Sacked Doug Steele explains Hot 30 stunt

Doug Steele was sacked from 2Day FM for a Hot 30 ‘Inappropriate Idol’ stunt that went wrong. Steele ‘traumatised’ patrons at Sydney’s Catalina Restaurant with a megaphone rap stunt that included the words “put your hands up”.

Apparently, some patrons thought it was a hold up and the owner threatened to sue.

Newspaper gossip columns have been having a field day with the story, but Doug Steele sent his explanation of what really happened to radioinfo so the radio industry has the full story.

He writes:

This is to clear the air as to why I’m no longer on the HOT30 anymore.

1st off, in Australian radio, when someone leaves a show, the other
people on the show are told to just plug on like nothing happened. But yesterday, Tuesday July 27, I most certainly got fired.

It all started last week, when I was doing ‘inappropriate idol.’ That’s when we were having people sing through the megaphone in inappropriate
places.

Monday was the cinemas, Tuesday was the library, and Wednesday
was supposed to be a restaurant. It was supposed to get more full on
each day, and by Wednesday, I guess we maxed out.

Now when I do a stunt, I still have to do the 2 crosses where we give
away the free stuff, AND do Rate The Music, usually at the second
cross.

In the planning meeting, I was told I should go to the W where there
will be patrons eating outside, that I wouldn’t have to go into the
restaurant.

Well, because real time is real time, I had 10 minutes to get from the
second cross to the W, which wouldn’t have happened, and I’d have to
call the guys at the station and tell them I’m running late, which
would’ve caused major dramas. So what did I do? I tried to find
another restaurant. And I did, a mere 45 second drive from where we
were at.

So we did it at this new destination. Very posh place. Me and the
contestant went up the stairs, through the doors, and he sang right
next to the Matre D’s podium, where this guy sang Be Faithful by
Fatman Scoop.

Well!!!! Apparently, cuz the guy was singin’, “You gotta hundred dolla bill, put your hands up!!” Some of the patrons in the restaurant thought they were being held up.

Now, me and the contestant both had headphones on, I had my mic up to
his megaphone, we were both smiling, AND!!!! We had another person
there taking photos, so tell me: What fucking robbers go and take pics in the middle of a fucking robbery? I even mentioned to the Matre D he
was live on the Hot30.

So Thursday I walked into work and was told that I was suspended until
the “big boss” could come back.

Friday, the owner of the restaurant calls the station, he wants to
sue. So the “big boss” had to come back from Melbourne early, talk to
the owner of the restaurant, etc.. By Friday night, I was told by a
friend that the owner no longer wanted to sue. I guessed the bosses
wanted me to sweat it out over the weekend by not telling me, but that didn’t happen.

Anyways, I got fired because I didn’t do things exactly to plan. I was told to go to the W and I didn’t.

In live radio, plans change at the
drop of a hat, especially in real time. . I did what I had to do to
“get gold radio.”

Now we all know that if nothing happened, that I’d
be praised for a good night’s work and it’d be business as usual the
next day. But, like life, nothing runs to plan 100% of the time, and
you gotta be able to think on your feet.

Should [the producer] get fired? I told him that plans had changed and that I was doing it at a new restaurant 3 minutes before we went live. His
call, right? I don’t want him to get fired…

So yesterday, I was pulled into “the big boss’s” office and told to
give my series of events that I told you.

I didn’t know I couldn’t go
inside any restaurant anywhere ever, I just thought that because there would be patrons outside eating at the W, that I’d be able to get the desired reaction without going into the actual restaurant.

So, by the “big boss”, I was labelled a loose cannon who can’t follow directions, and was asked to go bye bye. Did I snap and go off my nut?

Nah, I was the calmest I’ve ever been. I stood up, shaked both of their hands (there was another boss there as well, I have like 8
bosses), and walked out. I grabbed my backpack, said goodbye to
one of the Thunder pilots, and walked to the train station, in half shock, half elation.

In all honesty, I hated the job. I thought I was
better than what that job entailed. I should be announcing, not putting 30 CD’s in order and bringing cases of coke up to the fridge in the Hot30 office.

The most ironic thing is, that one of the bosses in the office
actually had been fired from the same company 10 years earlier….For
a stunt that went wrong!

Tell me this.. Had I gone to the W and did the stunt from outside, and
someone wanted to sue.. What, I wouldn’t get fired? Please. At the end
of the day, I’m a stunt guy, I’m supposed to do all this crazy shit,
and sometimes things happen. It’s all part of the job. BUT!!! If
something bad happens, you gotta blame somebody. I was that guy.

All I can say is; have fun replacing me.

And to the person who does replace me; you’re on your own, kid. Good
luck. You will need it.

Doug Steele


Doug Steele and the Inappropriate Idol rapping at Catalinas

Thrown Out!