Radio Station Water-Drinking Contest Results In Death
But those halcyon days are as dead as bell bottoms and polyester; in these extreme days listeners are required to perform humiliating tasks to qualify for radio contests.
Today we practice a kinder and gentler form of the circuses of ancient Rome. Contestants on radio shows and TV reality programs must eat insects or endure other humiliating stunts in order to win notoriety and a few bucks.
From KCRA.com:
“The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office are launching an investigation in the death of Jennifer Strange, who was found dead in her home after taking part in a radio station water-drinking contest.”
Ms Strange did not die in order to win free college education for her children, she died to entertain a jaded audience and to win a video game console.
The radio station employees were aware that consuming large amounts of water in a short time can be deadly. But what the hell, anything for high Arbitron ratings, right?
Transcript from the radio broadcast available on KCRA.com:
The audio clips include a warning from a listener that the contest was dangerous.
Listener: “I want to say that those people drinking all that water can get sick and die from water intoxication.”
DJ: “Yeah, we’re aware of that.”
DJ: “Yeah, they signed releases so, we’re not responsible, it’s OK. (laughter) If they get to the point where they have to throw up, then they’re going to throw up and then they’re out of the contest before they die, so that’s good, right?”
The radio station that sponsored the contest, KDND, has fired the DJs, but I hope that there will be a greater punishment than just losing their jobs.
Unfortunately, according to wire reports “chances are slim that a charge of criminal negligence would ever by filed.”
I urge the good citizens of Sacramento not to listen to KDND, in my mind that would be condoning evil and possibly illegal behavior.
I write a weekly column for a small town newspaper in Virginia, and I also write for several Web sites. Please leave a comment or send me an email at: rreyes4966@aol.com | More from Robert Paul Reyes
Stumble It!
January 18th, 2007 at 1:15 am
What a terrible way to die! Especially over a gaem console. It is too bad that the d.j. was so nonchallant about the idea of someoen dying from drinking too much water! I know he didn’t think it would happen, but if he knew it was a possibility, hee should have seemed a little more concerned.
I don’t think they will get in trouble beyond losing their jobs, but I do wish they would be punished somehow. I hope they at least feel extremely sorry…. but that does not bring the girl back!
January 18th, 2007 at 9:34 am
My condolences to her friends and family…but:
Must?! “Contestants…must…endure…”!?
Every radio market in the country had the same contest for those new game consoles. In my city some joker ate nuclear hot peppers and got tasered twice and didn’t make the top ten. He could easily have died. I’m sure he signed the same waiver. Are we going to fire every DJ, every station manager in the country? I’m not saying that would be a great tragedy in itself but wouldn’t people just find another way to die undignified deaths?
The concept of personal responsibility is not to be found in the liberal socialist songbook. Darwin’s theory doesn’t do a perfect job of explaining where the miracle of life comes from but it explains flawlessly how unfit characteristics get removed from the gene pool.
It SHOULD hurt to be stupid.
January 18th, 2007 at 9:50 am
“It SHOULD hurt to be stupid.”
Strangely, some folk make a LIVING at it!
January 18th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I can understand DJ’s being blase about the humiliation of a human being. It’s a job requirement for a DJ to be an ass****.
But we shouldn’t make jokes about cleaning up the gene pool.
It should pain us whenever a human being needlessly dies. To be indifferent aobut the death of anyone makes us no better than the Romans who laughed when a Christian was eaten by wild animals.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
You (Robert Paul Reyes) said “It should pain us whenever a human being needlessly dies. To be indifferent aobut the death of anyone makes us no better than the Romans who laughed when a Christian was eaten by wild animals.”
Christians were forced against their will to face lions. These people willingly place their lives in jeopardy. If WE should feel pained at death, might not we also be angered and disgusted with these idiots who voluntarily place so little value on their own lives/health?
January 18th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
The issue is not Christian vs lions: Unwilling participants.
Woman in a radio water-drinking contest: Willing participant.
The issue, that hopefully we can all agree on, is that entertainment based on the humiliation and debasement of human beings is wrong.
January 18th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
So you are looking for an adjustment to human nature. Good luck with that. People slow down to gawk at traffic accidents, people can be sad, miserable creatures.
There is a wonderful book on the subject of our inherent failings and what can be done about it. If you are interested, I can send you a copy.
In this world we are stuck with, each person can only strive to make good decisions. The Nanny State for which you and your liberal socialist herd strive with such abandon robs people of their ability to make good decisions. Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement (specifically from bearing the consequences of bad judgement.) This woman, this mother of three died for something that will be a doorstop in about 18 months. The choices that led her to that fate were not the choices of a mature, responsible adult but of a greedy child who assumed that somebody, somewhere was making sure she was safe.
We can look or we can not look at the spectacle that is human frailty. It is in pandering to people’s laziness and self-indulgence that we bear most resemblance to the post-republican Romans.
January 18th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
stands2p wrote:
“There is a wonderful book on the subject of our inherent failings and what can be done about it. If you are interested, I can send you a copy.”
I am a voracious reader; I’m always looking for something new and interesting to read. What’s the name of the book, and I will order it online? Thanks.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Voracity will be an asset as the style can be challenging in places. It is the most interesting book ever written though it is not new. In fact, this book’s name indicates the first publishers weren’t too worried about folks getting it mixed up with other books.
It is a book of history, drama, political science, economics, geography and psychology just to scratch the surface.
There are many versions and you can always find someone bent out of shape about what they think are critical differences but the inherent message stays the same. You can get customer support for your copy at any of the millions of clearly marked facilities around the world, many of them open 24/7.
You might like this version:great book
January 26th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
The fact is that very few people are aware that drinking too much water can kill you… after all… it’s water. It is a sad world that we live in where we are entertained by someone elses humiliation… Fear Factor, Survivor, American Idol… you name it – we tune in and watch weekly to laugh at the next poor sap to be “sent home”.
We do not practice empathy, we do not practice kindness. Heck -even stands2p, who is recommending the bible calls the woman, “a greedy child who assumed that somebody, somewhere was making sure she was safe”. I am certain that she did not know that there was a risk of dying, simply of getting sick – maybe throwing up… she wanted a Wii for her kids – because when you’re able to give your child something that they desperately want… you feel like a hero. Unfortunately – she died.
In my opinion, the DJ’s knew the risks, laughed at the risks and carried on… I would pursue “reckless endangerment” or manslaughter charges. Responsibility is key and people need to be reminded that we have responsibiity to other members of our society.