Reporter Faces Cockroach on Air During Heat Wave Coverage

Los Angeles KTLA 5 news reporter Rachel Menitoff drew attention online following a live report incident involving a cockroach. During her report on a heat wave from Sherman Oaks, the insect landed on her and moved across her neck and chest without disrupting her focus.

Menitoff was detailing the ongoing heat conditions in the Valley, noting, “And it’s a lot more comfortable at this hour, but we’re still in the 80s here in the Valley. So overnight temperatures aren’t necessarily dropping, and this leads to less recovery time from the daytime heat…” At this moment, a cockroach appeared, jumped onto her microphone, and eventually flew away.

Despite this, Menitoff managed to continue her report with composure. Her colleagues discussed the incident the next morning, showing post-broadcast footage of her brushing off the insect. “Oh gosh. Oh, I feel something,” she remarked.

Her professional handling of the situation was commended by her peers. Anchor Megan Henderson expressed admiration, stating she wouldn’t have stayed as calm. Reporter Eric Spillman and meteorologist Kirk Hawkins echoed this sentiment, speaking of her calm demeanor and calling the episode “terrifying.”

In an interview with KTLA, Menitoff explained her awareness of the bug but emphasized the need to finish her report. She remarked, “I said to myself, just get through this moment and then kind of shake it off.” She noted the irony of covering extreme heat, which attracted cockroaches to the camera lights.

The clip circulated widely on social media. Opinions varied, with some praising her poise and others criticizing the city’s cleanliness. While some commented on the potential difficulty of staying composed, others used the clip to highlight issues in Los Angeles.

The incident also sparked responses from other reporters and commentators, showing the varied reactions to such unpredictable on-air moments.