Radio station fires 10 over deadly Wii contest

We're sure something dumber than this whole "drink until you die of water intoxication to win a Wii" thing was perpetrated back in the Tickle Me Elmo hysterical days of yore, but we can't really imagine what. The owners of KDND FM didn't seem to have a hard time figuring out what to do about this situation: they've fired 10 employees of the station, including the three hosts of "Morning Rave," which were directly involved in the contest that ended in Jennifer Lea Strange's death. Now word on a lawsuit from the family, but the county sheriff's office has stated that it's not investigating the matter, so this could be it for news on the tragic ordeal until somebody tries to one-up the stupidity on display here.

[pritesh thaker @ Jan 17th 2007 1:27PM]

now word on whether engadget proofreads their posts....

[Craig @ Jan 17th 2007 1:38PM]

I'm not surprised at the firings after hearing this compilation of audio clips from that morning's broadcast:

http://www.sacbee.com/static/newsroom/kdndslides/

Hearing this makes the whole situation seem a little more tragic because there were clearly a lot of red flags which could potentially have prevented this poor woman's death.

[chenry @ Jan 17th 2007 1:42PM]

Future Headline?
"Ex-Radio Host attempts to demonstrate contest was safe; dies of water intoxication as well"

[RCzar @ Jan 17th 2007 1:42PM]

Anyone remember that girl who drank to much water on E and died. The news made E to be the big bad culprit that killed the girl... oh wait they're dead due to THEIR poor choices. Nobody forced this idiot to drink the water.

[Jonhimslf @ Jan 17th 2007 1:53PM]

How long until Kidd Chris ends up on one of the Stern channels? At some point didn't he want to make his station a safe-palce or whatever for DJs that were fired... though I guess that was more to do with censorshop firings, not this kind of thing.

[Don @ Jan 17th 2007 2:07PM]

That really sucks, esp. the admissions that some of the DJs had heard of the danger pre-contest, even that it could be deadly, and then stated "maybe we should have done some research" about the possibilities of death.

And the lady who called in to warn them was essentially laughed off the phone. This sucks for all involved.

[John13 @ Jan 17th 2007 1:51PM]

Holy Crap! This is in my area! Also isn't ironic that we are encouraged to drink large amounts of water but if drink to much, Oops We Could Die!

[Ayle @ Jan 17th 2007 1:55PM]

It seems like the people who are making negative comment are forgetting that most people dont know that drinking to much water can kill them......

[crackpipe @ Jan 17th 2007 2:17PM]

Shoulda been beer they were drinking. It's much safer. It's very hard to drink enough to die without passing out first. Works for me everytime.

[ViktorVaughn @ Jan 17th 2007 11:51PM]

A gallon of beer is defifnitely doable-- eleven 12oz beers is just over a gallon.

[ele�tro @ Jan 17th 2007 2:16PM]

Fucking tragic all around. I don't care if they made the contestants sign waivers. To NOT have some kind of health professionals on site was criminally negligent.

[Paul @ Jan 17th 2007 2:17PM]

hahaha @ Jonhimself ... this wasnt Kidd Chris that was a prank to get people to call the Kidd Chris show who wasnt even involved to get publicity for the show and mess with people.

www.kiddshow.com


Ayle- and who's fault is it for not finding that out? oh your own.

[Von Thizzle @ Jan 17th 2007 2:23PM]

Was she a resident of Rio Vista?
Stupid is as, as stupid does.

[BD @ Jan 17th 2007 2:27PM]

I wonder if her family went to the concert...

[oly va ha @ Jan 20th 2007 12:26AM]

lol thats a good one...i live about 20 minutes away.

i'm so glad that piece of crap morning show is off the air, i had to listen to it every morning on the way to school (now that i drive its rob arnie and dawn all the way baby...you can listen live too @ http://www.krxq.net/home_content/index.php just sign up, that show is really funny)

[Miranda Kali @ Jan 17th 2007 2:25PM]

My, but are'nt you an insensitive prick.
We're not talking about drunken rednecks trying to flush out a racoon with gasoline, you jerk. This was a mother trying to do something nice for her children. Knowing that drinking too much water can be deadly is not common knowledge, it's not like sticking your fingers in a light socket or trying to juggle knives.
How would you feel if this was somebody you know, or your mother? Oh wait...people like you probably would'nt care. The world is such a dull and ignorant place for you, I'm sure. You want to talk Darwin? Yes, natural selection will be when you open your smart mouth to the wrong person and land yourself on a slab.
I understand your frustration with the legal system. It's not perfect and far too many people sue for petty things. This is'nt one of those times.
A woman is dead. Somebody's mother is dead. If you can't, at least, show a little sympathy, be the smart, pretentious bastard you think you and show a little tact.

