The world's best Tom Cruise impersonator is at the centre of a prank-gone-wrong between two of New Zealand's most popular breakfast radio shows.
Responding to what they say was an idea stolen from them, The Edge's Jay-Jay, Dom & Randell decided to trick More FM's Si and Gary into believing they were interviewing Tom Cruise.
The Hollywood actor is a hero of More FM breakfast show host Simon Barnett - and given Cruise is currently in New Zealand filming Mission Impossible 6, the pair thought an interview with him would be possible.
They commenced a lengthy chase to get an interview with the star - including calling former Bachelor Jordan Mauger and offering a $5000 bounty for a lead or contact details, with numerous radio breaks dedicated to documenting their pursuit.
Little did they know, however, that The Edge had hatched a plan to offer them a false interview with an impersonator of the Top Gun star, which was scheduled for 7:45am on Friday.
The time came by, and Barnett was poised to interview his hero - and for about 11 minutes, he genuinely thought he was - asking Cruise about his career, US politics, his thoughts on New Zealand, and what it's like being a celebrity.
But at the end of the interview, the Cruise impersonator outed himself - and rather than the More FM hosts laughing along like perhaps Jay-Jay, Dom & Randell anticipated, they were audibly upset.
"Get a life," producer Samantha Baxter, who was in tears, yelled down the phone as The Edge hosts explained the prank.
After cutting the line, a remarkably sombre piece of radio ensued.
"That's just so uncool. That's super uncool. Poor old Sam's crying for me," Barnett said.
"It's actually disgusting," Baxter responded.
"That is truly disappointing. I was so stoked, and now my wife and kids are texting. My whole family's texting," continued Barnett.
"That's to me what's wrong with the world, because if people think that's funny... That's actually not even funny - I mean, you'd never do that."
Fellow host Gary McCormick then offered an apology on behalf of The Edge "for their poor taste and for fooling all of our listeners, who were looking forward to that".
He urged The Edge to apologise themselves, and also promised they would be in talks with the other Mediaworks station about their conduct.
In a statement given to Newshub, Barnett said he had been left feeling humiliated as a result of the prank.
"At the time my overriding emotion was one of genuine embarrassment. I’ve always wanted to meet this guy," he said.
"I can now see it was a joke and in the grand scheme of things, maybe Tom will feel sorry for me and sit down for that glass of wine."
Many of those listening in took to Twitter to express their shock, and offer sympathies to Barnett being tricked into thinking he was speaking to his idol.
Newshub.
