An online campaign has started to save the job of an Australian banker who became an internet sensation after he was caught on live television viewing images of scantily-clad model Miranda Kerr on his computer.
The financial website Here is the City News has set up a Save Dave page that encourages readers to email the public relations department of Macquarie Bank in a bid to save the job of the banker, identified by local media as David Kiely.
The web campaign lists four reasons for Mr Kiely to keep his job: he seems like a nice bloke; the photographs were not hardcore; he has suffered enough, and there's just too much political correctness in this world anyway.
Mr Kiely, who works in Macquarie Private Wealth in Sydney, opened e-mails containing pictures of Ms Kerr, unaware a colleague behind him was doing a live television interview about the Australian economy.
At one point Mr Kiely turned and looked at the TV camera, with a photo of Ms Kerr in full sight on his dealing room screen. Local media have reported that Mr Kiely may have been set up, with one of the emails ending with the words "turn around now".
"Whether set up or not, Kiely was really only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There but for the grace of God," said the web campaign petition.
A clip of Mr Kiely's embarrassing incident on YouTube has attracted more than 1.3 million hits.
Some viewers were sympathetic to Kiely's plight.
"Can't blame him...probably the dullest job ever, plus I mean, come on, it's Miranda Kerr, he's only human," one YouTube viewer wrote.
Miranda Kerr jetted back into Sydney from New York yesterday unaware of the fuss over her photos. "I don't know anything about it, I've been on a plane all night," Ms Kerr told local media.
The embarrassed banker is reportedly due to meet bank executives this week to determine his future, said local media.