'Alright, we're done here': Female reporter accosted by leering men before live shot

A female reporter in Rochester, New York has gone viral for her grace and tact in handling a jarring encounter that is all too familiar to women while preparing for a live news segment on the street

Brianna Hamblin, a reporter for Spectrum News 1, tweeted a video of the incident that her camera man captured while they were setting up for the shot.

“Being hit on and harassed as a woman, especially as a woman reporter out in the field, happens so often you learn how to roll with it or ignore it. This time it happened to be recorded only seconds before my hit. There are A LOT of things wrong with this,” Hamlin said of the encounter.

From off camera, you can hear a man asking Hamblin if she is live on-air yet followed by, “You look nice by the way,” to which she replied, “thank you.”

WARNING: CRUDE LANGUAGE
Being hit on and harassed as a woman, especially as a woman reporter out in the field, happens so often you learn how to roll with it or ignore it. This time it happened to be recorded only seconds before my hit. There are A LOT of things wrong with this. pic.twitter.com/5Ok58Vm7e0

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

Another man then chimes in from off-camera, “You’re beautiful as hell, god—.”

Hamblin tactfully thanked the man for his comment despite the situation being visibly uncomfortable. The unidentified man continues, “I better not be on motherf–ing camera, but why you over here on camera though?”

“Go find a TV and watch Spectrum News and you can find out,” she said through a forced smile, trying to dissipate the situation.

The man continues to press Hamblin, who reiterated that that he should go watch the news if he wants to find out why she is there. She even gives him the channel numbers to which he responds, “See that’s why I can’t be left alone with a black woman or a mulatto chick. Because I can’t stand these f—– white girls.”

“Alright, we’re done here. Have a great rest of your day,” Hamblin interrupted the unsettling situation.

The jerk off-camera couldn’t take the hint, continuing, “You are sexy as f—.”

“Oh my god,” Hamblin reacts with a heartbreaking expression.

The clip then stops as she is presumably seconds away from a live hit.

After posting the clip, Hamblin created a thread to explain why she shared this experience:

1.If you don’t want to be on camera, simply avoid it or ask nicely to not be on camera. Don’t walk towards it or make a scene. Who said this was about you?

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

2.“Oh, men these days just can’t give compliments.” No. The first man’s “you look nice” as he continued to walk away is fine. It’s the 2nd man who took this to another disgusting level it didn’t need to be.

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

3.The audacity of the things men say to me never ceases to amaze me. What makes you think women want to be talked to that way? In no way is this endearing. It’s uncomfortable. It’s gross.

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

4.Being a Black woman in this industry has its own headaches, but talking down on one group of women to “praise” another group is NEVER okay. It just shows you have a disgusting fetish based on stereotypes, which is just as racist.

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

I could go on but I’ll stop there. Posting this and getting off social media to enjoy the rest of my Friday ✌️🏽

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

OH WAIT! One more thing: I was LUCKY I had @barstow_scott with me. At my last job, I had to deal with this type of stuff ALONE, like most women MMJs. It’s not safe. It’s scary. But the convo about the dangers of reporters working alone is for another day

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

Twitter users were collectively disgusted by the unidentified man’s conduct, but unfortunately many women were all too familiar with this behavior and rallied support for Hamblin:

You handled it admirably, lady. Sorry that was the start to your day. ❤️

— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) July 23, 2021

This video is triggering. I’ve been in this situation almost a hundred times – not as a reporter but as a woman just going for a walk, pumping gas in my car, or walking from my car to a store. When I was a young adult my mom told me to say hi to these men to protect my safety smh

— Miss Lefty (she/her/MOM) (@taureanlady5) July 23, 2021

It’s at 1.06 moment you see her feeling violated. The mortified look that many women will know 💔. I am so sorry you had to go through this . pic.twitter.com/ShMFSL2v6o

— Marie Claire . She/Her (@marieClaireJR) July 23, 2021

The visible discomfort and the all too familiar forced coddling in hopes the situation doesn’t escalate was heartbreaking. Women should not have to endure this just to do their job.

— The Road Jess Travelled (@JessPected) July 23, 2021

Dear Brianna,

I am sorry you had to endure this disgusting, unwanted attention. I also thank you for your courage and grace in sharing what we are exposed to on a daily basis in nearly every capacity of our lives: work, shopping, exercising, church – yes, church and then some.

— TheTruthWillPrevail (@VennyVedivici) July 23, 2021

You are such professionals and classy, inspiring women❣️

— gaylejobyrne (@WOCstarz) July 25, 2021

So sorry. This hurts to see. You were a consummate pro.

— Gary Craig (@gcraig1) July 23, 2021

The epitome of a true professional, Hamblin later reminded everyone why she was out in the field reporting in the first place.

“Let’s not lose sight of what I was actually doing this morning: which was reporting on the importance of healthy meals being accessible to kids during the summer,” she tweeted.

Let’s not lose sight of what I was actually doing this morning: which was reporting on the importance of healthy meals being accessible to kids during the summer!https://t.co/OIyWEMeAdb

— Brianna Hamblin (@BriReports) July 23, 2021

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