Heather Kovar, a TV news anchor for CBS 6 in Albany, New York, sparked a lot of concerns over the weekend after she was seen slurring her speech, calling the meteorologist by the wrong name, and acting erratically.
In the shocking video, she says:
“And so, moving on tonight, is we have to tell you also, you know, like other news that’s happening in the area, and across the area, in the nation.”
Also, in the middle of the report, she says:
“Well, hello! Good afternoon!
Like, I was telling you this morning, if you watched us this morning starting at 6 a.m., 7 a.m., I told you, you know what?
Today, what a beautiful day outside! It is just amazing. And so, a great time for outdoor music.”
Viewers expressing concern over train wreck of local evening newscast out of Albany. Anchor Heather Kovar appeared disheveled, misspoke, and slurred her words for the entire newscast. Here, she tries to set up the weather and toss to the meteorologist, who’s name she gets wrong. pic.twitter.com/70jwwvykKt
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 10, 2022
She was eventually cut off from the hard to watch segment.
Even though she had a rough go on the Saturday broadcast, she assured viewers via Twitter that she would be returning on Sunday morning, tweeting out:
“It’s another marathon weekend! See you now 6-8am. Then 6 and 11. And I’ll be back Sunday morning from 7-9am then 6:30 pm and 11pm. Lots of good live music out there this weekend. We have info later in the show. Enjoy!”
It’s another marathon weekend!
See you now 6-8am. Then at 6 and 11.
And I’ll be back Sunday morning from 7-9am then 6:30 pm and 11pm.
Lots of good live music out there this weekend. We have info later in the show. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/SZqiJw5DKP— Heather Kovar (@CBS6Heather) July 9, 2022
However, she did not reappear Sunday morning, and was replaced by Emma Quinn, and the station has suspended her, according to the New York Post.
While watching the video, it’s easy to see she’s either drunk, or having a major medical problem, and either way it’s a difficult scene to watch.
According to the Times Union of Albany, Kovar had recently returned to the station from leave, where she was taking care of her father before his passing, and many wonder if she has had a difficult time dealing with such a heartbreaking situation.
“Saturday I was scheduled to work the early morning 6am shift and the evening shift. I was sleep-deprived and exhausted.”
However, a producer says she was “known to come in intoxicated” so who really knows? Seems like a combination of exhaustion, personal life issues and alcohol, but either way, a wild scene for the local news.
She has since resigned:
Heather Kovar update no. 5: In addition to exhaustion and a toxic work environment, it appears alcohol did play a role, too. A producer on the CBS 6 Albany newscast tells me Kovar was known to come in for weekend shifts “intoxicated”, but “not this bad”.
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 11, 2022
