REALLY? REALLY!

Is it just me, or are you, too, confused and angry about the DJ phone-prank to Kate Middleton’s hospital.  Really confused!

I love a royal wedding as much as anyone!  I watched.  I get that we are overly curious about the goings-on of the royals.  For me, though, it’s not all positive.

My infatuation with Princes William and Harry is, I have to admit, an extension of my respect for Princess Diana.  How proud she’d be of her boys – and can you even think of Diana as a Grandmother?  What a beautiful image comes to mind.

So, let’s get into this, shall we?

Notions of accountability, good judgment, thinking something through, sensitivity, and good old common sense come to mind.  I get that 2 young radio DJs from Australia never imagined they could pull something as – can’t think of the right word – (stupid, “impossible”, daring…) as this off.  I know there was no malice behind it – at least I hope not – but were there also no brains??

To what length is any one today NOT willing to go- and at what cost to another to have their 15 minutes of fame?  Well, Mal, I mean Mel, and Mr. Christian (perhaps, not so much), congrats – the whole world knows your names!  You’ve made it to the worldwide stage.

I read that after successfully pulling this prank off, there was time to decide whether to air the conversation, or not.   Oh, to have those moments back again!  I also read it was “trumpeted” several times.

We live in a world of retractions.  Put it all out there.  If you get caught, offer a few mea culpas and it’s all supposed to go away.

 

ATTENTION PEOPLE OF THE WORLD – why do you think YOU are going to be the one to get away with “it”.  The indiscretions of politicians, celebrities, and the everyman are growing boring.  Men sending photos of their (keep it) private parts  over the internet, having affairs – and children, as a result (Sorry, Arnold, this time, I don’t think you’ll be back – AND the book bombed!) are soon to be included in sports stories as opposed to headline news.  ENOUGH!

Back to the royal situation.  Indeed, it is a “royal” situation.  Here’s what I wonder:

Kate was less than 12 weeks into her pregnancy at the time of her hospitalization; no one even knew she was expecting; strange way to make such an awaited announcement…

Is it not possible for the royals to provide this degree of medical care at home?  Many, even seriously ill, patients have fluid therapies administered at home.  (AND, they announced she is back in the hospital.  HELLOOOOOO!

Did King Edward VII hospital have no protocol in place for such a royal patient?  Were “they” the only ones not aware aware of their special guest?

 

Are there more than 2 people in the world who think the Queen makes her own calls on such matters? (I guess after she jumped out of a helicopter to open the Olympics, anything might be possible!)

Horrible accents aside, this was nothing short of a royal indiscretion of a radio station and two on-air personalities.  Just so tragic. 

I understand the thought of a death resulting from a really bad imitation of the Queen never entered the mind of Mel Grieg and Michael Christian, but therein lies the lesson.   While we can all appreciate a good joke or a funny story, it is rarely funny when it is at the expense of another human being.  For Jacintha Saldanha, who knows if this weren’t her last straw, another moment of a sort of bullying that she just couldn’t bear another moment of.

Jacintha was a nurse.  A professional dedicated to the care of others. Yet, was there no one there to care for her?

I hate stories like this…no one wins; everyone loses.

The tearful apologies of the now off-the-air personalities seemed genuine enough.  But, if there weren’t a death at the end of it all; what then?  Does it take an ending such as this to call to task the  responsibility of those paid to sit in front of open mics? (Wow, that opens another whole can of worms.) Or, does it always come back to the “it was wrong – because I got caught”?

I am no less confused now than at the start of this communiqué.  I struggle to find peace with such a set of circumstances.  I am appalled at the on-air comments of Mike Hogan, Executive Director of Arts and Entertainment at Huffington Post who declared that, and I quote,  “…every British person I know living in the United Sates considers the royals the most ridiculous creatures who ever walked the earth”.  Mr Hogan!  Are you not aware that to this day, 16 nations still hold the British Monarchy as their head of state?  CREATURES?

There is an unborn child in the mix of this story as well as now motherless children.  That’s where the worlds of the royals, the family of a dedicated nurse, and members of the media collided and why none of them can ever be the same again.    

We need to care for one another, not seek to gain at the expense of another.  We need to protect our own privacy as we choose; not declare it and expect others to grant it.  We need to keep a thoughtful eye and ear on those around us and be there when they need us to be. 

Bring a gorgeous, healthy baby into this world, Kate; a future king or queen, and be well throughout this special time in your life.

Find peace in happy memories of your mother, Jacintha, and may she find the peace she seemed denied of in this world.

And to Mel Greig and Michael Christian…in your “time-out” from your celebrity gig, may I suggest doing some volunteer work in a hospital. If you are yet unaware that the world doesn’t spin without the watchful care of nurses, 24/7, you stand to be amazed – you should be; you will be!  Their shifts are difficult enough and there is nothing funny about it – or you!

So, IS it just me, or does this whole story stun and numb you, too?  If this were the plot on a show or in a movie, I think it would seem far-fetched.  Sadly it is real.  Life is real; life is earnest.  What we do, good or bad, affects others.  It’s all about good judgment.  Use it.!

What are your thoughts on this tragic story?  Please comment.

      Since sharing these thoughts, 2Day FM, the radio station behind this disastrous display of journalism/entertainment has announced that advertising revenues of up to $500,000 will be sent to the family of the late Jacintha Saldanah.

Do you feel this sort of contrition is enough?

     It has also been stated that according to The New South Wales State Surveillance Devices Act, criminal charges may be forthcoming. (The law requires the permission of all parties on a recorded call prior to the conversation being made public.)

Do you feel the prank was a criminal act?

  

     Despite the clarity of the law (see, above), the Chief Executive of 2Day FM has been quoted saying nothing was illegal?

Is he just stupid, or what?