Who doesn't love a news blooper? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most hilarious flubs, awkward mishaps and fiery moments that have ever tripped up news reporters on live TV.
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00:00I don't know what that means, to play us out. What does that mean?"
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most hilarious flubs,
00:08awkward mishaps, and fiery moments that have ever tripped up news reporters on live TV.
00:13We pride ourselves on getting it right and having the highest of standards and integrity.
00:18Clearly, today, that did not happen.
00:2230. Bug interrupts news report
00:25On-the-ground correspondents certainly don't have it easy. They endure everything
00:29from nasty weather to war zones, all while keeping it cool. But for KARK 4 reporter Isaiah
00:35Carey, that professional front shattered when his segment was interrupted by a very unwelcome guest.
00:41"'Shit flyin' in my mouth!"
00:43While reporting on the death of a high school student in Augusta, Arkansas,
00:46Carey had the misfortune of a large insect flying straight into his mouth.
00:50He instantly lost his composure. In a heartbeat,
00:53that cool, professional newscaster voice morphed into a profane outburst.
00:58"'The reaction was so honest. Too damn honest.'"
01:02You could even hear the camera operator cracking up in the background. After all these years,
01:06though, we're still curious about what really happened at Augusta High School.
01:1129. Ten times the meteorologist
01:14If you've ever thought TV needed way more weather reporters,
01:17this graphics glitch has definitely got you covered.
01:20In 2021, meteorologist Jennifer McDermott of KMSP in Minneapolis, Minnesota was delivering
01:26her run-of-the-mill weather report when things got a little funky.
01:29"'Oooh, that's funky! What is going… ooooh!'
01:35A graphics error caused her to multiply on the screen as she pointed to it,
01:39which made for a surreal and hilarious sight. McDermott herself was certainly amused,
01:44as she played along with the error, making funny movements across the screen,
01:48much to the delight of her colleagues. With a sense of humor like hers,
01:52we wouldn't mind seeing a few more McDermotts on air.
01:54"'Whatever button you pushed, don't do it again.'"
01:56"'I don't know what happened!'
01:5828. Tiny lizard attacks reporter
02:02There's nothing quite like an uninvited insect or animal to throw a reporter off their game.
02:07This time, it was way anchorman Michael Scott, who, in 2002,
02:11found himself in a rather scaly situation.
02:13"'This guy is, uh, probably close to five feet.'"
02:16In what was supposed to be a routine interview with a snake wrangler,
02:19surrounded by massive reptiles, a tiny gecko decided to steal the spotlight.
02:24The lizard leapt from a nearby table and clung onto Scott's jacket,
02:27instantly turning him into a flailing mess. His life must have flashed before his eyes
02:32as he jerked around like he was being electrocuted and went straight for the floor.
02:36"'Why does this thing jumpin' at me for, eh? He likes you here.'"
02:39We don't mean to laugh at his misadventure,
02:41but his co-workers couldn't help themselves either.
02:4427. But he's gay
02:46In 2001, American athlete and adventurer Eric Weinmayer made history as the first
02:52blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Truly a mind-blowing feat. However,
02:57while reporting on the story, Cynthia Isaguirre, a news reporter in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
03:02made an on-air blunder that she probably will never live down.
03:05"'Right after the break, we're gonna interview Eric Weinmayer,
03:09who climbed the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.'"
03:12Instead of calling Weinmayer blind, Isaguirre confidently described him as gay.
03:17Now, we're not entirely sure what was going through her mind,
03:19but the emphasis she places on gay, a word that sounds nothing like blind,
03:25makes this moment instant comedy gold.
03:27"'He's gay. I mean, he's gay, excuse me, he's blind.'"
03:30If Weinmayer wasn't aware of this new identity before, he certainly is now.
03:3526. Running in the snow
03:38It was the perfect texture for running,
03:40and apparently even more perfect for slipping and falling. In 2014,
03:44COIN6 News reporter Lisa Balick was out on the streets of Portland, Oregon, during a snowstorm
03:49when she stopped joggers Chelsea and Michael to talk about the weather.
03:52"'What have you seen while you've been out running?'
03:54"'It's been a lot of fun. There's a lot of other runners and more skiers than runners,
03:57for sure. I think they've got a little bit of the advantage with the whole
04:00stride and glide thing, but it's too nice to not be out here.'"
