DJ’s Who Tricked Nurse Into Divulging Confidential Kate Middleton Information Are Jerks – Not Murderers

Shock-jock DJ’s who pull stupid pranks aren’t my favorite. In fact, I don’t like them at all. When I heard about the prank that 2DayFM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian pulled on the nurse fielding calls for Kate Middleton, I thought it was stupid, immature, and totally in line with what these people do for a living. I may not like them – but they’re not murderers. They’re DJ’s who pulled an asinine prank that went horribly wrong.

What were they thinking when they made the call that morning? Who knows. I could guess that they were thinking they would get a few funny minutes on air with one of the DJ’s doing a horrible English accent impersonating the Queen and ultimately be hung up on by a nurse who didn’t buy it. I really believe there is no way they actually thought they were going to make it through.

Rhys Holleran, the chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the station
is quoted in the Daily Mail:

‘I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it’s fair to say they are completely shattered.

‘These people aren’t machines, they’re human beings. What happened is incredibly tragic and we’re deeply saddened and we’re incredibly affected by that.’

He added: ‘I think prank calls as a craft in radio have been going for decades and decades and are not just part of one radio station or network or country.

‘No-one could have reasonably foreseen what ended up being an incredibly tragic day.’

As tragic as this situation is, and how awful it is that the nurse, Jacintha Saldanha, ended up committing suicide – I actually believe him. How could anyone have forseen this outcome? It is pretty unbelievable. I was shocked to learn that this had driven someone to suicide.

The radio show has been suspended indefinitely. The station itself has lost many advertisers. These two “pranksters” are hated by the world. It’s confusing to me that the world can accept that something like a prank would drive a woman to suicide, and on the same token would crucify these two people – who obviously didn’t believe they would have someone’s blood on their hands.

How would the world react if one of the pair was found dead after all of this? Would they have had it coming? Maybe I shouldn’t be sticking up for these morons, but the situation has turned into a world-wide witch hunt. Something just feels wrong about that.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255): Suicide hotline, 24/7 free and confidential, nationwide network of crisis centers.

(photo: Mr. Pics/ Shutterstock.com)