# Prank Castro, get fined **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535 "2004-04-28T18:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/1 "2004-04-28T18:24:02Z")
[Well, Reuters reports it.](http://news.myway.com/odd/article/id/400133%7Coddlyenough%7C04-28-2004::10:26%7Creuters.html) [The Miami _Herald_ agrees.](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/6119281.htm?1c) Google gives more, of course, and I’m pretty well satisfied that this isn’t bunkum. Basically, two morning zoo DJs (Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero) in Miami called Cuba’s foreign relations ministry and got Fidel on the line. Fidel Castro, Dictator of Cuba, one of the people the US really Doesn’t Like Too Well. The prank went down like this: Using a Venezuelan accent, Ferrero pretended to be ''Lieutenant Camilo" and managed to penetrate the thicket of secretaries and aides and get to the man in charge. Then, they used tape of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to convince Castro that he was dealing with a friend in need: They told Castro that Hugo was missing a briefcase full of sensitive documents. For four minutes they kept it up, feigning a bad satellite connection to cover the dodgy process of re-editing tape into one end of a conversation. The intrepid DJs were treated to a stream of Spanish expletives when they told Castro who they were. That part makes me laugh, and it will make me grin all day. Presumably, Castro didn’t enjoy being called a murderer, either. But the Cuban expats in Miami probably loved that part. Anyway, here’s where it gets strange: The FCC got a complaint and is now fining the station $4,000. Why? Because Castro didn’t know the call was being broadcast. Think about that for a while. $4,000 for pranking the head of a foreign country we deeply dislike, payable to the FCC. Anyway, the DJs are collecting pennies to pay the fine, although the station has the option of contesting it. The Cuban government is silent, and I’d pay good money for good tape of Castro blowing his top on the air. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/2 "2004-04-28T21:35:54Z")
Whatta you wanna bet that some government officials will “mysteriously” pay the fine for them? I too would pay good money to hear that. Heheheh! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/3 "2004-04-28T21:44:44Z")
I heard these two idiots on Howard Stern this morning. They seemed to think that as long as they were being “patriotic” they should be able to do anything they want. Is Castro a scumbag? Yes. Was it worth the fine? Probably. Should we set a precedent of broadcasting people without their knowledge? I think not. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/4 "2004-04-28T22:37:22Z")
Hmmm… How do you say “Is your refrigerator running?” in spanish? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/5 "2004-04-29T14:31:54Z")
**Guinastasia** : I wonder if they have a PayPal system. I’d be glad to kick in $10 worth of pennies to their `pay-the-FCC’ fund if I was guaranteed a tape would be overnighted to me from Miami. I’d guess a lot of Dopers would agree. **Cisco** : I agree with you in principle, but why should the FCC levy fines on Americans for insults to people in foreign countries? If Fidel wants the DJs punished, he should have to contact the State Department and try to persuade everyone there that his inconveniencing is worth an international incident. Frankly, I don’t think the State Department would allow a booting, let alone a fine. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-castro-get-fined/242535/6 "2004-04-29T14:40:11Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Hmmm… > > How do you say “Is your refrigerator running?” in spanish? The heck with _that!_ What’s Castro’s e-mail addy? SPAM CASTRO!! YEAH!! 😃 And we can make all the messages ads for penis enlargement drugs. Perfect gift for the Latin Dictator on the go. 😃😃🆒