Reporting on live tv can be difficult. The Internet is flooded with videos of journalists attempting to do their job in spite of rude interruptions from passers-by, the climate playing spoilsport or, in some situations, curious animals finding a bit as well close. And most instances, offered the nature of the job, these moments are caught on camera for the world to see. This is precisely what occurred to a reporter, throughout his live shot in Washington. In a video, CNN reporter Manu Raju can be seen preparing to give his byte, though a significant insect is crawling on his suit and creating its way to his neck.
The insect that graced Mr Raju’s shot was a cicada, recognized to keep underground for two to 17 years. In the clip, the journalist is initially oblivious of the truth that the cicada is crawling on his suit. He only feels the insect when it reaches his neck. He immediately flicks it off his body and exclaims in shock. “Do I have more on me? Are they in my hair?” the reporter asks, as his colleagues assure him that there are none, amongst peals of laughter.
Sharing the video on Twitter, Mr Raju stated, “Had an unwelcome visitor try to crawl into my live shot earlier.” The clip has garnered more than 1.7 million views and practically 47,000 likes inside a couple of hours of uploading.
Had an unwelcome visitor attempt to crawl into my live shot earlier. pic.twitter.com/Pu68z0cWSN
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 27, 2021
Responding to the tweet, some customers shared other common videos of reporters and their unfortunate trysts with bugs and insects.
LOL, Manu! I have to say you definitely kept your cool. I feel lots of other people would have been like that Florida weatherman who saw a cockroach and flipped out!
Those cicadas are no jokes. pic.twitter.com/mcGEmZuq2q
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) May 27, 2021
Elie Honig even nominated his college for the “best live shot animal moment”.
It’s gonna come down to you vs @abbydphillip (lizard attack in Florida) vs. @joejohnscnn (a rodent of some sort outdoors the White House) for most effective live shot animal moment.
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) May 27, 2021
Several Twitter customers also wondered why none of his colleagues warned him about the bug sooner.
Does absolutely everyone who functions with you hate you? Why would no one point out the giant nightmare bug as it CRAWLED TOWARD YOUR FACE?
— not productive (@not_productive) May 27, 2021
who did you piss off in the manage area that it took them so extended to inform you? ????
— Lizzie O’Leary (@lizzieohreally) May 27, 2021
“Was nobody gonna say anything?” asked a user.
was no one gonna say something??
— Jan Wolfe (@JanNWolfe) May 27, 2021
Some even referred to Mr Raju’s “murderous look” upon sensing the cicada.
That murderous look you shot at the camera is quite comical ???? pic.twitter.com/0H3CZMxI1O
— LA Resident Tourist (@LA_Res_Tourist) May 27, 2021
“This is 100% the right reaction,” stated a user about the way Mr Raju responded to the circumstance.
This is one hundred% the correct reaction. The judges would also have accepted “screaming like a little girl” https://t.co/NBDRyKqiqW
— Pat Riot (@MattZ_NYC) May 27, 2021
Another viewer confessed that the journalist “handled this way better” than she would have and added the hashtag cicadapocalypse.
Manu handled this way much better than I would have… #cicadapocalypsehttps://t.co/L1XIoDqUcl
— Stephanie (@NachoHorse) May 27, 2021
“No cicadas were harmed during the filming of this segment,” a user added cheekily.
“No cicadas were harmed during the filming of this segment …” @mkraju@CNNhttps://t.co/d2dyfz9ZcS
— DAPPER DON DHARSHI • K A M I L • (@SoloFlow786) May 27, 2021
Tell us what you feel of the reporter’s “creepy” cicada encounter.