Not satisfied with the tearful interview they coerced out of Bode Miller during Sunday’s Olympics coverage, NBC later sent a reporter to physically assault the U.S. skier on camera in his living quarters at the athlete village Monday morning.
“Covering the the Olympics is about identifying the human moments that we all can relate to,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBC Sports. “And what’s more human than getting bullied by a needling reporter?”
Christin Cooper, the same reporter who pressed Miller to comment on how his brother’s recent death weighed on him while he earned the bronze in the men’s super-G, broke into Miller’s room and surprised him while he was getting out of the shower, first kicking him in the shin and then throwing a handful of sand in his eyes. Miller fell to the ground, clutching his shin while unable to see.
“It was impressive to me that we were able to get Bode to display such raw emotion as he laid their writhing in pain, asking me why I thought this was an acceptable form of journalism,” said Cooper. “Not being a formally trained journalist, I don’t have to answer that sort of question and the cameras got it all so it was well worth it.”
