Posted on 02/04/2003 11:32:46 AM PST by mikeb704
It didn’t take long. It never does. No matter the catastrophe, some people will try to take advantage of it anyway they can.
Hours after the Columbia space shuttle disaster, debris from the crash was offered for sale on eBay, an Internet auction site.
Numbering about a dozen according to an eBay source, the items were quickly removed. It’s thought that most, maybe all, of the offerings were phony. Regardless, the auction site announced that it would fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies seeking information on those posting such listings.
A NASA spokesman noted that collecting shuttle debris is dangerous as well as illegal. Speaking of those who would try to make a profit on the tragedy, he said: "We live in an evil world, and there are people that will do those types of things."
Unfortunately, in addition to evil individuals, we also have the wacky ones. That was demonstrated on Saturday morning when CBS’ Dan Rather took an on-air call from a man claiming that some of the shuttle’s debris had landed in his backyard.
The guy said he’d heard a loud explosion. Then a large piece of metal fell. Lots of people were now in his yard, staring at it. Then the prankster got to his punch line: "They believe that it’s one of Baba Booey’s teeth."
Not yet realizing he was the victim of a crank call, Mr. Rather asked the man how far he lived from Dallas. The caller managed to label the anchorman a "real idiot" before being disconnected.
Dan said that it’s true, he is an idiot, but that didn’t have anything to do with the subject at hand. He "abjectly" apologized to his viewers and moved on.
Possibly you aren’t familiar with the Baba Booey reference. If you’re not, try not to feel culturally underprivileged. That’s the nickname conferred by shock jock Howard Stern on his show’s producer. Stern enjoys mocking the producer for perceived inadequacies, including large capped teeth.
Stern, who’s been accurately described by Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn) as a "one-man sewage system," is fixated on poor taste as much as he is sex. Obviously, some of his fans are no better.
You’d think that the networks, and Dan Rather in particular, would be sharp enough to avoid the Stern pranksters. Last Saturday wasn’t the first time Rather was Baba Booeyed.
In 1999, when John F. Kennedy Jr.’s airplane was first reported missing, CBS pre-empted its normal programming to cover the emerging story. Rather took a call from someone identifying himself as a Coast Guard lieutenant. The man said the Coast Guard had found debris consistent with the type of aircraft flown by Kennedy. Oh, and they located something else: "We also found Baba Booey's teeth were laying along the bay, too, and Howard Stern and Baba Booey were all there." It took quite a while for Dan to realize a Stern nitwit had hoaxed him.
Call-in radio programs have five-second delay buttons that permit a host to cut off a caller who’s saying something he shouldn’t. I don’t see why TV networks couldn’t use a similar device to terminate conversations at the first mention of Baba or Howard or whomever. It might save a little embarrassment.
It’s a genuine pity that even during painful national events some idiots just have to advertise their stupidity. Their actions divert attention from the significance of what happened.
There are those who question the costs, both in terms of dollars and the risk to human life, of America’s space program. What I don’t think can be questioned is the intelligence, dedication and courage of our astronauts. May the souls of those on the Columbia rest in peace.
Hint for Dan Rather: when your caller mentions the name "Baba Booey", a follow up question is not necessary.
I've been curious since yesterday when it was reported that the FBI would arrest people taking debris; under what statute is this illegal? With what would you be charged?
That's right, what we really need is to leave the cretins engaged in the TV news business to fully display their unimaginable stupidity and ignorance - that should be enough comedy in that.
I heard the dumbest possible 'issues' being 'debated' on TV in relation to this accident. The TV 'personalities' couldn't even understand the difference between feet and miles (as in how high up Columbia was at the time of the accident), or were seriously considering the possiblity that 'a shouldered-fired missile' might have hit the shuttle, some 60 miles up, flying at Mach 12.
I recall that some joker once sold an "ass-kicking" on e-Bay. I'd like to buy one for this Ba-Ba-Booey bozo.
Uh, oh. I think the same person, or cohorts bombarded several shows.
On Saturday, before noon, MSNBC said they were going to a guy from NASA to get his reactions. The guy on the other end says something like, "I think Jackie Martling blew it up because he thought Howard Stern was on board". The infobabe was speechless, and played it off and went to someone else in the studio or standing by. I couldn't believe it myself.
Anyone else hear that?
A most excellent point!
And proving that Rather is as stupid as Peter Jennings is an admirable endeavor.
Not that I agree or condone the actions of the dimwit that called, but just the mental picture of Rather, hearing that, and then his response; that is comical.
I start laughing every time.
Rather was at a loss for words, I think his reply was to the effect: "Perhaps I am an idiot, but how far do you live from Dallas?"
I'm still laughing.
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