It’s all good fun until somebody gets hurt.
That’s the mantra it would seem radio shock jocks from Australia to Tampa Bay follow.
Unfortunately, for two disk jockeys in Australia, somebody did get hurt. Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who work at Sydney’s 2Day FM, have been indirectly (and by some directly) linked to the suicide death of Jacintha Saldanha.
Saldanha, a nurse, was fooled by the two shock jocks into believing they were Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles. She connected them to the room where Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William, is resting following complications from pregnancy, according to Yahoo News.
Following the incident, Saldanha is said to have committed suicide. It’s unclear whether the royal snafu had anything to do with her actions, but police are taking it seriously, Yahoo reports. Public outcry has been so harsh, in fact, the pair are said to be in hiding.
Outlandish pranks perpetrated by disk jockeys are commonplace here in the Tampa Bay area. After all, we have the distinction, dubious or otherwise, of being the home of Bubba the Love Sponge. That particular DJ has made a name – and quite a following for himself – by crank calling everyone from local cable companies to the Federal Communications Commission along with his sidekick Ned. He also faced animal cruelty charges after castrating and slaughtering a pig on air.
Bubba most recently made news after settling a lawsuit with Clearwater resident and pro wrestling star Hulk Hogan over an alleged sex tape.
As the British issue unfolds, we’d like to turn our attention to what you’re thinking Tampa Bay. What do you think about radio shock jocks and their pranks? Are they just downright funny? Is it really all just in good fun? Maybe you think they go too far and should face more regulations? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Does anybody else think the suicide was actually a murder? That was my initial response and quite surprisingly, I've heard others with the same sentiment. Whenever there are suicides revolving around the "elite" of the world, we should always question them.
What ever happened to personal responsibility? It sounds like the mindless masses, jump on the bandwagon and want to take these DJ's to task. (They have both said, that they didn't even think, their call would get through). All the mothers I know, would go to the end of the world, to stay alive to raise their children. This is obviously one woman, who had other issues, (mental or otherwise), to do such a selfish act, to deprive her children of their mother.