Florida reporter Kyla Galer of NBC2 became a viral sensation on Wednesday when she defended having a condom over her microphone on live TV.
Speaking from a parking lot in Fort Myers, Florida, Galer addressed the elephant in the room as viewers wondered if the plastic wrapping on her microphone was indeed what they thought it was.
“NBC 2 practicing safe microphone reporting during hurricane Ian,” tweeted one viewer.
NBC 2 practicing safe microphone reporting during hurricane Ian. #HurricaneIan #weather #News #FtMyers #Naples #storm #safe pic.twitter.com/CiRG5Hrhh4
— Kyle Biddle (@KyleBiddle5) September 28, 2022
“@NBCNewsNow really got this woman out here holding a mic wrapped in a condom up to her face,” said another.
@NBCNewsNow really got this woman out here holding a mic wrapped in a condom up to her face pic.twitter.com/LM8hIAlP8R
— Pie Is Better Than Pudding (@PiercebyPierce) September 28, 2022
Galer later defended her use of a condom in her Instagram Stories.
“A lot of people are asking what is on my microphone,” she said.
“It is what you think it is. It’s a condom. It helps protect the gear. You can’t get these mics wet. There’s a lot of wind and a lot of rain, so we gotta do what we gotta do and that is put a condom on the microphone,” she added.
Florida reporter defends putting condom on mic during Hurricane Ian broadcast pic.twitter.com/s4txv1BLhx
— HARD FACTOR (@HardFactorNews) September 28, 2022
Naturally, people on social media jumped in with all kinds of jokes, puns, and double-entendres in what became a lighter note in an otherwise serious news cycle as Hurricane Ian threatens the Florida shores.
“WE PRACTICE SAFE HURRICANE REPORTING,” tweeted ABC 7’s Jeff Butera. “Yes, it’s a condom. Nothing better to waterproof a microphone.”
** WE PRACTICE SAFE HURRICANE REPORTING **
Yes, it’s a condom.
Nothing better to waterproof a microphone.My Waterman Broadcasting colleague @kylagaler has been fielding lots of questions, haha.
Moment of levity in this nasty storm… #HurricaneIan pic.twitter.com/hdyiXdhZIL
— Jeff Butera (@ABC7Jeff) September 28, 2022
People are freaking out that someone in Florida finally used a condom pic.twitter.com/QAgA5E0o8q
— Hanna Dickinson (@hansdickie) September 28, 2022
Good thing, since the story broke sooner than expected.
— Jonathan S. Kingston (@JS_Kingston) September 28, 2022
What did they have planned for today in that van?
— SMS (@TheSMSmith) September 28, 2022
If you were a student reporter at the University of Idaho, they couldn’t give you a condom to protect your microphone. https://t.co/8RtLNtGdAu
— Melissa Luck ☘ (@MelissaKXLY4) September 28, 2022
Hard news. 👏🏼
— Joel Schipper (@JSchipperWDRB) September 28, 2022
