Bloopers? More Like Awkwardly Hilarious Television Moments That’ll Be Hard To Forget
The Calm in the Eye of a Technical Systems Crash
In 2017, a technical difficulty put a temporary pause on the BBC News at Ten. And Huw Edwards held the fort for four minutes until the issue was resolved before starting the show as though nothing had happened.
But then, if anyone could display such calm under pressure, it would be Edwards, who enjoys a reputation for hosting BBC’s flagship program. He later revealed that with so much going on in the gallery, no one had bothered to tell him he was on-air throughout the disturbance. Still, he suspected he might be, so he maintained an air of calm professionalism.
All Work and No Play Makes Ripple a Dull Dog
Every dog owner knows that the creatures love attention. And dogs, like all pets, have trouble understanding that you’re busy with work. Because as far as they’re concerned, their owners only exist to please them. And Mike Sobel, a meteorologist with Global Edmonton News Show, learned his lesson firsthand on this day.
His Shepherd-Mastiff mix, Ripple, joined him for the day’s weather forecast. Sobel probably thought he could keep things simple by having the dog on a leash, but Ripple had something else in mind and wouldn’t stop jumping around until the leash broke. Kudos to Sobel for maintaining his balance all through the show.
ESPN Reporter Gets a Taste for Powerade
When television anchor and reporter Emily Jones left home on May 31st, 2015, she couldn’t have predicted how it’ll end. And a Powerade dunk while attempting to interview Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is the last guess anyone would make. But the story gets funnier when you realize that Jones hadn’t been the target.
This picture was taken during a second incident a year later when Rougned Odor grabbed a bucket and dumped its contents on Jones. She was armed with a can of silly string at the time, but that clearly wasn’t enough to protect her. Good thing she wasn’t upset by the incident.
Wendy Burch Gets a Shock
If the photos on this list prove anything, reporters are probably not appreciated enough. Because they do come across the weirdest and most unusual situations in their line of work, take Wendy Burch, for example. As an award-winning television journalist, she’s no stranger to the unexpected.
In fact, her work with KTLA’s Morning News indeed has its memorable moments—the good and bad ones. A good example was this moment when a random video bomber leaned into Burch as she reported on which city might host the Summer Olympics in 2024. When she noticed his presence, she was scared. So much for someone’s 15 seconds of fame.
“Hello?! Can Anyone Hear Me? Guess Not”
News transitions on TV can be incredibly challenging sometimes. And no one gets the short end of the stick like the reporters who sometimes get caught making ill-timed gestures, all the time unaware that the cameras are rolling. BBC Breakfast weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker, once voted Britain’s favorite meteorologist, was also a victim of such a glitch.
After his multiple “Hellos?!” went unanswered on that day in 2018, he assumed he was off-air. And the good folks back home watched him wander off-screen, picking at his nails and clothing all the time, waiting for the crew to resolve the issue.
Field Reporter Gets Pranked
We bet you’re just as shocked by this one as we were. This hardworking field reporter thought it was just another day on the job. He had his trust cameraman with him, and he was giving his live report, letting the folks back home know the situation on the ground.
But field reporting is not for the faint-hearted. And it takes some guts to get the job done. Because you never know when you’ll get dunked with a bucket of Powerade, get scared out of your shoes when a random video bomber leans against you, or when you’ll get your pants yanked down like this man.
Boy Interrupts Live Report for a Quick Selfie
There seems to be no end to the hazards of field reporting, especially as the internet is full of videos and screenshots, proving that people have trouble resisting the allure of a camera. In this case, the victim was KEYT’s reporter, John Palminteri.
Palminteri, considered one of the friendliest guys in broadcasting, got frustrated when this Santa Barbara resident tried to take a selfie with him during one of his live reports. And viewers got a clear view of Palminteri pushing the young man off. As you’d expect, most didn’t take too kindly to it, and it’s easy to see why.
It’s Getting Hot In Here
No matter how much some people try to deny climate change, we can already feel its presence. We’re talking about the extreme weather conditions we face, including sweltering heat. While our bodies can adjust in most situations, the planet can only manage so much. How about if the temperature reaches 2,960 degrees?
This weatherman Cory McCloskey was probably surprised to have seen the figures go up this high! Well, while viewers found the obvious technical mishap on Phoenix temperatures hilarious, the man kept a straight face and rolled with it, making the moment even funnier! What was more interesting was that he instructed the citizens to evacuate the area as early as possible.
