Man, I just can’t get enough of local news segments gone wrong.
Watching people try to keep it together after an offhand comment or some other mistake just brings me so much joy and this latest one I stumbled upon has me rolling.
Over 10 years ago on the Australian Today Show, the anchors began a story on reports of a shark swimming in a park’s pond and brought in a “shark expert” to report live from the scene. I’m pretty sure he was not an expert and was just one of their field reporters, but I have to admit I’m not very familiar with Australian news channels.
Regardless, the initial transition to the live shot is awkward at best as both guys just start laughing and are unable to get any words out. Once they get it together, the “expert” reveals that there’s probably not a shark in the pond but officials are taking it seriously, yada yada.
But right at the end, after the “expert” finishes speaking, the anchor gives him one chance to cast a line out into the pond, catch the shark and save the day.
So he unhooks a giant lure, winds up, and flings the bait across the pond, with honestly a hell of a cast. He starts reeling in and wants to make some funny commentary but can’t when he realizes a duck has taken the bait and is now hooked by the beak.
Instantly, both anchors from the studio start freaking out as the “expert” straight up drags the flailing bird across the water’s surface (another reason I don’t think he was a real expert), eventually convincing him to stop reeling and the camera cuts away.
Now, no one wants to hook a bird, but sometimes it unfortunately does happen. For the most part, you’ve just gotta cut the line and hope for the best, as holding down a wild bird is typically not very easy.
The look of pure terror on the anchors faces when they realize that entire segment was a complete disaster is just priceless.
Whatever we have to do to keep local news in business, let’s make sure it gets done, because it’s worth the cost just for moments like this.
