In the world of live reporting, it seems the unfiltered side of life sometimes spills out, and in the case of L.A. reporter Stu Mandel, it poured out like a soap opera for everyone to witness. While covering a protest from a chopper, Stu veered off the windswept path of journalistic neutrality into a candid monologue about his personal life. It was almost as if he forgot he wasn’t talking to a therapist, but to every viewer tuned in to the chaos below.
As the camera aimed at the tumultuous scene on the ground, Stu, high above in his airborne studio, launched into a lamentation about his marriage—or, more accurately, the fact that he’s “legally married.” One could almost see the eye-rolls from the control room as Stu spelled out the tribulations of his personal life to a city more interested in the turmoil in their streets. As reality TV stars would say, “this was great television.”
One has to wonder if this is the evolution of live reporting, where personal drama intertwines with public interest. Imagine tuning into your local broadcast and being greeted with a dissection of highway traffic, sprinkled with the weather person’s musings about their Saturday night woes. And while it’s great entertainment, it does make one question the current state of journalism. At least Stu has cats to keep him company when the chopper returns to the ground—nothing says independence quite like feline companionship.
Meanwhile, pundits and hosts debated whether this public meltdown might be a career-maker for Stu. After all, in the age of reality TV, where other people’s drama is prime viewing, having a breakdown in a news helicopter over L.A. could be the big break he didn’t know he was aiming for. Forget the accolades of highbrow journalism; there’s a reality show deal waiting somewhere.
One can’t help but cheer for Stu, even if only in the vein of hoping for more episodes of this unscripted saga. Perhaps, like many who find themselves in front of a camera, his life story is something that would translate well to a wider audience. Everyone loves a comeback narrative, even if it turns out to be a bumpy flight from legal marriage to personal stability. Here’s hoping he finds his way, with or without the helicopter’s steady lift.
