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The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
The days of "prank phone calls" are all but over, thanks to cell phones and call display. But back in the days before those devices, almost every rock radio station and Morning Zoo did them. One listener was so incensed at the cruelty of one bit, that he decided to fight back. You can read his story of how he did it below.
After Listening To A Prank Phone Call That Went Too Far On A Radio Show, This Guy Engaged In His Own Prank Against The Disc Jockeys
- Hansa
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
Much like Penthouse Forum letters it's hard to tell if this story is entirely true, a fantasy, or is partly true but embellished. Still, you hope it's true because a lot of these pranks were just cruel. The only ones I really like are the ones where a prominent politician or world leader is called by someone pretending to be another politician/world leader.
I shouldn't be sanctimonious. When I was in my 20s a few friends and I were partying and prank called a few people and in retrospect I'm embarrassed by it and regret it. I think there's a lot of truth to the view that many of us don't fully develop empathy and an ability to fully consider about consequences until our late 20s or 30s - if ever.
Last edited by Hansa (January 3, 2025 8:40 am)
- Radiowiz
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
RadioActive wrote:
The days of "prank phone calls" are all but over, thanks to cell phones and call display.
So what you are saying is, nobody picks up when the display reads "private number".
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
The days of "prank phone calls" are all but over, thanks to cell phones and call display.
So what you are saying is, nobody picks up when the display reads "private number".
I can tell you that I don't. If it's someone I know, they'll leave a voicemail and I'll call them back. Otherwise you wind up with a scammer or a persistent charity that will just waste your time. I refuse to give them that.
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Thread Starter- Radiowiz
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
If the number isn't stored in my phone, I let it ring out.
Answer the phone. It's your friend calling from a payphone to let you know their smart phone died.
- Radiowiz
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
The days of "prank phone calls" are all but over, thanks to cell phones and call display.
So what you are saying is, nobody picks up when the display reads "private number".
I can tell you that I don't. If it's someone I know, they'll leave a voicemail and I'll call them back. Otherwise you wind up with a scammer or a persistent charity that will just waste your time. I refuse to give them that.
If scammers are able to have spoof numbers, surely a radio station can too.
The idea is to make you believe it really is that source calling you, even though it might not be.
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
One of the most legendary prank callers was U.S. radio veteran Dick Purtan, who ruled the Detroit airwaves on stations from both sides of the border for many years. Here's his classic 1980's prank call to a friend of his with a very expensive car:
Dick Purtan's "Porsche Put-On" call
- RadioActive
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
One of the best was from the late Don Imus on WNBC in New York back in 1972. They even put out an album on it. It's was called 1200 Hamburgers To Go and is considered a classic.
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
As an announcer and a listener I was not a big fan of prank calls. Some were funny but others backfired. I remember one that ran many years ago. A lady was called who was installing an in ground swimming pool in her family backyard. The "contractor" called to let her know they found a body in the backyard while digging.
The poor woman freaked out and started to cry on air. Real awkward and the announcer looked like a fool when he told her it was a prank. She was grateful but still upset when told no body was found. I thought it made both the announcer and station look pretty bad.
The above crank call with Don Imus I never really liked and always thought it was fake anyway.
- newsguy1
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Prank videos are increasingly backfiring, with one notable example a prankster who was shot and nearly died.
Believe it or not he promised to resume his pranks after he got out of hospital.
Such people are not funsters. They are psychopaths and sadists.
- Dale Patterson
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Re: The Day One Listener Got Revenge On 2 Jocks For A Cruel Prank Call
Jay Nelson did a segment called "Hello Toronto" during his early years on CHUM. But they were done in fun, not mean-spirited at all. A few of them are archived here.
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram