And the Oscar goes to … Weather Channel guy hamming it up to show how fierce winds are

The blog giveth and the blog taketh away. Yesterday, LU gave kudos to the Weather Channel for its splendid animation of flood conditions as a meteorologist standing in the midst of the rising waters calmly describes what people in the path of Hurricane Florence (since downgraded to a tropical storm) might expect.

Today, we bring you the opposite. The following video, which has gone viral, shows Weather Channel reporter Mike Seidel out in the elements. “This is about as nasty as it’s been,” he tells viewers as he struggles to retain his footing while fierce winds buffet him and tear at his clothing.

Or so he’d like you to believe. As the broadcast goes on, a couple of men in shorts and rain ponchose nonchalantly walk by in the background, spoiling the entire production.

So dramatic! Dude from the weather channel bracing for his life, as 2 dudes just stroll past. #HurricaneFlorence pic.twitter.com/8FRyM4NLbL

— Tony scar. (@gourdnibler) September 14, 2018

Maybe the Weather Channel should stick with the animations — that or begin staging “outside” shots indoors, where no pedestrians can walk onto the set, destroying the illusion.