Update from the Sun paper on the bet with the Terminator:
Leaders' bet just a hoax!
"A reported wager between California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Premier Ralph Klein has turned out to be a hoax perpetrated by an Edmonton radio station. "It's not the first time something like this has happened," an aide to the governor said yesterday from Sacramento.
Klein received a phone call Monday morning from what turned out to be an Arnie impersonator who offered to place a $1,000 bet on the Calgary-San Jose NHL semifinal playoff series, said Klein's press secretary Marisa Etmanski.
"I had made some calls (to Schwarzenegger) on Friday, so this all made sense," she said.
Yesterday, the station - CFBR-FM the Bear - came clean, admitting its morning jocks faked the phone call using computer-generated voice-altering software to trick Klein and his staff.
Station general manager Marty Forbes admits in a letter to Klein the prank was taken too far and has agreed to donate $1,000 to the charity of Klein's choice - Special Olympics.
PROFESSIONALLY EMBARRASSED
"I simply cannot tell you how personally and professionally embarrassed I feel about this stunt ... and I wish to apologize most sincerely on behalf of our radio station," he told the Sun yesterday.
"I have ordered the tape destroyed and can assure you it will not make it to our airwaves at any time in the future. This was a total lack of respect for ... Premier Klein and the government of the state of California."
Etmanski said when she told Klein of the hoax, "he had a pretty good sense of humour about it. He laughed and then he said, 'For a hoax, that was a pretty good hoax.' "
Etmanski said she's "seriously disappointed" by the prank.
"This sort of practical joke doesn't help anybody. It doesn't help the image of the media and it doesn't help us. We conduct ourselves in a very professional, honest way and when someone calls our office we don't question who is calling us."
Schwarzenegger's aide said the governor is not interested in placing a wager, but could not provide details as to why.
Last fall, the same radio station faked a call to Schwarzenegger from the Prime Minister's Office. A disc jockey adopted a bad French accent and exchanged pleasantries with Schwarzenegger, who later grew suspicious and hung up."
These guys pull alot of pranks up here, why? They have the best lawyers in the city! Not to mention a big promo for the station. Must be ratings month.
