OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A weather reporter on CBS Los Angeles was rushed to the hospital after she collapsed on set during a live broadcast.
The co-anchors had just cut to CBS Los Angeles meteorologist Alissa Carlson Schwartz when she started to turn white and leaned forward on her desk.
She attempted to catch herself but her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she continued to lean forward as, initially, her co-anchors, Nichelle Medina and Rachel Kim, did not appear to notice.
After a short pause, the co-anchors informed viewers that they were going to take a “quick break.”
🚨#WATCH: As terrifying moment happened when a CBS LA meteorologist collapsed live on air
Terrifying moment shows when a CBS LA meteorologist Alissa Carlson Schwartz collapsed on-air on Saturday morning while doing a live report her co workers… https://t.co/zkWpaB81yZ pic.twitter.com/tQ9To9spDo
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 19, 2023
“Our colleague Alissa Carlson became ill during our 7 AM newscast this morning. I want to thank her co-workers who took immediate action to comfort Alissa and call 911. Alissa is being treated at the hospital right now. Hopefully we’ll know more shortly. In the meantime, Alissa will be in our thoughts and we’re praying for her to be feeling much better soon,” CBS Los Angeles Vice President and News Director Mike Dello Stritto said to TMZ.
TMZ reported:
Carlson had previously experienced a similar episode years ago — throwing up on set during a weather report when she was at a different station — and as a result … she was diagnosed with a leaky heart valve. That was back in 2014.
The meteorologist took to Facebook to inform viewers that she was OK.
“Thanks for all the texts, calls, & messages. I’m going to be ok!” she said.
In February CBS took action after a performance by LGBTQ artists Sam Smith and Kim Petras offended many on the Internet for what they said were “satanic” themes.
But the action CBS took, deleting a tweet where the network said it was “ready to worship” prior to the performance, was not enough for many of those who were offended.
The tweet was in response to a tweet by Smith that said: “This is going to be SPECIA” followed by a devil horns emoji.
This is going to be SPECIAL 👅 #GRAMMYs @RecordingAcad @kimpetras pic.twitter.com/oIA0dhP8bm
— SAM SMITH (@samsmith) February 5, 2023
CBS responded with “….you can say that again. We are ready to worship!” A tweet it has since deleted.
. @CBS has deleted their tweet after saying they’re “ready to worship” ahead Sam Smith’s Satanic Grammys performance pic.twitter.com/2vxZCmt1C5
— Jillian Anderson (@Jillie_Alexis) February 7, 2023
Smith identifies as nonbinary and Petras identifies as a transgender woman. The duo won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance for the song “Unholy.”
The performance, complete with red lighting, devil horns, cages, and fire, had many Christians and conservatives furious.
“This…is…evil,” Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said.
This…is…evil. https://t.co/SBrOgHfFcX
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 6, 2023
“The reason so many on the Right are riveted by the #Satanic ritual at the #GRAMMYs is that, deep down, we’ve long suspected Satan is the guiding light of the cultural Left. So this unholy tribute in the name of art struck us with a strong sense of both recognition & confirmation,” Dinesh D’Souza said.
The reason so many on the Right are riveted by the #Satanic ritual at the #GRAMMYs is that, deep down, we’ve long suspected Satan is the guiding light of the cultural Left. So this unholy tribute in the name of art struck us with a strong sense of both recognition & confirmation
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) February 6, 2023
“The Grammy’s featured Sam Smith’s demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer. And the Satanic Church now has an abortion clinic in NM that requires its patients to perform a satanic ritual before services. American Christians need to get to work,” Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie taylor Green said.
The Grammy’s featured Sam Smith’s demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer.
And the Satanic Church now has an abortion clinic in NM that requires its patients to perform a satanic ritual before services.
American Christians need to get to work.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) February 6, 2023
Pfizer responded to the controversy by explaining that it sponsored the entire show and not any individual performance.
“We sponsored the overall Grammy’s event, not any particular performance. Beyond that, we don’t comment on our efforts to raise awareness,” a spokesperson for the company said to Newsweek.
“Maybe it’s art, but why is it always this kind of art? Why is it never, like, regular art?” Donald Trump Jr. said.
Junior says the Sam Smith performance proves that right-wingers were right that Hollywood and the music industry are all Satan worshippers. “Maybe it’s art, but why is it always this kind of art? Why is it never, like, regular art?” pic.twitter.com/nuJJDPIZAj
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) February 6, 2023
“Pfizer’s got the best business model in the history of business, don’t they? The government sends Pfizer billions of your tax dollars, then forces you to buy their products, and then if the products hurt you, you’re not allowed to su. (Laughs) Pretty great! Wish you had that, huh? Pfizer made billions and billions from that arrangement. How are they spending the money? Here is one of the things they’re paying for,” Tucker Carlson said before playing a clip of the performance whose lyrics read like this.
Mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot
At the body shop, doin’ somethin’ unholy
He’s sat back while she’s dropping it, she be popping it
Yeah, she put it down slowly
Oh-ee-oh-ee-oh, he left his kids at
Ho-ee-oh-ee-ome, so he can get that
Mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot
At the body shop, doin’ something unholy
That was followed by the announcer saying “The 65th Grammy Awards is sponsored by Pfizer.”
