Fake Wind at Weather Channel ..Viewers Crack Up As Pedestrians Stroll By Overly Dramatic Reporter
Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina on Friday, bringing a real, dangerous threat to millions in its path. However, one moment caught on live TV is giving people some much-needed comic relief.
Twitter user @gourdnibler captured a Weather Channel reporter struggling to stand upright and seemingly holding onto dear life — until the camera pans out a bit and captures two people casually strolling in the background.
Tony scar.@gourdniblerSo dramatic! Dude from the weather channel bracing for his life, as 2 dudes just stroll past. #HurricaneFlorence
“So dramatic!” the user captioned the clip, which was retweeted tens of thousands of times in just a few hours.
The clip also inspired people to ask the age-old question, “Why [do] reporters reporting on hurricanes have to stand out in the wind and rain?” And as one user pointed out, “We know that there’s a lot of rain and high winds in a hurricane. Reporters reporting on a house fire don’t stand in the fire.”
Barry Rudd@BarryRuddWhy to reporters reporting on hurricanes have to stand out in the wind and rain? We know that there’s a lot of rain and high winds in a hurricane. Reporters reporting on a house fire don’t stand in the fire.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, the Weather Channel defended Seidel’s coverage, saying that he was standing on wet grass and was “undoubtedly exhausted.”
“It’s important to note that the two individuals in the background are walking on concrete, and Mike Seidel is trying to maintain his footing on wet grass, after reporting on-air until 1:00 a.m. ET this morning and is undoubtedly exhausted,” the network said.
And others attempted to defend the reporter, joking that the wind was much weaker just a few feet away.
Jim Myers@jbotcher_myersThe wind is weaker 25 feet away.
Tony scar.@gourdnibler
So dramatic! Dude from the weather channel bracing for his life, as 2 dudes just stroll past. #HurricaneFlorence
