It should have been one of the happiest moments in Bode Miller’s life, but it was all ruined. After winning the bronze medal in the men’s super-G, he immediately did an interview with NBC’s Christin Cooper.
NBC has been trying to make the quiet 36-year-old a major storyline of this year’s Olympics. They were especially trying to make him a sympathetic figure after he tragically lost his younger brother, Chelone Miller, last year. Immediately, Cooper asked Miller what emotions he was feeling after winning his sixth Olympic medal of his career. Miller clearly became emotional at the moment which would have been a good time to pull back, but the reporter continued on asking, “I know you wanted to be here with Chelly experiencing these games; how much does it mean to you to come up with a great performance for him? And was it for him?”
Tears then started to roll down the skier’s face. Cooper still continued to ask Miller what he was feeling to which he just put his head down and could no longer hold his composure. The interview was over, but the emotions were still there. Was Christin Cooper out of line? Being a stand up guy, Miller quickly jumped to her defense and tried to take the blame off of her.
NBC immediately released a statement after receiving tons of backlash, Our intent was to convey the emotion that Bode Miller was feeling after winning his bronze medal. We understand how some viewers thought the line of questioning went too far, but it was our judgment that his answers were a necessary part of the story. We’re gratified that Bode has been publicly supportive of Christin Cooper and the overall interview.”
Part of being a journalist is asking the tough questions and it is hard to put blame on her. Olympians are put on pedestals, but Miller was humanized as he was dealing with emotions bigger than the competition. Miller actually described the moment better than anyone, “I feel terrible that she is taking the heat for that because it really is just a heat of the moment kind of circumstance, and I don’t think there was any harm intended. So, it was just a lot of emotion for me, it’s been a lot over the last year and that you sometimes don’t realize how much you contain that stuff until the dam breaks and then it’s just a real outpouring.”
