SCHAPELLE Corby's family have denied the lawyer who appeared on TV claiming the convicted drug smuggler would celebrate her freedom with a "big marijuana joint" had ever worked for them.

Kerry Smith-Douglas appeared on Channel Nine's Today in a bizarre interview where she was introduced as Corby's former lawyer to talk about the impending parole.

HOPES HIGH: CORBY 'FREE FROM JAIL WITHIN WEEK'

"Yes, it's very exciting, there's going to be a lot of parties going on once she is released, and I can't wait,'' she joked.

"She'll probably pop a cork of champagne and then roll up a big marijuana joint the size of a cigar and kick back and enjoy herself.''

Her clumsy joke left viewers, and the Nine Network's golden boy Karl Stefanovic, gobsmacked.

But a statement issued by the Corby family today denied Ms Smith-Douglas had ever worked for them.

OPPOSITION BUILDS AGAINST SCHAPELLE CORBY'S IMMINENT RELEASE

"Ms Smith-Douglas has never been retained by any member of the Corby family. They met with her on two occasions but they declined to engage her as their lawyer," the statement said.

"The comments that Ms Smith-Douglas made on the Today programme are in bad taste and ill informed."

"Channel 9 and the Nine Network should take more care to check their sources before broadcasting such insensitive and hurtful material."

Ms Smith-Douglas does not say during the interview that she was the Corby's former lawyer.

Corby is expected to be released shortly after serving nine years for importing 4.1kg of cannabis into Bali.

The Corby family's angry statement is in stark contrast what was said when Ms Smith-Douglas entered the scene in 2010.

Corby's mother, Rosleigh Rose, said at the time she believed Ms Smith-Douglas could succeed where a litany of other lawyers had failed.

"She's a strong and dedicated woman and we're going to work with her to bring Schapelle home," Ms Rose said.

Channel Nine declined to comment.

In other developments today, Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned Corby that she should not profit by telling her story after she leaves prison.

"I guess the old principle is that crime should not pay," the PM told 4BC Radio today.

News_Image_File: Awkward ... Karl Stefanovic, left, reacts to the interview with Kerry Smith-Douglas.

During the bizarre interview with Karl Stefanovic, Smith-Douglas said Corby would "probably pop a cork of champagne and then roll up a big marijuana joint the size of a cigar and kick back and enjoy herself.''

All the while the big-haired lawyer was making hand gestures, apparently alluding to rolling up said "big joint."

Corby is serving a 20-year sentence after she was convicted for the importation of 4.2kg of cannabis into Bali in 2005.

Karl was quick to seize on Smith-Douglas' comments, asking "You haven't been smoking this morning have you?''

Smith-Douglas replied with laughter and another joke: "My eyes are red, I know".

Karl then asked Smith-Douglas about an apparent fallout with the Corbys - to which she replied she had a disagreement with the Corby "campaign committee'' - not the family.

News_Image_File: So close yet so far ... Schapelle Corby will find out over the next couple of days whether she will be freed on parole.

"I did have a disagreement with their campaign committee. They didn't want the media knowing what was going on with Schapelle.''

In closing the interview, Karl returned to the earlier conversation about marijuana and again it strayed into dangerous territory.

REACTION: TWITTER NAMES THINGS CORBY MISSED

Karl: "We hope that what you said at the start will not affect her chances of getting out?''

Smith-Douglas: "I was concerned that what John ... not John Howard ... whose … Tony Abbott was recently caught listening in to the President's telephone conversation, and I thought that may have affected her capability of getting out quickly on parole.''

Karl: "That may have not been Tony Abbott.''

News_Rich_Media: Go back to where it all began when Schapelle Corby was sentenced to 20 years for drug smuggling.

Karl wished the eccentric lawyer all the best with her Corby party, noting she already had her hair all done up for the occasion.

"Thank you very much, God Bless Australia,'' she replied.

Asked later on Fairfax Radio if she was serious, Ms Smith-Douglas replied: "No. It was a joke, don't you have a sense of humour?", and added, "Get a life. Loosen up. Enjoy a joke."

Ms Smith-Douglas rejected suggestions Indonesian authorities might take the comments seriously, saying they were ridiculous.

Indonesia's Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin said on Wednesday he would make his decision about Corby's parole application on Friday.

Originally published as Lawyer 'never worked' for Corby