Monday, February 17, 2014

Bode Miller reduced to tears by NBC reporter's repeated questions about dead brother (VIDEO)

NBC is feeling the heat after one of its reporters questioned bronze medal winning skier Bode Miller so much about the death of his brother he began to sob uncontrollably on camera.

Christin Cooper interviewed Miller just moments after he finished third in the Super G final Sunday, making the 36-year-old both the most medaled skier in history and the oldest person to win an alpine medal at the Games.

However, what should have been a happy moment quickly turned to tears when Cooper's quest to bring a personal insight to the story swerved out of bounds.



Miller was the first to mention his brother, Chilly, a snowboarder who died in April from a seizure, but Cooper continued to push to the point so much that the skier had to walk away.

Cooper badgered Miller about his brother well after Miller became visibly emotional.

As Miller began to tear up, Cooper asked if his performance was for Chilly. He struggled but managed to answer the question, saying that it wasn't for him but he wanted to make himself proud.

But then she asks whether he had been talking to his brother when he looked up at the sky before the start of the race.

That incessant line of questioning became too much for Miller as he fully breaks down, hunching over before walking away.

Finally, his wife, professional volleyball player Morgan Miller, comes to comfort him.



The interview was conducted on Sunday, and NBC's edit later that night showed Miller for more than a minute after the interview ended, crying, from different camera angles.



Twitter erupted with criticism for Cooper, with most saying she was too aggressive.

But Miller took to Twitter and defended Miller — who was also a skier before getting the TV gig.

"I appreciate everyone sticking up for me. Please be gentle w christin cooper, it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment' he wrote.

"My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have, pushing is part of it, she wasn't trying to cause pain."



The win was Miller's sixth career Olympic medal over a 12 year span, and he now has sole possession of second place on the all-time men's Alpine medal list.

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