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"We look like idiots." Karl Stefanovic leads charge over Schapelle Corby in fiery rant.

Twenty-four hours on from returning to Australia, the tide of fascination appears to be turning against convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, with many believing media coverage of the 39-year-old needs to end.

“I realise there is interest but why, oh, why, oh, why,” Today co-host Karl Stefanovic asked on Monday morning.

“Schapelle Corby rightly or wrongly has been convicted of drug smuggling. She has done her time and has a right to live her life in relative peace if that’s what she wants. Maybe she wants mayhem.Whatever. I don’t care. There are more important things in life than pursuing and losing Schapelle Corby,” Stefanovic said in the wake of Corby’s dramatic return home over the weekend that included last minute flight changes, rampant media coverage and Corby sharing the journey on her newly created Instagram account.

“We in the media have a responsibility to inform but I reckon we were all made to look like idiots yesterday and to what end? Where Schapelle is? What she looks like? Come on. It ain’t that interesting. To me, anyway. Move along, please,” Stefanovic concluded.

Fellow co-host Lisa Wilkinson disagreed, replying, “See, I am interested. I want to finally hear from Schapelle, the woman herself. For 13 years now, we have all followed the ups and downs of this young woman’s story and we have all had her thoughts on her guilt or innocence, but we have never really heard direct from the woman herself.”

Listen: Mamamia Out Loud discuss Schapelle Corby’s homecoming and Cassie Sainsbury’s recent arrest. Post continues… 

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Wilkinson continued, “I want to hear what she says actually happened. How this whole saga unfolded, how she coped inside, what her plans are from here. Because so far, we have only seen it all through the prism of her family, and on many occasions, including yesterday’s cat and mouse chase with that ridiculous convoy of black vans and family members in masks, they haven’t actually done her any favours.”

Presenter Sylvia Jeffreys agreed, but pointed out, “Her biggest problem – and you just touched on it, Lisa – right now, in my opinion, is her family, her inner circle, any public support that remains within the community is surely at the very least being diminished by the farcical scenes of the past 24 hours,” referring to the circus of Corby’s return home to Australia and her family’s subsequent celebration.

“The spooky masks, the curious Instagram posts, teasing followers after asking for privacy, Mercedes appearing to film every odd, strange, bizarre, chaotic moment on her mobile phone, all the secrecy, all the games,” Jeffreys continued.

“They are not just playing with the media, they are treating their supporters like fools at a time when Schapelle for her health, for her well being, needs all the support she can get.”

Not mincing his words, sports reporter Tim Gilbert simply said, “I’m absolutely sick of the Corby circus. She was found guilty, punished by the laws of Indonesia, like it or not, that’s that.”

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Gilbert then asked, “Would Schapelle have got the publicity if she was a dishevelled unemployed society drop out? Being a fresh-faced young beauty student, no-one could quite believe she was found guilty. Right up to their own version of Halloween yesterday, which was a wind-up, has been a soap opera. Can someone please press the off button on the Corbys.”

schapelle corby home
Sunrise hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch. Source: Channel 7.

Host of Channel 7's rival show Sunrise David Koch, though, says the reason for the interest is obvious.

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“We had family dinner at mum’s last night, three generation of adults, all saying the media coverage was over the top,” Koch said on Monday morning.

“Then for the next 25 minutes [we] discussed how she’ll settle back into Australia, was she guilty or not, what her Instagram was saying," Koch said, adding, "I said, ‘I think we rest our case’. Everyone’s so interested, it’s amazing.”

Prior to the Monday morning discussion, Channel 9 viewers were already in agreement about the coverage fatigue.

A message to Channel 9 posted to Facebook on Sunday evening. Source: Facebook.

On Saturday evening, a man named Dave Scott posted a comment to the Channel 9 Facebook page saying that the majority of Australians "do not care" about the release of Corby.

"Why has the media made her a 'celebrity prisoner?' Why do you feel the need to celebrate and give media attention to a convicted criminal? We, as Australians, think it's a complete disgrace.

Scott added, "I don't have children of my own, though I can assure you that in schools everywhere around Australia they are teaching children in all grades the impact drugs have on people's lives, and here you are glorifying a convicted drug smuggler on live television."

By Sunday night, Scott's message had received more than 30,000 likes and 2,700 shares since being posted.

What do you think about the media's coverage of Schapelle Corby? Tell us in the comments section below.