KEYC Mankato anchor Annie Stensrud breaks silence on her "drunk broadcast" [VIDEO]
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| Annie Stensrud begins her fateful broadcast. |
In the opener, reporter Annie Stensrud noticabely slurs her way through several stories, missing cues and stumbling through the usual on-air banter with a fellow reporter.
Since bumbling anchors are always an instant Internet sensation, it should come as no surprise that the clip went viral. Stensrud has been called out for being drunk on the air by everyone from Huffington Post to the Daily Mail in the UK. She even made for the entire set up for David Letterman's top ten list last night, "Top Ten Signs Your Local News Team Is Drunk."
Now, Stensrud is offering an explanation.
Stensrud will (would have?) celebrated her one year anniversary as the station's weekend anchor next month.
In the video, she is trying to open the weekend broadcast with news on the weather and a short piece on a new medical center in New Ulm. Things go off the rails pretty quickly. Watch:
After the disasterous three minute segment was cut off, Stensrud did not appear for the rest of the broadcast, or for the customary wrap-up.
Last night, Stensrud offered the following non-explanation on the station's website:
"My performance last Sunday night was terrible, and for that, I apologize. I've been sick for some time and taking medication, and have missed a lot of work lately. I'm on my way to feeling better and hope to be back at full strength soon. I appreciate everyone's understanding and even more so, their support."
Presumably, then, it was the meds making her talk all funny-like.
The station itself has released a brief statement as well, though it provides few clues as to their own judgment of the situation, or about Stensrud's fate:
"Sunday night's uncharacteristic newscast on KEYC Mankato can hardly be considered private. Nonetheless, in our judgment, the matter represents a personnel issue to be resolved internally." Dennis M. Wahlstrom, Vice President and General Manager, KEYC
That's not exactly a ringing note of endorsement for Stensrud.
Well, it would be droll to sign-off on those sawdust-dry reactions from the station, so here's Letterman's top ten list from last night. We'd argue the original footage is still the funniest part:
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