16.07.2026 15:40
A reporter who had a giant cockroach crawl up his neck during a live broadcast calmly finished his report. His cool-headed demeanor received great praise from viewers.
An unexpected incident during a live broadcast in the U.S. left both the studio and viewers stunned. Rachel Menitoff, a reporter for KTLA television in Los Angeles, experienced a difficult moment when a giant cockroach climbed onto her neck and chest while she was presenting a news segment. Despite this, the young journalist maintained her composure and continued her report without interruption, earning widespread praise on social media.
Giant Cockroach Interrupts Live Broadcast
The incident occurred in Los Angeles, USA. While reporting live on the extreme heat wave affecting the region, Rachel Menitoff encountered an unexpected guest.
Footage captured by cameras showed a giant cockroach first crawling across the reporter's chest, then climbing toward her neck, and finally landing on her microphone.
Although Menitoff's eyes widened briefly as she felt the insect moving, the experienced reporter continued her broadcast as if nothing had happened.
Panic Erupts After Broadcast Ends
As soon as the live broadcast ended, Rachel Menitoff could no longer contain herself. Dropping her microphone, she frantically tried to remove the cockroach from her body, expressing her shock with the words, "Oh my God... I feel something on me."
Behind-the-scenes footage showed Menitoff quickly wiping her skin and shaking her microphone to dislodge the insect.
"I Knew the Bug Was On Me"
Speaking to KTLA after the live broadcast, Rachel Menitoff said she noticed the cockroach landing on her but ignored it to complete the report.
In her statement, the young reporter said:
"I knew it was on me. But I also knew that if I reacted, I wouldn't be able to finish the broadcast."
"I told myself, 'Finish this broadcast first, then handle it.'"
Menitoff also noted that the incident was a strange coincidence, reminding that her report was about the extreme heat.
"Due to the extreme heat, cockroaches are attracted to warm environments and camera lights. Actually, our location was perfect for them," she said.
Colleagues Shower Praise
Rachel Menitoff's professional demeanor under pressure earned full marks from her coworkers.
Anchor Megan Henderson praised her colleague, saying, "There's our Rachel Menitoff. She's truly highly professional. I couldn't have continued the broadcast."
Meteorologist Kirk Hawkins expressed his shock with these words:
"That was really scary. Now we'll all be having nightmares about flying cockroaches."
KTLA reporter Jessica Holmes also commended Menitoff's composure, stating, "She is a true professional in every sense."
Extreme Heat Boosts Cockroach Population
The television channel also shared behind-the-scenes footage with viewers, showing Menitoff trying to remove the insect from her body immediately after the broadcast.
The program also discussed how the recent extreme heat wave in California had led to an increase in the number of various insect species, particularly cockroaches.
The footage, viewed millions of times on social media, was widely praised by users as an example of "true professionalism" for Rachel Menitoff's ability to stay focused on her duty even under challenging conditions.