Created: Friday, July 3, 2009 12:01 a.m. CST
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Views: TV news people do the darnedest things

By ROB CARROLL - rcarroll@nwnewsgroup.com

I'm a bit of a YouTube junkie. Among the many things I like to search for on the Web site is footage of the misfortunes of television news anchors and other crew members.

Here are some of my favorites. Please note: Most of these probably aren't safe for work.

Grape escape – This clip may be a little more well-known than the others in this column. Heck, even "Family Guy" lampooned the clip. Still one of my favorites. A nice report about grape stomping turns dangerous as a reporter attempts to multi-task by talking and stomping at the same time. She falls from a stage causing her to make some weird barking sound as she crashes to the ground. Sorry that she got hurt, but maybe she should try just doing one thing at a time. Search: Grape lady falls.

Wait, what was in that box?
– I'm trying my best to be tasteful here. One on-the-scene reporter covering a drug bust somehow misses a rather large adult novelty item being confiscated from the house in the background. Not sure how that factored into the cocaine operation. Channel: Fullprint.

Didn't see that one – I'm really not sure how you can confuse one's lack of sight for being a homosexual. Apparently, it was enough to confuse one anchor as she was going into a commercial break before a report about a blind mountain climber. The footage is grainy, but the sound is what's important here. Also, take a moment to find the reaction of the climber. Search: News slip up blind.

Happy birthday, Harry – Remember early episodes of "The Simpsons" when Bart would prank call Moe at the bar and ask for somebody with a wacky name like Seymour Butts? Someone thought they'd do something similar for Rockford CBS affiliate WIFR's birthday list. The prank works as planned as the anchor has no clue what she just read. How Ron Burgundy of her. You stay classy, Rockford. Channel: LLeRette.

The seems-to-be-insane weatherman – Charlotte, NC, weatherman Mark Mathis' forecasts are less about the actual forecast and more about entertainment. Clips featured on YouTube have Mathis dressed in costumes such as a snowflake, flower and Marilyn Monroe. He sings, he buries his face into birthday cakes and he discusses his contract disputes on the air. Occasionally he gives the seven-day outlook as well. Search: Mark Mathis.

Is this thing on? – ESPN's Chris Berman should have asked that before he decided to launch into a profanity-laden rant about people walking around ABC's "Monday Night Football" set in 2000. Apparently no one should move when this guy is staring at the tele-prompter. At least he apologizes in the middle of it. Search: Chris Berman crazy rant.

NWHerald.com Multimedia

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