An NBC reporter is accused of pushing a post-game interview with U.S. Olympic skier Bode Miller too far, eventually causing the athlete to break down in tears over repeated questions about the death of his brother.
Miller (who was coming off a bronze medal win) gave an interview with NBC, first discussing how these Winter Games felt different than others he has competed. Then, things took a turn:
The resulting talk with NBC’s
Christin Cooper was as raw and emotional as an interview at a sporting
event can get, as Miller talked about his younger brother Chilly, who
died last year of an apparent seizure thought to be related to a brain
injury from an old motorcycle accident. The camera zoomed in tight as
Bode spoke.
Here’s a transcript of the interview, courtesy of For the Win:
Miller: This was a
little different. With my brother passing away, I really wanted to come
back here and race the way he sends it. So this was a little different.
Cooper: Bode, you’re showing so much emotion down here. What’s going through your mind?
Miller: (Long pause) A lot, obviously. A long struggle coming in here. And, uh, just a tough year.
Cooper: I know you wanted to be here with Chilly
experiencing these games, how much does it mean to you to come up with a
great performance for him? And was it for him?
Miller: I mean, I don’t know it’s really for him. But I wanted to come here and uh — I don’t know, I guess make my self proud. (Pauses, then wipes away tears.)
Cooper: When you’re looking up in the sky at the
start, we see you there and it just looks like you’re talking to
somebody. What’s going on there?
According to For the Win, then dropped to his knees and rested himself on a
fence. Cooper is heard
whispering “sorry” as she put her hand on his shoulder and walked away.
Reaction on Twitter, where people normally just sit around and discuss their favorite flower colors, was a mix of outrage over the interview and sympathy for Miller:
Lastly, Miller himself had this to say, also via Twitter:
Image via Getty Images.