04:03The pair raved about the snow's ideal running conditions, describing it as, quote,
04:07"'very low impact.'" But mere seconds after their enthusiastic endorsement,
04:12Chelsea discovered firsthand that the impact was anything but low when she
04:16slipped on a snowy patch and hit the ground hard.
04:18"'We've seen a lot of people out here, like you said, running,
04:21sledding, just enjoying it. One thing, oops, that can happen, unfortunately.'"
04:27Ouch. That definitely looked like it hurt. But if she says she's fine, who are we to argue?
04:3325. Barack Obama's two dads
04:36Most journalists slip up every now and then, but there's something extra amusing when it
04:40happens to one of the pros. Case in point? ABC senior correspondent Terry Moran.
04:45"'Terry Moran, here at the desk, just back from Wisconsin.'
04:48"'That's right, spent a lot of time in Wisconsin over the years, and, you know,
04:50this is the state that two elections in a row has been decided as tight as any other state.'"
04:55Back in 2008, Moran, then a Nightline co-anchor, was covering the presidential
05:00elections and highlighted the historic significance of Barack Obama's nomination.
05:05However, while discussing Obama's background, he incorrectly described him as being the son
05:10of two dads.
05:11"'Barack Obama, the son of a black man from Kenya and a white man from Kansas.'"
05:16And the funny thing is, he didn't even catch his own blunder. Sure, Obama having two fathers
05:20certainly would have been history-making, but we don't think the history books were
05:24ready for such a moment at the time.
05:2624. Reporter taken out by sled
05:29You probably wouldn't expect a sleigh-riding race to give you the
05:32laugh of a lifetime, but this clip proves to be full of surprises. In 2012,
05:37Global News reporter Rob Leth was covering an inner-tube toboggan race on a snowy mountain.
05:41"'I've got my trusty stopwatch, and here they come down the hill.'"
05:44But instead of playing it safe on the sidelines, Leth decided to stand
05:48right in the path of the oncoming sled. You can easily guess what happens next,
05:53but somehow Leth couldn't. One of the racers plowed into him,
05:57launching him into a full flip before he hit the ground.
06:00"'That was a bad idea. At Riverside Park, Rob Leth, Global News.'"
06:05We have to hand it to him, though. Despite the tumble,
06:08Leth manages to sign off like a pro before gracefully collapsing into the snow.
06:1323. Live from the White House
06:16As a news reporter, it's wise to always assume you are live on the air. Otherwise,
06:22you might end up in the same predicament as NBC news reporter Emery King. King was supposed to
06:26be reporting live from the White House about President Ronald Reagan's trip to Asia.
06:30"'Emery King is at the White House this morning. Emery,
06:33has the White House more or less set the stage to scrap the trip?"
06:36But when Connie Chung threw him a question from the newsroom, King,
06:39blissfully unaware that he was live, responded in the most flippant way possible.
06:44The look of horror on his face after realizing his blunder was priceless.
06:48"'Hey, how do I know, Connie? Okay. Oh, my God. I'm very sorry, Connie.'"
06:55Ever the pro, King immediately apologized for his error, and transitioned smoothly into his
07:00reporter persona. Thankfully, this on-air slip-up didn't put his career in any danger.
07:0622. Traffic Report Rap
07:09The news can sometimes be a snoozefest, especially when it comes to the weather and traffic updates.
07:14So in 2006, Jenny Stencil, the traffic reporter at WXII-TV in North Carolina,
07:20decided to spice things up.
07:22"'All right, I'm all nervous, but here's my rap.'"
07:24Rather than the usual commute rundown, Stencil delivered her report as a rap song,
07:29or at least what she believed to be a rap song. She struggled to catch the beat,
07:33delivering a string of awkward lines that only got cringier by the second.
07:37"'Now, things look nice on 68, and I know you ain't gonna be late.'"
07:42But hey, at least she did manage to rhyme triad-yo with na-na-na-na-no, so that's worth
07:48something. Let's just hope her lyrical disaster didn't lead to any real-life crashes.
07:5321. The totally brand-new technology of touchscreen
07:57Although touchscreen technology has been around for a while and is now practically everywhere,
08:02it appears some people are still stumbling upon its wonders.
