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Here’s Why We Think That ‘Donna The Deer Lady’ Radio Call You’ve Heard Is Likely a Setup

Oct. 18, 2012 12:00pm Mike Opelka

Last week, TheBlaze reported on a call to a radio station that went viral. It was woman named “Donna” saying deer crossing signs posed a risk to motorists, and officials should no longer encourage the deer to cross at these areas. Radio and TV outlets around the world played the call and brought attention to “Donna the Deer Lady.” There’s just one problem with the story: we think it was probably a setup — either by just the caller or by the radio station.

We’ve been researching ever since the initial recording hit the Internet, and we’ve discovered several things:

Late comic George Carlin used to tell a joke about the exact same topic. How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

Snopes.com tracked the story back to 2011. Someone wrote to the site and asked about a letter that was rumored to have been printed in an Indiana newspaper:

Debunked: Is Donna The Deer Lady Audio Real or a Hoax?

Mr. Abbott’s letter was published in the Muster, Indiana Times in August of 2011.

Jay Leno’s writers picked up the story and read it on a “Tonight Show” segment that frequently covers funny or strange stories from small town newspapers.

Star Trek’s George Takei also posted the story on his Facebook page on June 4th of this year.

Debunked: Is Donna The Deer Lady Audio Real or a Hoax?

Credit: Facebook

Almost a year after the letter appeared in the local Indiana paper, a follow up story was printed. Aside from reporting that Abbott’s car actually struck a deer very close to the sign discussed in the initial letter, the author admitted that his note had a light-hearted agenda:

“Really all I wanted was to get a little rise out of people.”

All of the above facts seem to point to a hoax. And yet the radio show, the Y94 Playhouse, is continuing to push Donna and her unfolding story on its audience:

Considering the number of hits to the original clip (over two million), the complete lack of specifics about Donna in the call (she never really mentions a town, a location, where she works, etc.), and the lack of a television interview with her leads this experienced journalist to suspect that this is a scam.

TheBlaze has requested confirmation of the existence of “Donna” from the Y94 Playhouse. If they provide verification, we will update the story.

(H/T: Opie and Anthony)

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (38)

GollygeeMrwilson
Posted on October 20, 2012 at 12:49am
Following the historic time-line of the story just proves to me that both deer and the women drivers are disproving Darwin!!

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Meyvn1
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:17pm
Still dumb as they come.

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mixplix
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:34pm
Now who in their right mind would put a steaming hot cup of coffee between their legs and drive off only to spill hot coffee on themselves and sue the McDonald Company for millions and win the case. They are out here.

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- grayling646
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 9:13pm
  Holy Cow! TheBlaze followed up on a non political story. Something strange is happening. Maybe the end is near. Thanks, Mike.
  
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ThomasUSA
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:05pm
Ohhhh.. I think I get it now… So you mean that sign with arrow pointing up really means something ahead in the road and not above me? Thank goodness…. my neck was getting sore.

And those Italian road signs that say “Yield Right a Way! I just find it easier stop… I wish those idiots behind me could read Italian too.. They only ever slow down!

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- 4xeverything
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 5:28pm
  lol…nice!
  
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- ThomasUSA
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:19pm
  I’ve got one more complaint too.. If they are going to be consistent with those “deer signs” then they should be consistent with the “dead end” signs… in the same area.. But it has been my experience that the whole deer is dead and not just the ends…
  
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AVERAGE-WORKING-MAN
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:02pm
They are real and live among us http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg

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JoeHvezda
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:07pm
It might or might not be a hoax, but I know for a fact that people think this way. I had a girlfriend that was completely taken off guard that a deer crossed in front of us going the opposite way of the deer on the sign – she was truly confused… that didn’t last long. The relationship, I mean.

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Arc
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:03pm
Before we get to far along thinking this may have been a hoax, remember the City Councilman in a town in Texas who complained that a member of the council was “racist” for wanting to ” blackball” a local merchant?

Or the guy at the Inventors Meeting overheard 2 members discussing the most dynamic invention of the century. One said, ” I think the automobile is the most dynamic invention”.
The other member said ” I think the Thermus is the most dynamic. It can keep things cold or hot ”
The bystander could not contain his curosity and asked the inventers ” But how does it know? “

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HotFixIt
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 1:24pm
I remember when I was a little kid I actually DID think this way.. but I grew up and learned to understand the difference. Some people NEVER GROW UP…. try talking to them it is mind numbing!

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TheComic
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 1:07pm
Deer crossing signs are up for a reason. The deer plus any other animals will seek out water. I would tend to guess, a watering hole is nearby. Thus, you can expect to see animals crossing a road for water, even a busy road. I have had Bambi coming straight for my headlights, saying Ma Ma ~ Its not about deer reading a sign, its about humans in cars reading the sign.

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rpercifield
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:57pm
When I lived in Kansas, I attended a City Council meeting. I was there to talk about a crossing guard request for my daughter’s school and was listening quietly. Prior to my turn in the agenda, a woman lodged a complaint that the deer crossing signs on a heavily traveled road were responsible for the deer/car wrecks occurring there. All of us were dumbfounded, and a council member asked “do you really think the deer can read?” Her response was that because it was a pictorial sign, that the deer would assume it is safe to cross there. The response was that while we may think that Eastern Kansas is special, we doubt that the deer here have reached that level of cognition. She was not happy. Of course, when I stood up and spoke about the school crossing guard, I suggested that we consider another morning and evening crossing guard for the deer as well. Also we could possibly establish a school for these hyper-intelligent deer as a service. Thus it may become possible that we could teach them to tell time and follow traffic signals. Everyone but this woman was amused.

