While covering the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles on Wednesday, ABC News anchor David Muir—who is renowned for delivering the day’s most important headlines—became a part of the news cycle. Muir, broadcasting from a burned and empty street, wore what looked like a weather-appropriate, form-fitting flame-retardant jacket. But astute viewers picked up on an unexpected detail: a clothespin subtly tightening the back of his jacket to give it a more fitted look.
Online users immediately reacted negatively to the revelation, calling the anchor’s actions “pathetic” and “narcissistic,” accusing him of putting his on-camera appearance ahead of the seriousness of the catastrophe.
When Megyn Kelly commented on her show on Thursday, accusing Muir of “playing dress-up” in the midst of a major natural disaster, the controversy intensified.
When Megyn Kelly commented on her show on Thursday, accusing Muir of “playing dress-up” in the midst of a major natural disaster, the controversy intensified.
On Wednesday, David Muir reported from the debris left by the destructive wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The ABC News anchor emphasized the damage during a live segment, pointing to the burned remnants surrounding him.
When Muir turned momentarily during his report, he unintentionally revealed a clothespin tightening his yellow reflective jacket, which bore the ABC News logo. He said, “As you can see here behind me,” not realizing that the improvised styling technique had been noticed and had caused an unexpected online sensation.
The Scathing Criticism
Megyn Kelly was unreserved in her criticism: “He’s wearing a fake firefighter’s jacket, to start. Why is he posing as a firefighter? She asked.
When my little boys were still in their single digits, they did this. Playing dress-up in the midst of a disaster scene is inappropriate for the World News Tonight host. She asserted that David Muir had no justification for donning a yellow jacket with reflective firefighter stripes.
It’s all a show. She claimed that the focus of this was precisely on his work as an actor on screen. The clothespin simply emphasizes the point. He is concerned about his appearance and whether his waistline seems trim enough. I hope no one thinks David Muir might appear a bit boxy.
Kelly went further, describing this incident as just the most recent instance of Muir’s misguided priorities. His conceit about his waistline and his pretend firefighter persona are too much. His love for his own face and opinions was evident during the presidential debate, so we’ve seen this before,” she continued. “ABC News should really think about moving on because he has discredited himself.”