Weather Forecasting In 2021
Not everyone listens to the weather forecast because of how boring the reports might get. Especially in this digital age, people’s attention span has become shorter than a goldfish, or so they say. Fortunately, WLOS ABC 13 broadcaster Justin Hinton managed to hook the viewers with this tactic: using the mystery mask filter while reporting.
Hinton was broadcasting via social media when he unknowingly clicked on the filter option, resulting in this hilarious on-air blunder. Worse, he had no idea that he had different colors on his face until he saw the comment section. We hope he has learned his lesson on using his smartphone when reporting.
Never Surprise Spider-Man
In all the “Spider-Man” films, we have learned that the titular superhero character has one of the most awesome powers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: having Spidey Sense, which is his ability to sense danger and act on it in a timely way. Perhaps, this was what “Good Morning America” correspondent Sara Haines thought when she pulled a stunt on this guy in costume during the New Year’s Eve in 2013.
Haines pretended to faint and Spider-Man was supposed to swoop down and catch her, but we guess even he was caught off-guard by the act! Remember that this happened on live TV and fans could check what happened on the internet.
The Calm in the Eye of a Technical Systems Crash
In 2017, a technical difficulty put a temporary pause on the BBC News at Ten. And Huw Edwards held the fort for four minutes until the issue was resolved before starting the show as though nothing had happened.
But then, if anyone could display such calm under pressure, it would be Edwards, who enjoys a reputation for hosting BBC’s flagship program. He later revealed that with so much going on in the gallery, no one had bothered to tell him he was on-air throughout the disturbance. Still, he suspected he might be, so he maintained an air of calm professionalism.
Who’s That?
Here’s a classic photo showing KABC-TV veteran Marc Brown and a sketch art of a criminal who bears a striking resemblance to him. Early on in his career as a news anchor, Brown was live on set describing a suspect. But viewers at home must have been shocked to discover that he could easily pass for the man in the sketch.
Of course, the photo dates from long before the internet became as widespread as it is today, but it’s sure made its rounds since then. And no doubt Brown must have been shocked to see the resemblance too. Talk about an embarrassing coincidence.
When the Little Black Dress Isn’t a Fan Favorite
This might be a chance to consider what passes as appropriate work attire for a weather forecaster. For some, it’s about wearing something that looks good on camera but doesn’t distract viewers from the gist being delivered. While for others, it’s all about being comfortable.
No one can say what inspired Liberté Chan to show up at work in this glitzy black number. But the viewers that day were less than impressed. And once the TV crew started getting emails conveying the viewer’s displeasure at the less than appropriate outfit, Chan was handed a sweater before she could continue her segment.
When the Job Gets Too Tiring
Everyone knows that reporters always have to be attentive when facing a camera. Because when you’re live on-air, you can’t afford to make a mistake, show the wrong facial expression, or let out a loud yawn in the middle of a report.
Still, on this day, that is just precisely what happened to reporter Deedee Sun as she waited to go live. Unfortunately, a production team member chose that moment to go live. We have to admit the yawn’s timing made it seem like she was bored with Ross Jansen’s report. But Sun took the joke in stride, and everyone laughed over it.
Michael Fish Denies Hurricane Rumors Hours Before the Great Storm of 1987
Like most professionals who owe a duty to the public, meteorologists are expected to take their job very seriously. That’s primarily because a timely forecast can be the difference between an avoidable tragedy and quickly implemented safety precautions.
In 1987, this BBC weather presenter Michael Fish decided to ignore the forecast of strong winds and heavy rain. Instead, he assured the nation that all the talk of an impending hurricane was just a rumor. Sadly, only a few hours later, a storm ravaged the South of England, ending the lives of 18 people. If only Fisher had done his job correctly!
California Reporter Gets a Nude Awakening
The 2020 lockdown meant many news reporters had to broadcast from their homes. And considering that individuals were all stuck in their homes, unable to visit the barber’s or hairdresser’s Bureau Chief for Joaquin County decided to give out timely hairstyling tips.
We imagine that she decided to film the repo in her bathroom so she could trim her hair with ease. But midway through the report, viewers got a glimpse of an undressed figure in the background. And suddenly, Meza was the one getting tips on why the bathroom is the wrong place for a live telecast. Neither Meza nor the network addressed the issue to date.
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