08:05Take ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Greg Dutra, for example. In 2022, even after years on the job,
08:12Dutra had his mind completely blown when he accidentally brushed the screen and realized
08:17it responded to touch.
08:18"'Hung up just a little bit. I moved the map. I didn't know I could do that.'"
08:22His co-anchor, Terrell Brown, who apparently was also unaware,
08:25had to try it out for himself to believe it. Granted, Dutra was shocked to find out it was
08:30a touchscreen, but nothing beats his reactions to also learning that it could zoom and tilt.
08:35Is this how the first person who discovered fire felt?
08:38"'What's going on here? All right, anyway, I'm gonna figure this all out.'"
08:4120. Grammy reporter mixes words
08:44Getting tongue-tied during a news report is a pretty common occurrence for newscasters
08:48and reporters, but Serene Branson took it to a whole other level.
08:52"'Well, a very, very heavy, uh, heavy do it,
08:55vertation tonight. We had a very deris- derison,
08:59but let's go to Terry's English for the pet, they have the pet.'"
09:02During her news report delivered outside the 2011 Grammy Awards,
09:05Branson reportedly suffered a migraine, causing her speech to be garbled and unintelligible.
09:11The way she delivers the nonsense words with such conviction tells you that in any other
09:15circumstance, Branson is a complete professional, and that there's more to this error than meets
09:20the eye. A very heavy vertation indeed.
09:2319. Beagle takes studio by storm
09:27Animals can make for unpredictable partners on TV, and though that can make life difficult
09:32for their handlers, from a viewer's perspective, the results are always hilarious.
09:39Weatherman John Ziegler learned this the hard way when Griffey, the studio beagle,
09:44insisted on a game of fetch during the forecast.
09:47Ziegler quickly gives in and engages the dog, which proves to be his undoing.
09:52Griffey returns to the weatherman again and again, even hitting the green screen in his excitement.
10:06Although Ziegler smiles through it, you can see him becoming progressively worn down as
10:10he weathers the playful but sudden storm of energy.
10:1418. Eating floor grape nuts
10:17The five-second rule couldn't save this newscaster. During a live broadcast,
10:21weatherman Scott Haney decided to snack on what he thought were some grape nuts strewn on the floor.
10:30As fellow anchors mock him for his odd on-air choice, Haney's facial expressions soon give
10:34away that he too is having second thoughts. But viewers soon got an update that made everything
10:39worse. In the Trending Now segment, Haney reveals that what he thought were grape nuts
10:54was actually cat vomit he tracked into the studio on his shoes. While that explains why the so-called
10:59grape nuts were a little soggy, it was a funny reveal but also rather revolting.
11:0517. The completely wrong clip
11:08When it comes to producing video content, editing is crucial.
11:12One mistake can throw off an entire segment. Anchor Pat Murphy was updating sports fans about
11:17tight end Kevin Everett's condition after an in-game injury. As Murphy mentions that Everett
11:27could move his arms and legs, they cut to a video of a completely different man in a wheelchair.
11:35The baffling courtroom scene that plays out is horrendously inappropriate for the story.
11:39As the newsroom cuts quickly from the ill-timed clip, Murphy manages to keep his composure and
11:44finish the report like a professional. But we're guessing someone behind the scenes got a serious
11:49reprimand. 16. Edits required
11:53As we were saying about the importance of editing, it applies to the script too.
11:57Good evening, I'm Ken Bastida. Dana is off tonight. He was murdered and then set on fire
12:02while celebrating his birthday. In this clip from CBS 5 Eyewitness News,
12:07anchor Ken Bastida announced that his co-worker was out before going into the lead story about
12:11a recent homicide. However, there was no clear transition between the two topics,
12:17and the victim's name wasn't mentioned. As a result, it looks and sounds like Bastida
12:22had just delivered news of a co-worker's grisly death with barely any emotion.
12:26The real victim's name and picture do appear, making it clear that his fellow anchor is alright,
12:31but seriously? A simple re-read and we could have avoided a whole lot of shock and confusion.
12:3715. Complete mic fail
12:40A reporter cannot do their job with a missing microphone, but they should check for one first.
12:45During coverage of the Democratic National Convention, we're sent live to reporter
12:48Andy Shaw at the event. He doesn't say a full word before looking down at his notes
12:56and then looking for a mic, despite already having a headset to speak into.
