WATCH: Top ABC Host Under Fire For ‘Pompous’ Move While Reporting On Devastating Inferno
Looking good on live TV never goes out of style in Los Angeles, not even during an extended wildfire season. That must have been the sentiment of ABC host David Muir, who ventured out of the confines of his New York studio to report from the ground in Palisades, the ember-strewn site of wildfires that have killed five and displaced thousands over the past two days. Wearing a yellow firefighter’s jacket and sporting his trademark, slicked-back hair, the 51-year-old Muir looked as if he had just walked out of a makeup trailer before going live and standing in front of the charred remains of what was once an enviable western neighborhood of the city. “There are still flames burning from multiple buildings here,” said Muir, turning away from the camera to cast his hand toward the devastation. One eagle-eyed viewer nabbed a phone video showing the back of his jacket, which was cinched with a wooden clothespin to ensure his svelte figure remained front and center.
Jack Osbourne, a television producer and the son of heavy melter singer Ozzy Osbourne, was among the first to spot Muir’s fashion faux pas. “Nice Jacket Bro. Glad you look nice and svelte with those clothes line pegs, while our city burns to the ground,” he wrote on X and posted a recording of his home TV where he could be heard ripping the ABC host for doing a fit check at a time like this. Osbourne, who has used the platform formerly known as Twitter since 2009, boasts nearly half a million followers, and for good measure he tagged owner Elon Musk to ensure that Muir gets all the eyeballs he could ever want. Users quickly shifted from shock to seething as the clip racked up nearly 2.5 million views, with many rushing to condemn or ridicule the longtime anchor.
“That’s really funny. It’s a standard styling trick, but you’re not supposed to turn around like that,” tattoo artist Charles Roberts replied to Osbourne. Others were less forgiving. “This guy is such a pompous d***head,” user Mitchell Gant wrote. “What an absolute tool,” said another, prompting one more to joke, “Those clothes pins must have been in his ‘tool kit’ 😂😆.” Over 2,400 other comments followed, with many calling Muir a “fool,” “loser,” or just plain “vain” for his stunt.
WATCH
What an absolute tool. pic.twitter.com/LpSf5MFRr3
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) January 9, 2025
That’s really funny. It’s a standard styling trick, but you’re not supposed to turn around like that.
— Charles Roberts (@charles_robots) January 9, 2025
This guy is such a pompous dickhead
— Mitchell Gant (@BilyarskEnterer) January 9, 2025
He did the meme. pic.twitter.com/3xUj5XPoeh
— Haikus From Underground (@HaikusFromUnder) January 9, 2025
Others on the ground Thursday included a crew from the Daily Mail who captured the charred remains of Hunter Biden’s Malibu pad, a former three-bed, three-bath property listed at $14 million and renting for a cool $15,800 per month. Photos from the scene captured what was evident across large swaths of Southern California: homesteads in ruins, lives displaced or lost, and finger-pointing by residents and media figures about who is to blame.