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Wool-Free Vision
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:45pm
I don’t mean to be rude, but really, isn’t this one of those stories that could’ve/should’ve remained unwritten? Everybody knew it was radio theater, even if we all had a little fun pretending that it wasn’t and relating similar stories. I just think you could have left the obvious unstated in such a harmless case, that’s all.

It is a very funny bit, and further proof of an old radio maxim: There is nothing original ever.

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- Mike Opelka
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:01pm
  Perhaps not everyone is as clever as you! We just pulled back the curtain a little on the radio industry and showed a secret. Next target? Maybe those TV shows about towing cars! Who knows? :)
  
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- Wool-Free Vision
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:04pm
  Also, there was a comment in the discussion about that story that, alone, made the entire conversation worthwhile. Godlovinmom’s comment about eating in a roadside lodge in Northern Idaho with her daughter, and her little girl asked why the deer keep running into the walls. That is comedy gold.
  
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- Wool-Free Vision
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:19pm
  Hi Mike, if sucking the fun out of favke reality is your game, I agree that Operation: Repo should be high on the hit list, right after professional wrestling and everything TLC ever aired.
  
  Oh wait, I know one genre I have really wanted to see spoofed/torn down: these absolutely stupid shows on Sci-Fi… err, SyFy (ugh!).. where they film the whole show through a night vision lens and pretend that every sound, shadow, or mote of dust is a terrifying evil spirit trying to cross over from “the other side” for the sole purpose of scaring the camera crew.
  
  We could go on and on with the debunking and hardly make a dent in what passes for reality on TV.
  
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- Mike Opelka
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:26pm
  Thanks W-F-V! I miss TV that was not just made becaue they thought they were smarter than the viewers. AND I’m with you on the re-branding of Sci-Fi channel. ugh.
  
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- Wool-Free Vision
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 2:42pm
  By the way, I have some kudos for you, too. It’s nice to see an author participating in the conversation about their work. I would like to see more of this, even though I “get” why many don’t do it.
  
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FEMALL
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:32pm
Actually we need to dig Deer Tunnels under the roads and issue Obama -phones to the deer to call 911.

Remember this?
http://www.wcjb.com/local-news/2009/06/34-million-federal-stimulus-money-pay-turtle-tunnel

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blackyb
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:30pm
It was cute, no matter whose it is. We need more humor.

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- jlancecombs
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:50pm
  Agreed. Just leave it be.
  
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truthnstuff
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:29pm
Duhhhhh..the media are celebrating every dysfunctional act to get headlines. Everyone is looking for a reality TV moment. They will not be satisfied until everyone is patterned after honey bobo. My God, what are they turning us into.

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Stoic one
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:22pm
This reminds me of Cincinnati’s WEBN “Plummet Mall” story in the late ’80′s..

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- Wayner
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:41pm
  Kind of reminds me about stupid Obama butt kissers who can’t see the difference in “acts of terror” in general since the coming of al Quieda and an “act of terror” on Benghazi…. Wasn’t it Leibermann who couldn’t even drag the words “islamic terrorists” out of Eric Holder’s mouth?
  
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right-wing-waco
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:21pm
Did anyone REALLY believe this story? (Encinom, I know you did)

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:14pm
The best part of this story is the George Carlin link.

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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:21pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  I really miss that man…
  
  Always want to see a “George Carlin meets Monty Python” skit. : )
  
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- bobdiamond
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:26pm
  George Carlin was the best and the worst comedian. His material prior to the mid-1990s was great, especially the stuff from the 60s and 70s. His later stuff was horrible. Read political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
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Carrie3570
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:11pm
So this article is not proof that it is a hoax or isn’t? That’s just strange. If you wanted proof it was legit, why wouldn’t you check that out before posting the original story? If you didn’t care, why post this one?

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:11pm
Yeah, on the original story somebody had it right about it being a set up. But, it was a fun story to play with and make more jokes.

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Minarchian
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:09pm
The story is real.

But the person is really Michelle Obama.

Her voice is a little different because she was screaming at her younguns.

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culpeperminuteman
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:05pm
People will fall for anything. That’s how we got stuck with Obama.

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The-Monk
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:05pm
FYI,

EtchASketch is a paid troll…

Don’t bother replying to it because that’s what it wants.

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Balthazor
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:04pm
Is there a point to this?

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- Carrie3570
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:16pm
  I have an off topic question for ya Balthazor…. What does it say inside your avatar? Doesn’t look like Dharma or The Swan to me. Those were my first two guesses.
  
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- BenInNY
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 12:34pm
  Looks like it is, Carrie: http://www.tineye.com/search/d0488b5f5522f91d96f0db93d4da9203df326e38/?pluginver=firefox-1.1
  
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- Carrie3570
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:57pm
  It does say Dharma. Thanks Beninny, I was curious.
  
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