[wtf @ Jan 17th 2007 2:46PM]

How could it not be common knowledge that consuming anything to excess is dangerous? Are you guys suggesting she would have let her children participate in such a contest, believing it to be fully safe?

[Joey @ Jan 17th 2007 4:31PM]

Water intoxication is NOT a common knowledge. In fact, the occurrence of water intoxication is not common at all. Which makes your self-righteous and ignorant comments about this poor unfortunate woman all the more uncalled-for, and reflects aptly on the insensitive prick that you are.

[geobeck @ Jan 17th 2007 2:50PM]

I would be very surprised if a lawsuit did not come out of this--and even more surprised if the lawsuit didn't succeed. And I'm certainly surprised that there are no criminal charges being filed.

Even if the DJ's were so profoundly stupid not to research their stunt before holding it, what about the show's producers? Or the station's legal department? Type "Can you die from drinking too much water" into Google and see how many results you get from reliable news sources--and not just referring to the current tragedy.

The radio station fired ten people. I wonder if that included the higher-ups who approved this stunt?

[Jonhimslf @ Jan 17th 2007 2:48PM]

@ Paul
Well that makes sense then, I remember reading it at first, but then when I was searching today to double check that he was involved I couldn't see mention of his name (i could only find it if I searched "wee for wii kidd chris")...

[Paul @ Jan 17th 2007 3:21PM]

just so you know i wasnt laughing at you i was laughing at how many people fell for that - they were getting calls ALL day yesterday just screwing with these people that thought they were at fault... though terrible - tragedy does make great radio.

[fitinferno @ Jan 18th 2007 12:18AM]

Good god I'm getting ill just reading that...but I would assume that the beer is doable because it contains things other than the water, particularly sodium so that the cell osmosis effect that happens with too much water would be avoidable. And what would the time-frame for that beer consumption be? You would pass out before finishing depending on how fast you were drinking.

At 10-15 units of alcohol you would start becoming liable to pass out. A litre of beer can be said to have about 4 units of alcohol (assuming you're drinking average 5% by volume). Thus, halfway through the third leader, you may pass out and that's if you have the coordination to get it down you in the first place.

So yeah, overall, they would have been better off having a kegger. The station was a bloody idiot not to have medical personal on hand (whether or not any of the contestants knew they could die--if there is the possibility of harm to the extent of death, and I would argue possiblity of any harm, MEDICAL PERSONAL ON HAND...haven't they seen Fear Factor??). If they're just that damn cheap, then they should've made an attempt to at least buy off a volunteer viewer who has some medical background with the pair of Timberlake tickets. (I think some ethical dilemna would come up for the volunteer medic, though).

[Max @ Jan 17th 2007 2:57PM]

That is too bad, I was hoping they next contest they would come up with would be who could free climb the tallest building for a PS3.

[rubaiyat @ Jan 17th 2007 3:00PM]

Of course that is the operative word right? Excessive...

How many of these snide commentators knew there was such a thing as drinking too much water?

[James @ Jan 17th 2007 3:12PM]

Regardless of what people here are claiming, it's absolutely not common knowledge that drinking too much water will kill you. I only learned last year and I'm a well-read 27 year old. A friend was in boot camp with someone that died this way last summer. I figured and would think most people will just figure that it will pass through and it will keep building up in your bladder until you wet yourself, which was the whole point of this contest.

At any rate, the people here saying "Darwin at work" are morons. Let me guess, you don't eat at restaurants, huh? Or drive a car? Or ride on planes? Most of the things we do are potentially dangerous, but we rely on authorities to assure us that they'll keep it safe. From the Health Department to the FAA, we're assuming the people running things aren't morons and that we can trust them. And not just government entities. We trust businesses to self-regulate as well. That's the whole point of a lawsuit, by the way. To make it cheaper for them to self-regulate and keep things safe than to just cut every corner and let people die.

Likewise, if a radio station, which I'm sure has a legal department to screen contest ideas, says something's safe, it should actually be safe. This is why there is such thing as a lawsuit. I'd bet just the threat of a lawsuit will make sure that this station will never again run a stupid contest like this without checking to see if it's safe or not.

[wtf @ Jan 17th 2007 3:25PM]

"Likewise, if a radio station, which I'm sure has a legal department to screen contest ideas, says something's safe, it should actually be safe."

This is *exactly* the mentality that we need to breed out of society.

