Reporter Mark Woodley was *not* happy to be broadcasting from the heart of the brutal blizzard sweeping across the US ahead of Christmas.
Around 200 million people in the lower 48 states are under extreme weather alerts, as intense winds whip across the country, bringing an influx of snow with it.
But this nightmare before Christmas was punctured with some light relief from sports reporter Woodley, who was helping cover the early morning shift for NBC affiliate KWWL in Iowa this week.
Speaking in the early hours of December 22, he did not hold back – and even compiled all of his most scathing quips from his 14 live appearances during the three-and-a-half hour broadcast.
The video begins with his exchange with KWWL’s anchor asking Woodley how he is. He replied: “Again, the same way I felt about eight minutes ago when you asked me that same question.”
Another retort soon followed: “I normally do sports, and everything here is cancelled for the next couple of days, so what better time to ask the sports guy to come in about five hours earlier than he would normally wake up, go stand out in the wind and the snow and cold, and tell other people not to do the same?”
He even echoed a sentiment undoubtedly shared by anyone who has ever had to get up in the early hours, saying: “I didn’t even realise there was a 3.30 also in the morning, until today.”
“Watch me progressively get crankier and crankier,” Woodley said later, in a half-hearted attempt to encourage viewers to stay tuned.
Another clip shows him saying: “I’ll tell you what Ryan, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.
“The good news is that I can still feel my face right now, the bad news is that I kind of wish I couldn’t.”
Then he resorted to plain pleading: “Can I go back? To my regular job? I’m pretty sure you guys added an extra hour to this show just because someone likes torturing me.
“Because, compared to two and a half hours ago, it is just getting colder and colder.”
His searing commentary went down a treat though, especially considering weather reports amid extreme conditions are usually ridiculed on social media.
Famous director Judd Apatow even hailed Woodley as a “legend” for his honest reports – and he wasn’t the only one.
After his overnight internet fame, he told Today.com: “Of all the things that I thought I’d be known for in my life, crotchety old weather reporter was not on the list.”
He said his unusual stint at a weatherman came down to the staffing issues KWWL was facing at the time, adding: “Nobody told me what I was doing. Now I thought maybe I’d be in studio or out in the car or something – not outside when the temperature is pushing in minus 40 with the wind chill.”
