It looked like something straight out of an episode of a gross-out reality show. But this wasn't Fear Factor; it was the local news.
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While Rachel Menitoff was reporting on the heat wave in Southern California during a KTLA news broadcast on Tuesday, July 14, she was joined by a cockroach. It then crawled all over her neck and chest.
What Happened to the News Reporter?
In a video the station shared on YouTube, Menitoff reported from a street in Sherman Oaks, California.
As she reports on the region's rising temperatures, a cockroach rises onto the skin around her chest and neck. Throughout the segment, Menitoff continues to report on the heat while keeping her cool, even if those watching might not have.
The insect eventually made its way into the reporter's microphone before flying away.
In a post on X, the station wrote, "SURPRISE LANDING An insect crashed @KTLA reporter @RachelMenitoff's live shot last night, and we must praise her professionalism. Who else could remain this cool!?"
After her report, Menitoff is seen shaking her body to make sure the insect was nowhere near her.
Peers Praised Menitoff's Professionalism
KTLA's anchors shared their thoughts on the clip. They were quick to praise Menitoff for keeping her composure during a moment that would've caused others to lose it.
"That's our Rachel Menitoff, who is so professional, she kept her cool, there's no way I would've been able to keep my cool on this," said one of the anchors. "She probably wasn't sure what it was, you just know there's something."
Another added, "At the end, I have to say I'm so relieved that it jumped onto the mic because it looked like it was gonna crawl into her clothing."
Menitoff then shared what she was thinking during her close encounter with the cockroach.
"I knew if I took notice of it, I wouldn't be able to continue on with the report,' she said. "So I said to myself, just get through this moment and then kind of shake it off."
You can watch the full clip below. Just be warned, there's a giant insect.