[todd @ Jan 17th 2007 3:30PM]

For James
Even if we take many risks in our daily lives that doesn't mean we have to make further risks just for the sake of winning a stupid video game console. Also, I think its retarded that you she should risk her health in any form or fashion so her kids can be waste time on video games. People should sacrifice and take risks in life so that their kids can better themselves for their future and not for wasting time playing games. I think kids are so damn spoiled these days.

[Porsche 911 @ Jan 17th 2007 10:05PM]

Not a common knowledge? I have learned this in elementary school. WTF, why should we feel sorry for her? Everyone knows over consumption is dangerous… or should know. I live in United States and I have leaned this in my elementary school, this is common sense.

This is what people like to do is to sue, sue, and sue; this is what people love, unethical way to make money. What have this world come to, no one believes in hard work any more, now people look free money.

Come on, all this just for a $250 crap video game system (as we have learned by engadget.com, it takes only $150 to make a Wii and they sell it for $250).

There are innocent people dieing all over the world and no one cares or gives a shit about them. However, when this person dies because of her stupidity and everyone feels sorry for her. Bush has killed many innocent people but that is all good because they are Muslims and are not white.

Sometimes I wonder how ignorant, stupid, and heartless can a person be. What is this world coming to?

[BTS.WRKNG @ Jan 17th 2007 3:06PM]

SO THIS IS A BROADCASTING BLOG NOW?

[DarkFader @ Jan 17th 2007 3:09PM]

So... who got those tickets?

[IOTA @ Jan 17th 2007 3:22PM]

Did the woman's kid get the Wii?

[Parker @ Jan 17th 2007 4:07PM]

Thank you. It's just irresponsible to blindly trust everything someone else tells you. The solution is not to force people to be truthful... it's to encourage people to think for themselves. Counting on others to think for you is just plain lazy.

[aja175 @ Jan 17th 2007 5:09PM]

"Likewise, if a radio station, which I'm sure has a legal department to screen contest ideas, says something's safe, it should actually be safe."

This is *exactly* the mentality that we need to breed out of society."

Absolutely! Just because someone says skydiving is safe doesn't mean any idiot can stuff a piece of cloth in a backpack and jump out of a plane. There's a lot more to it. Look before you leap.

[Juaquin @ Jan 17th 2007 6:34PM]

@todd

Having the cheapest video game system is spoiled? Especially if your mother got it for free? What, do you want them to spend all their time at the public library reading books with the Soviet Union still on the map so it doesn't cost a dime?

There's a time for work/education and there's a time for play, many studies show this. I also have to say as far as video games go, the Wii probably has the least mind-rotting effects. At least boxing is sort of physical (I hurt my arm playing on friend's Wii) and most Wii games are fairly non-violent and non-suggestive - it's better than exposing a 12 year old to GTA or something.

Best wishes to the family. I hope the kids aren't traumatized for life, knowing their mother died trying to do something nice for them.

[xman @ Jan 17th 2007 3:36PM]

for all the geniuses on this blog saying that it is not common knowledge, you are just saying the radio station people shouldn't have known either and letting them off the hook. maybe you geniuses should rethink that one if your goal is to defend this woman.

someone died from a tragic mistake. and this mistake was not just the radio station and host's fault, but the woman involved. clearly this is why no criminal charges were filed by the police. as a matter of fact people die every day from things they do and perceive to be "low risk". and all the finger pointing or money in the world won't bring them back. i call it the wrong place wrong time factor. any other day this woman may have lived. we just don't know.

[Peter @ Jan 17th 2007 5:28PM]

xman: you are just adding another layer of ignorance to the issue.

This was not common knowledge, the woman who entered the contest is in no way at fault.

The fact that it is not common knowledge does not in any way absolve the radio station of fault here. While it is not common knowledge, it is easily researched and falls under the area of required "due dilligence" for creating a public contest.

Given the circumstance of the contest, the outcome of death would not actually be that rare. The people who die of water intoxication seldom drinks as much as those who got near the end of this contest.

The family should sue their asses off and I hope they win.

[Bill @ Jan 17th 2007 3:50PM]

I live in the Sacramento area and this is huge news here. Guess the word is getting out to the rest of the country.

Anyway, I think it's unfair to fault this woman at all. First, it's NOT common knowledge that excessive water is dangerous (at least, not until now). In fact, the emphasis has been on drinking MORE water for better health. Obviously not this much, but still. Second, she was on a live radio show, she was excited, she was competing against other people, and she was being encouraged by the hosts. Put yourself in that situation, and see if you are in the state of mind to step back and say "wait a minute, should I really be doing this?" Even the smartest people may get caught up in the moment and not think clearly.

