WGN Chicago apologizes to mayor after prank call gone wrong

The Chicago radio station took steps to wipe the foul play from its record. Execs took immediate action and issued a formal apology, banned further pranking and suspended the host.

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Talk radio and prank calls have a long and storied history.

Sometimes, that relationship can go too far.

Such was the case when Chicago comedian and WGN AM 720 host Patti Vazquez called the city’s no-nonsense mayor, Rahm Emanuel at 2 a.m. on Sept. 2.

One of her guests that early morning handed over Emanuel’s phone number and Vazquez decided to make the mayor the target of her familiar prank call bit.

On her second try, the mayor bit, and the outcome had execs apologizing pretty quickly.

Chicago media critic Robert Feder posted the transcript of their conversation on his site:

Emanuel: Hello?

Vasquez: Hello, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, this is Patti Vasquez from WGN Radio.

Emanuel: Yeah, but it’s 2 in the morning.

Vasquez: That’s what time my show is on. I appreciate that you answered the phone. We were honestly expecting to get your voice mail, so I apologize for waking you up. I wanted to say hello and thank you for answering the phone. Now I have to invite you on the show sometime. Apparently . . . were you awake?

Emanuel: I was sleeping.

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