Reporter Pilloried for Making Bode Miller Cry

NBC's Christin Cooper kept asking about skier's late brother
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 17, 2014 6:22 AM CST

Bode Miller yesterday became both the oldest Alpine skier to win an Olympic medal and the US skier with the most Olympic medals, when he won bronze in the super-G—but what most people are talking about after the win is the uncomfortable interview that followed. Miller, interviewed by NBC's Christin Cooper, brought up his younger brother, who died last year. "With my brother passing away, I really wanted to come back here and race the way he sends it," he said, according to USA Today. But Cooper then continued to ask questions about Miller's brother, even after he started crying. After the third question, Miller broke down and eventually walked away; cameras followed him as he knelt and cried, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Fansided points out one common criticism of the interview: NBC chose to air it, despite the fact that it had the footage hours in advance of primetime. Miller later addressed the emotional moment, the Guardian reports: "It was just some questions and comments about my brother. ... It was just a lot of emotion." He also urged people not to blame Cooper, on his Twitter account: "I appreciate everyone sticking up for me. Please be gentle w christin cooper, it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment ... My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have, pushing is part of it, she wasnt trying to cause pain." (On Saturday, the Salt Lake Tribune pointed out that asking about death is sort of a theme for reporters at these Olympics.) With Miller's win, the US continued a streak: So far, it's won at least one medal per day, according to The Wire. If it manages to keep that up for the rest of the Games, it will be just the fourth country ever to do so. (More Bode Miller stories.)

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