Virgin Radio Dubai fires DJ for going off on Senator Chambers’ God lawsuit
Ernie strikes again! On Monday, a Dubai DJ reporting on Senator Ernie Chambers’ recently-dismissed lawsuit against God, joked around pretending he was on the phone with The Big Guy. Under a barrage of listener complaints, the DJ, Revin John, was immediately fired. He was allowed to come back on air briefly Tuesday to apologize.
Mariam Zarouni, a 20-year-old chemical engineering student at the American University of Sharjah, said she was so offended by John’s comments that she formed a group to protest the incident on the social networking Web site Facebook. It had 569 members by Wednesday evening.
“When somebody crosses the line, then you have to defend your religion,” Zarouni said. “Honestly … how can he do this? We’re in a Muslim county. But even Christians would take offense to that. You can’t insult God.”
The comments on the Facebook thread largely concern Zarouni’s nuttiness, and a lot of the Muslims in the group seem to be there just to tell her she should lighten up.
John wasn’t even talking about Islam, but Zarouni is making sure nobody’s God is getting dissed!
A commenter mentioned the definition of ‘vain’, as in ‘taking the Lord’s name in’:
4. without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless.
I can see why that would bug some people. At least the pretense of John’s joke was that God exists, and he seems to want the good people of Dubai to listen to Britney Spears.
I live in Dubai and I heard the piece that Revin did on air. It was clever, creative and funny. It made NO reference to Islam, Muslim, the local UAE culture or anything that would portray the region in a bad light. Revin is an on-air personality who likes to make people think, laugh and just have a good time on the way in to work, or maybe sitting at home relaxing after sending the kids off to school. People are DEVASTATED that he was taken off air. Virgin Radio Dubai will suffer as a result — in FACT, radio in Dubai will suffer as a result. No one will have the guts to have a bit of fun - push the boundaries a bit - make people laugh. But then again, there’s never been a talent white as special as Revin John on the airwaves in Dubai either. I LOVED listening to Revin in the mornings and it’s just not the same anymore. Time for people like the idiot MARIAM to get a life and just relax a bit. Little 20 year old student who probably still lives with Mummy and Daddy… living off pocket money. Do me a favour MARIAM Z — when you get a job one day and you piss someone off… let’s hope you get to keep your job. Precious little princess that you think you are! The outpour of support for Revin bears testament to his polularity and IMMENSE success in Dubai. But hey, Dubai wants to become another America — well wake up Dubai - it aint gonna happen without a sense of humour. And to you REVIN JOHN — you will shine wherever you go — because you are a TRUE TALENT! We will follow your progress and success — because WE ALL KNOW, YOU ARE A REAL STAR. Mariam Z — grow up you silly little brat!
Posted by Miriam Walters on October 28th, 2008 2:55 pmIt’s nice to hear from someone who heard it all happen, Miriam. I got the same impression of Mariam Z.
Posted by Reason on October 28th, 2008 6:08 pm