13:01Ironically, as Shaw screams for a mic, we can hear his every word. When the feed cuts back
13:07to the studio, he's made such a scene that his fellow anchor can't not smirk at the humor of it all.
13:1314. Anchor laughs at Goatman
13:15Each year, Ig Nobel prizes are awarded to strange projects that are funny yet fascinating.
13:21But the staff at CTV News couldn't get past the funny part when talking about one winner.
13:2615. Thomas Thwaites had spent three days living as a goat chewing on grass and wearing artificial
13:34limbs. As one anchor discusses his findings, she breaks out into laughter. Although she tries to
13:46press on, the visuals prove too much for her to handle. By the end of the segment, three studio
13:51anchors are cracking up on air, and the Goatman proves himself worthy of his Ig Nobel prize.
14:0413. Can't handle the pressure
14:06This Australian morning show sent a reporter on a mission he could not handle.
14:13Up in the sky above the earth, at the mercy of a pilot who's used to the rigors of plane tricks,
14:18a mild-mannered presenter made the mistake of encouraging a man to push him to his limits.
14:32The look of just-holding-back vomit and exhilaration on his face soon give way to
14:36one in which he seems at peace as unconsciousness takes him.
14:4012. Close interview with pole
14:43A dedicated reporter doesn't let anything get in the way of their story.
14:46Kent Mulgat demonstrated this when he questioned an irritated lawyer trying to walk away.
14:51In the middle of his hot pursuit, Mulgat walks straight into a metal pole.
14:57The hit is so striking that even the annoyed lawyer stops to check up on him.
15:01A second camera angle shows that Mulgat actually stayed on his feet,
15:04but that the impact likely cost him a pair of glasses.
15:07We don't know if his persistence got him any closer to the truth, but talk about a story with impact.
15:1311. Make-believe
15:14One of the most important aspects of bringing the news to the public
15:17is cultivating an ability to get to the truth of any story,
15:21and not let lies and deception deter you.
15:27How someone in the chain of command of this news station was not able to stop these anchors
15:32from treating this TV set as a legitimate crash scene will never cease to amaze us.
15:36We can only imagine if the copter camera panned a little bit more to the side
15:41that there would have to be cameras, crew, and maybe even trailers or catering fully in view.
15:4710. Jet Slack
15:49When you first wake up in the morning and find your way to the nearest TV,
15:52one of the last things you'd probably expect to see is a grown man slammed into the sea.
15:58Using a water-powered jetpack when you have what we presume is little TV experience
16:02may sound like a fun idea at first, but it also may just lead to internet infamy.
16:07When the anchors burst out into uncontrollable laughter at your misfortune immediately thereafter,
16:12then that fate is virtually ensured.
16:15It still looks wicked fun though.
16:1611. The Big Bang Theory
16:18The Big Bang Theory is a science fiction story about a man who is trying to solve the big bang
16:24is virtually ensured.
16:25It still looks wicked fun though.
16:279. Under the Influence
16:29BBC correspondent Quentin Somerville got a little too close to this highly exclusive report.
16:41Somerville was taping a segment in the Middle East as a large pile of drugs burned behind him.
16:46He manages to record for about five seconds before the fumes get to him,
16:50causing uncontrollable laughter.
16:54Somerville tries to get serious,
16:58but each of his attempts to start over proves more side-splitting than the last.
17:03At times, even the cameraman seems affected by the smoke.
17:06Their giggles may have come from being under the influence,
17:08but the laughs this report produces are completely genuine.
17:208. News Lessons
17:22There are few things in this world more awkward than suddenly finding yourself working under
17:27somebody who you were at one time the boss of.
17:37Probably the worst case scenario is when you find yourself at odds with him
17:41while live on television.
17:42But at least you can rest assured that your embarrassment
17:45is creating some amazing TV for the rest of the world.
17:52We can't help but love every second of this anchor and reporter engaging in schoolyard-level taunts
18:05in what should otherwise be a very serious environment.
18:147. Unique Introduction
18:17At one time, the world of television was dominated by a few networks
18:20that had a stranglehold on what you saw on your sets.
18:23As a result, only the most seasoned, experienced people got the chance to helm the news.
