T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach joined the growing chorus of critics scrutinizing ABC News anchor David Muir’s on-camera appearance during his coverage of the L.A. wildfires.
In a now-viral photo, Muir was spotted using a clothespin to make his ABC News slicker appear more form-fitting while reporting on the devastating fires.
According to Deadline, the image sparked backlash online, with some accusing Muir of prioritizing his appearance over the gravity of the tragedy.
Moreover, Holmes and Robach addressed the controversy in the January 10 episode of their podcast, Does This Fire Make Me Look Fat?, with Holmes noting, “Muir is being ripped for what he wore,” and questioning whether the criticism is warranted.
Additionally, Robach, who previously worked with Muir at ABC News, appeared to side with the critics as she stated, “When you have a massive tragedy unfolding behind you—flames, people’s homes, belongings, lives being lost—being concerned about how you look seems like a slap in the face to those dealing with the worst possible situation.”
As per the publication, the pair also discussed how public figures such as Jack Osbourne, Donald Trump Jr., and Megyn Kelly have taken shots at Muir, with Kelly addressing the incident on her show.
Furthermore, Robach acknowledged the anger directed at Muir, as she claimed, “By seeing that clothespin, it looks like his focus was on himself instead of on the story he was covering.”
In regard to this, she added that ABC News has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Holmes noted that the viral moment could hurt Muir’s credibility as he said, “There’s no question it leaves a bad taste for someone going through what they’re going through in L.A..”
Later in the podcast, Holmes and Robach tempered their criticism by acknowledging the pressures of live reporting.
It is worth mentioning that Holmes pointed out that Muir may not have been aware of the adjustment to his jacket, by explaining, “Often, you’re focused on your notes or the latest updates, while a producer or wardrobe person is making adjustments like this. We don’t know what happened.”