Now I know the hosts didn't intend to put anyone in danger. But they were extremely careless, ignored the warnings, and pushed this contest forward for the sake of ratings. They are absolutely liable. God help them if that was my mother.

[Josh S. @ Jan 17th 2007 3:58PM]

Wow, did you guys click see the link Craig posted? It appears to be a recording of snippets of the broadcast.

I don't know who's fault this is. Obviously no one intended for this to happen. I really don't think this was common knowledge - I only heard about water intoxication last year, after reading an article about a similar incident with a marathon runner.

Though the recording link is a little scary, listen to it and see what I mean.

[Josh S. @ Jan 17th 2007 4:02PM]

Do you know all those eating contests they have? That is certainly excess, but you don't usually hear anything bad happening as a result.

Try to imagine pulling the same stunt with orange juice. I highly doubt anyone would consider that dangerous. It may very well be no ones fault that this happened, but please don't blame this woman for her death.

[dixonmiller @ Jan 17th 2007 4:08PM]

This has made the frontpage of Google News and MSNBC.

[Evan @ Jan 17th 2007 4:31PM]

It was an unsafe event, period. I hope this will lead to a crackdown on stupid stunts and contests on radio shows.

[collin @ Jan 17th 2007 4:39PM]

Look guys,
There is absolutely no doubt that this story is a tradgedy, but I don't think it is the DJ's fault that this woman died. They didn't force her to enter the contest nor did they force her to drink all the water. Were there coercive forces at work? Only to the extent that a $250 wii is coercive. Now the dj's may be dickheads for laughing about water intoxication on the air, but making claiming they are criminally negligent seems a little overkill to me. The truth is that this was a tragedy that was totally unexpected, and I think it is fair to say that water intoxication is a rare enough occurrence that it is not something that one would ever expect to happen (even someone aware of the possibility) in such a contest. How many people have tried, or know someone who has tried the old, 'drink a gallon of milk in an hour without throwing up' challenge. Over-ingestion of liquids could cause anyone who tries' stomach to burst, but such things happen so rarely that it is not anything anyone (even if they are aware of the possibility) really thinks about. The worst that one expects to happen is a bad stomach ache, some unpleasant vomiting, and maybe (if you're lactose sensitive) a few hours spent uncomfortably on the pot. You can die doing pretty much anything that you do on an average day. I think that people are soo apalled at what happened because the average person listening to the show was probably laughing during the taping and then felt horrible about it when such a tragic thing happened. Was the contest silly? Certainly. Was it in poor taste to laugh at very improbable worst case scenario of water poisoning? Definitely. But is it reasonable to consider the DJ's negligent for holding the contest? I don't think so.

[Matt @ Jan 17th 2007 4:42PM]

I've heard of people dying of water intoxication while trying to pass a piss test. The family sued the company who required the test.

It's a good way to make money.

[Manuel @ Jan 17th 2007 4:41PM]

I didn´t know too much water can kill you, i feel sorry for this woman and his family.

[Bobby @ Jan 17th 2007 4:43PM]

Here is the recording of the radio show.

http://www.sacbee.com/static/newsroom/kdndslides/

[Steve @ Jan 17th 2007 4:45PM]

Remember kids, drink responsibly. Once you get the initial water intoxication buzz going, you should just ride it out and enjoy it.

Don't try to get krunkstylez off of water, it's not a party drug, it something you need to be very careful of.

Just get a buzz, then stop drinking.

[John Doe @ Jan 17th 2007 5:11PM]

Hey fucko. You do realize that no everyone knows you can die from water ODing right? This should have been explained to her and everyone else. We aren't talking a contest to see who can burn their hair off and survive after all.

[martin blizzard @ Jan 17th 2007 5:16PM]

the feds should press federal charges of murder for those stupid ppl should pay for the crime they committed.

[martin blizzard @ Jan 17th 2007 5:25PM]

i hope justice prevails.

[mathew @ Jan 17th 2007 5:52PM]

Even if the DJs were innocently ignorant in running the contest, a nurse called up and warned them of the danger.

At that point, any reasonable person would have spent 1 minute Googling to see if it was plausible that someone could die from excessive water intake. Had they done so, they would have discovered plenty of authoritative web pages and news stories explaining that the danger was real. The fact that they deliberately kept the contest going and ignored the warning is was makes their behavior reckless endangerment, to the point where it seems to me it should be prosecutable under California law as second degree murder.