18:32In our modern world, where there are seemingly as many stations as there are stars in the sky,
18:37there are many more opportunities for unknowns to grace your TV.
18:46An example of why that is not a good thing,
18:48A.J. Clemente's first seconds on air were stained with vulgarity and awkwardness that got him fired,
18:54as well as on Letterman talking about his mistakes.
18:59This may be the worst place a rodent has ever popped up.
19:02An anchor was providing an update on a disappearance case that had gone unsolved for years.
19:07As she names Rodney Stanger as a new suspect,
19:09viewers were shown the image of a hamster holding a movie slate.
19:19It's on-screen moments before the camera zooms quickly back to the anchor.
19:23She manages to dismiss the picture and move on with her report,
19:26with only a faint smile as evidence that it ever happened.
19:30We will say it once more with feeling,
19:32when it comes to live news, proper editing is vital.
19:38Arguably, there is nothing more visceral than seeing or hearing someone in extreme pain
19:43and knowing exactly what's going through their mind.
19:45After trying to trick her opponent into momentarily stopping her grape stomping,
19:49the reporter falls face first into the ground.
19:57She's clearly in extreme pain and most of us can relate.
20:00In the immediate aftermath of suffering,
20:02many of us may try to put up a front that the experience isn't as bad as it seems.
20:07So, it would take an all-encompassing pain
20:09that our brains would not be able to ignore to make us drop that facade.
20:16The end of this news segment is the incarnation of that effect,
20:20and we cannot stop listening to it,
20:21though we're also cringing at the same time.
20:25You'd think that the two segments of the news that seem the most clear-cut
20:29and easy to handle would be the weather and sports.
20:46The latter is oftentimes just spouting stats and scores
20:49with a few moments of personal opinions or witticisms thrown in.
20:55As such, many couch potatoes who love sports may fancy themselves a good fit for the role.
21:00If you happen to know someone with delusions of grandeur
21:02about their potential as a sportscaster or reporter and you want to shut them up,
21:06then this clip is for you.
21:08Later, he gets the rebound, passes it to the man, shoots it,
21:11and boom goes the dynamite.
21:13Sometimes incapable of even stringing a sentence together,
21:16this reporter can only spout one memorable line convincingly.
21:23This may be the most hilarious case of mistaken identity ever recorded.
21:27Guy Goma went into the BBC News studios to interview for an IT job.
21:31But his interview took a turn when a staff member mistook him for tech journalist Guy Cuny
21:37and put Goma on live television.
21:39As Guy Cuny is introduced, we see the look of fear flash on his face.
21:44Against all odds, Goma is able to hold it together
21:46and answer the reporter's questions with surprisingly good answers.
22:01Unfortunately, Guy's quick thinking did not get him a job in the IT department.
22:05But it did get him future TV appearances, for which he was actually able to prepare.
22:11Number two, will do it live.
22:13Unlike some of the other reporters on this list,
22:15Bill O'Reilly is a very seasoned television personality.
22:21It may be because of that that he feels comfortable acting like this on set.
22:31When the teleprompter doesn't display what he expects,
22:34instead of being a professional and working to rectify the situation,
22:37he at first barely holds in his unbridled rage
22:40and then completely unleashes it on those behind the scenes.
22:49The fact that he is aware that he's being filmed by the very people he unleashes on
22:54speaks to his pompous belief that they would never share the footage with others.
22:57Luckily for all of us, he was very wrong.
23:02And that is it for us today.
23:03I'm Bill O'Reilly.
23:04Thanks again for watching.
23:05We'll leave you with Sting and a cut off his new album.
23:08Take it away.
23:32Number one, zero prank radar.
23:35When Asiana Airlines flight 214 crashed on its final approach to an airport in San Francisco,
23:40it had the focus of eyes and ears worldwide.
23:56Even in this most grave of circumstances,
23:59there are those among us that saw it as an opportunity for jokes and levity.
24:03After years of falling for fake names,
24:05even Moe from The Simpsons may have balked at just how ridiculous
24:08a name like Sum Ting Wong sounds when read out loud,
24:10but somehow it still made it to live television
24:13with the Bay Area's KTVU Channel 2 News reporting several incorrect pilot names as fact.
24:24Did you catch any of these hilarious news fails live?
24:27Let us know in the comments below.
24:29Oh man, it's a great day! It's a great day!
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