A television reporter in California remained remarkably composed when a giant flying cockroach landed on her during a live broadcast on Wednesday evening.
KTLA News reporter Rachel Menitoff was covering dangerous conditions caused by extreme heat in Sherman Oaks when the insect interrupted her segment.
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A video she later posted on Instagram shows the large cockroach landing on her neck, crawling across her body to her microphone, and then flying away.
Despite feeling the insect, Menitoff completed her report without pausing. Once off the air, she quickly brushed her shoulders and searched for the bug.
A voice off-camera asked how she managed to stay still during the incident.
Menitoff acknowledged the intrusion on social media with humor, noting that the insect was trying to disrupt her broadcast.
“Yes, this is a flying cockroach,” read the text over the video she posted.
She later reacted to praise from viewers, admitting that staying calm was a significant challenge.
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“Trust me, it was NOT easy to keep my cool,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
Social Media Praise
The local station also shared the clip on X, commending her professional response under pressure.
“SURPRISE LANDING,” captioned KTLA, questioning who else could have remained calm under such circumstances.
KTLA anchor Eric Spillman described the situation as “terrifying” on social media.
Viewers widely commended her professionalism. One wrote, “How she didn’t freak out despite being in camera is beyond me.”
Another viewer described how they would have reacted hysterically, saying, “The way I would scream and cuss and yell and throw up and start a fire and run away hysterically crying … Kudos to this woman.”
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A journalist from Axios called for her career advancement, saying, “Give this woman a promotion.”
