Anchor responds to viewers criticizing her weight by reading their comments in her news voice

Carissa Codel, a news anchor from Missouri, has taken a unique approach to handling rude online comments about her appearance. She reads these remarks aloud in her professional news voice as part of a viral series called Reading Viewer Comments.

Since starting the series in August, Codel has released 14 installments, including a Halloween special where she dressed as Sabrina Carpenter, a celebrity she is often compared to. The series showcases viewer comments such as shawty obese and no oink oink oink while she stands in front of a screen displaying the messages. Her videos have gained widespread attention on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, with the latter alone accumulating over 2 million views and 200,000 likes.

Codel explained that the series began after she noticed harsh comments on one of her news reports. She said she found them amusing and wanted to highlight how women in journalism are frequently judged for their looks. I wanted my video reading the comments to stand out, so that's where the newscaster voice came in, she shared, noting that hearing the comments read aloud makes their absurdity clear.

The Halloween edition of the series featured Codel dressed as Carpenter, reading comments both mocking and complimentary toward the pop star. One comment she read humorously asked, If Sabrina Carpenter had a bakery, prompting a playful reaction from Codel.

Codel also discussed her motivation on the podcast Attention Addiction, co-hosted by her mother, Codie. She explained that social media engagement is crucial for journalists today, and turning negative comments into content allowed her to connect with her audience in a creative way. Her mother recalled reacting with protective instinct, but ultimately supporting the project once she saw its potential.

Support has also come from colleagues, including morning anchor Angela Luna, who shared a video defending Codel against online trolls with a playful lip-sync clip. The series continues to grow in popularity, illustrating how turning criticism into humor and creativity can resonate with viewers and spark viral attention.

Author: Olivia Parker