Toronto’s Roz and Mocha radio show facing backlash after contestant lies about being raped to win $10,000

By Wendy Gillis

October 05, 2012

The co-host of KISS 92.5’s Roz & Mocha Show says he’s not sure if the popular radio program will issue an apology for a segment aired Thursday morning, which featured a contestant who lied about being raped in order to win a $10,000 prize.

Roz Weston said in an email to the Star that producers of the show had not yet discussed an apology, but said the contestant’s lie “took us all by surprise.”

“Having someone come in and lie about being raped was not what I had envisioned for the game,” he said.

“I would never trivialize abuse, and would never use it as entertainment. If we had known ahead of time … I’m not sure she would have been picked at all,” Weston said.

The game, called Decision Impossible, involves taking three people, asking them why they deserve the money, then forcing them to decide amongst themselves who should win.

On Thursday morning, a woman named Kristyn convinced her two fellow contestants that she was the most deserving of the $10,000 prize by talking about her life with a former boyfriend, who she claimed had been verbally and physically abusive.

“He would beat me, he would rape me,” she said. “I felt helpless, I was trapped.”

But some were suspicious about the story’s authenticity, given she had previously said on air that she would do anything to win the money — “If I have to yell and scream, I’ll do that. If I have to lie, I’ll do that too,” she said.

Appearing on the morning show again Friday to face accusations she was lying, and revealed “the majority of the story” had been “exaggerated.”

“I was not raped,” she said, adding she had not been physically abused at all.

Listeners of the show took to Twitter and Facebook on Friday to air their complaints about the woman’s actions, the contest and the radio show.

“#DecisionImpossible is the worst radio contest ever. Encouraging ppl to lie then reward them with money is FRAUD,” tweeted @Rottenpeach_com.

“Canadian radio stations are sick out of their mind! @kiss925toronto (giving) fake rape victims $10000 for ratings …” tweeted @denojohn.

Many also complained on Facebook and in the comments section of the radio show website.

“Her lying was a slap in the face to all the women and even some men who have gone though such a horrible thing,” said another commenter.

Others commended her for playing a shrewd game.

“(S)he did what she needed to do. Stop taking it so seriously. Congrats to her for getting the money!” wrote one Facebook user.

“Dozens” of people are also calling into the radio show with that same reaction — something Weston said fascinates him.

The game, he said, is part-social experiment, and is intended to be entertaining, emotional and fun to listen to — “even if it is a bit awkward.”

“We came up with the concept, but how it plays out is entirely in the hands of three strangers. They 100% decide the outcome. They’re not actors. They’ve never met.”

After the show aired, Weston responded to a tweet that suggested “money is the root of all evil” — to which he said it “also makes for an entertaining show!”

Asked to explain, Weston said he wasn’t saying that lying about rape was an entertainment.

“But money games (based on similar situations) are nothing new. They’ve been a part of entertainment and reality TV for a long time,” he wrote in an email.

Source: thestar.com