there are always other factors involved with that sort of thing, but the whole thing was still a dick move by the show (producers/managers as well as the hosts), and they shouldn't have played it.

Sentient		2012-12-10 10:44:16 AM

brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

Yep, and likely lose any credentialing she'd received for breaking client confidentiality. She may have gotten some leniency, but given the target, I suspect the royal family would have more likely made an example out of her. She wouldn't have worked in health care again.

Add to that the fact that she probably spent all day telling everyone that she's personally spoken to royalty. Way up high one day, career-ending tragedy the next.

She must have already been depressed, but I can see how that would send someone over the edge.

smitton		2012-12-10 10:44:18 AM

Being in "The Biz" for over 30 years now I can assure you that each and every radio personality that read of the prank phone call was saying to himself, "damn, I wish I'd thought of that first!"

Stone Meadow		2012-12-10 10:44:41 AM

brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

I dunno...anyone dumb enough to fall for an Austrian male impersonating Queen Elizabeth might just be too dumb to hold down a job that sensitive.

Prank Call of Cthulhu		2012-12-10 10:45:57 AM

I'm still holding out hope that the DJs involved will commit suicide, after which it will be revealed that...
THE NURSE ISN'T DEAD--IT WAS JUST A PRANK!

25.media.tumblr.com

oldfarthenry		2012-12-10 10:46:04 AM

I imagine there are laws against impersonating a royal.
We can't have fraudulent commoners cutting ribbons on bridges or busting champagne bottles on ship bows!

gabethegoat		2012-12-10 10:46:38 AM

special20: Sad dingo, is sad.

images2.wikia.nocookie.net

Biness		2012-12-10 10:47:18 AM

Stone Meadow: brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

I dunno...anyone dumb enough to fall for an Austrian male impersonating Queen Elizabeth might just be too dumb to hold down a job that sensitive.

throw another shrimp on the barbie!

firefly212		2012-12-10 10:48:34 AM

Good... pranks should be funny... pretending to be the royals could be funny... but doing it so you can embarass a nurse by way of her naivety in order to fraudulently obtain private medical information... that's not funny. It was a dick move, and those two idiots should be ashamed of themselves.

Wrath of Heaven		2012-12-10 10:48:42 AM

Has there been any actual follow-up on her death yet?

We don't know that she actually committed suicide right?

Maybe it was just a tragic coincidence... like some underlying medical condition aggravated by all the sudden stress.

Doom MD		2012-12-10 10:50:34 AM

Screw with someone's livelihood? Seriously? Medical staff should not be giving protected medical information to any mouth-breathing jabroney that asks for it over the phone.

DROxINxTHExWIND		2012-12-10 10:50:39 AM

Oh, and I believe there is a segment of the population who should share the blame for the nurses death...you Royalty-loving douchebags who were calling for her head right after it happened. The paparazzi didn't kill Princess Diana, it was YOU, with your insatiable lust for candid pictures of her. You are the clowns who this nurse worried about when she was tormenting herslef over the mistake. You are the people who the hospital was going to be appeasing by firing her. Now, you've pulled your fangs back in because she killed herself and you direct your anger towards the DJs. But, we both know the truth. If this woman had not committed suicide, you would have wished her dead.

maddermaxx		2012-12-10 10:50:40 AM

Sentient: brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

Yep, and likely lose any credentialing she'd received for breaking client confidentiality. She may have gotten some leniency, but given the target, I suspect the royal family would have more likely made an example out of her. She wouldn't have worked in health care again.

Add to that the fact that she probably spent all day telling everyone that she's personally spoken to royalty. Way up high one day, career-ending tragedy the next.

She must have already been depressed, but I can see how that would send someone over the edge.

I doubt the royal family would have done jack to the nurse - they don't want bad media. However, knowing that she had made a mistake that was world news probably was not great for her mental state.

Girion47		2012-12-10 10:51:23 AM

All because of some weak-minded biatch killing herself over something inconsequential?

Spiralmonkey		2012-12-10 10:51:35 AM

I'm not a fan of morning zoo type shows, I've always felt uncomfortable with the bullying aspect of prank calls. The whole point of it is to humiliate a stranger. Stapling your room mate's clothes to the ceiling is a prank, contacting a hospital to try to fraudulently acquire patient information isn't a prank, it's tasteless and illegal. The smallest amount of common sense should have told them that someone was going to get in trouble about it.

There is no possible way they could have known the mental state of the person they were calling, and yet they still went ahead and did it anyway. If you don't know the person well enough to know they will find it funny and won't be upset about it then you shouldn't be doing it. It's irresponsible. As for the station owners claiming the DJs are the victims here, that's just stupid beyond belief.

Doom MD		2012-12-10 10:52:53 AM

In the USA, at least, it could be Queen Elizabeth herself on the phone, but unless Kate expressly requests it, you cannot give her info about the patient.

andrewmoriarty		2012-12-10 10:55:19 AM

This the same Radio Station that traumatized a rape victim.

FatherChaos		2012-12-10 10:55:44 AM

HEY, GOOD GOOD MORNING! Looks like we're out of a job, folks! Check back for traffic and weather together and all the greatest hits from the 60's, 70's, and 80's!

Girion47		2012-12-10 10:56:05 AM

Biness: this was just a really stupid prank, and they should have pulled the ripcord when they realized they were going to actually get private medical data on the future Queen. They needed to realize they were crossing a line.

Technically the best title she can hold is "Queen Consort"

Spiralmonkey		2012-12-10 10:57:20 AM

Sentient: brimed03: I imagine the nurse was going to lose her job for giving patient info to unverified persons.

Never, never fark with a person's livelihood.

Yep, and likely lose any credentialing she'd received for breaking client confidentiality. She may have gotten some leniency, but given the target, I suspect the royal family would have more likely made an example out of her. She wouldn't have worked in health care again.

Add to that the fact that she probably spent all day telling everyone that she's personally spoken to royalty. Way up high one day, career-ending tragedy the next.

She must have already been depressed, but I can see how that would send someone over the edge.

She didn't break any confidentiality - she answered the phone and passed the call along to the nurse who was directly involved. The hospital assured both nurses that neither would lose their job. The royals didn't seem to be too bothered by it. It seems as though there must have been other factors, but as I said above, they had no idea of the mental state of the person they were calling but went ahead and did it anyway.

Carl Brutananadilewski		2012-12-10 10:57:59 AM

Terrestrial radio is dead. Asscrack and Backsack you are not funny.

moel		2012-12-10 10:58:28 AM

ExcaliburPrime111: I suppose that from a PR standpoint, this was inevitable, and the loss of human life for any reason is always tragic.

BUT,

Nothing these two goof balls did warranted that poor nurse to take her own life. There were almost certainly other factors that led to her death, perhaps pre-existing emotional, mental, and physical problems. We will know more about the precise causes of her death when the inquest is complete. At any rate, a harmless prank with no real malice has turned into an awful situation, but I don't really believe the radio show presenters did anything particularly contemptible.

As has already been said, EXCEPT the bit about y'know, attempting to break patient doctor confidentiality, being guilty of fraud, and all that other stuff.

100% dick move by the radio station. How would you like it if someone 'playing a prank' resulted in the possibility of you losing YOUR job? (and being struck off by the medical registrar, meaning you will NEVER get a job in your chosen career again)

Yes it probably was 'the straw that broke the camels back' but that doesn't excuse what those presenters did. It was nothing but scraping the bottom of the barrel 'entertainment'...and some poor sod and their family paid the price with one death and interminable misery ahead.

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