Inappropriate comments at equally inappropriate moments; the scourge of newsreaders everywhere. The stuff of nightmares for Jon Snow, the type of incidents that leave Adam Boulton waking up at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat. For the gag reels on political panel shows a la Have I Got News For You and people with an awkward sense of humour like myself, however, it’s simply comedy gold.
So it was that, at breakfast time this morning, I almost choked on my Cheerios. When mechanical newsreaders let out high-pitched yelps, losing their robotic smiles, it appeals to the inner anarchist within you. Or at least, within me. The status quo is rocked; the powers that be are made to look foolish and helpless. It’s all the sweeter when the source of their downfall is a middle-aged, seemingly innocent woman with a sensible haircut and a very middle-class accent. Viva la revolucion! Most of you have probably come across the following recent news story, but for those of you that haven’t, I’ll give you a quick lowdown.
Heidi Withers is a bride to be; her fiancé’s stepmother sends her an abusive e-mail. In it, she accuses her future daughter-in-law of staying in bed too late, being vulgar and drawing attention to herself and, even more bizarrely, of traumatising and depressing the family dog with her rude behaviour. She also accused her stepson’s fiancé of being an ideal candidate for the Ladette To Lady television series. All pretty harsh stuff; apparently, the seemingly innocent woman interviewed on BBC Breakfast agreed. Throwing her hands into the air, she shouted ‘it’s not as if the young girl is snorting cocaine in the living room and shagging the gardener’. Cue an awkward silence, a stammering newsreader and a reminder that sometimes it’s more enjoyable when life doesn’t go too smoothly.
Some newsreader gaffes stick long in the memory whilst others fade into obscurity, albeit with a chuckle or two. The following are either screw ups I remembered myself, or found when randomly trawling through the internet; may God bless the invention of Google. You lucky sods even get the video link to enjoy the awkwardness all over again. Over and out; have a wonderful weekend petals. x
1. A Sky News journalist who couldn’t decide between saying ‘seal hunt’, or ‘seal cull’, before managing to combine the two by dropping the ‘c-bomb’ live on air. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIuT-Pdi70
2. This guy’s name is Chuck Storm. So he already sounds like the offspring of a crap superhero and a 70s pornstar. He got what he deserved. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y1q32AeMvM
3. When newsreaders say BREAKING NEWS, it’s usually anything but; here, however, it’s quite apt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUjbQUp9SR8&NR=1
4. I guess he meant to say ‘keep plucking that chicken’. That makes even less sense than what Ernie Arnastos, American newsreader, accidentally did say. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss8LDBNcsWc&feature=related
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