‘Bad taste’: Former co-workers defend reporter’s ‘vain’ jacket act amid LA fires
After a news reporter copped widespread backlash over a “vain” detail while reporting on fires two former co-workers have jumped in to defend him.
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While reporting on the destructive and devastating Los Angeles fires, an American news reporter has been slammed for using a peg to tighten his safety jacket but two seasoned television stars have jumped to his defence.
David Muir, an ABC News reporter, was seen reporting live from the rubble and smoke in a surprisingly well-fitted fire jacket.
When he turned, it was revealed that a peg had been placed in his back to give the oversized jacket a more fitted look.
That detail went viral with viewers unimpressed he’d chosen to tighten his jackets while families lost their homes and all their possessions.
MORE:Celeb homes destroyed in LA fires revealed
TJ Holmes and Amy Robach worked on Good Morning America on ABC until news of their romantic relationship broke while they were still married to other people in 2023.
News of their affair resulted in both stars leaving ABC, but now, in 2025 fashion, they co-host a podcast together on iHeart Radio.
In a new episode titled ‘Does This Fire Make Me Look Fat’, they’ve defended Mr Muir and tried to add some industry context to the backlash.
The pair claimed they debated even having the conversation but decided to because it had gone so viral.
Ms Robach explained that she’d worked alongside Mr Muir for years and said that he takes his job “very seriously” works hard to get the information right and genuinely cares about what is happening.
She started off by defending him and pointing out that while Mr Muir wearing a clothing peg had gone viral it is a common practice on television.
“He cinched his jacket as many of us have done in the field and on this set to create a cleaner line,” she said.
“Television is a visual media. So, yes, I have cinched my jacket.”
Mr Holmes argued though that he understands why it leaves a “bad taste” in the mouth of viewers at home and for the people who are watching the news to see if their homes have been destroyed or if their family is safe.
Ms Robach than admitted that although she’d cinched jackets on-set, she’d never even “thought” about doing it when she’s in the field.
Ms Holmes said that he had never cinched a jacket while in the field, but he has “plenty of wardrobe people suggest it,” but has always said no.
Ms Robach explained that she understands that the pin can seem like a “slap” in the face of people losing their homes and all their possessions.
Mr Holmes said that while he understands the outcry, he said the “perspective is missing” because wardrobe people fix reporters to be camera ready, and you often “don’t even know what is happening” and are reading updates or preparing to speak while people are fiddling with your appearance.
He added that Mr Muir “works his butt off,” and if you don’t like what he did, fine, but pointed out the backlash is a lot.
Ms Robach said that it is important to always ensure “your appearance isn’t a distraction” when reporting and that Mr Muir might have cinched his jacket so it wasn’t flying around in the winds.
Mr Muir was most recently was one of the moderators in the Donald Trump and Kamala Harris presidential debate and Mr Trumps’s son Donald Trump junior was one of the people that was behind Mr Muir’s wardrobe choice going viral.
He posted the video on X and claimed the act was “vain” and slammed the reporter on the social media platform.
“As people in Los Angeles are losing everything, he used clothes pins to make his fake fireman’s jacket more form fitting. Sick,” he wrote.
Mr Trump Junior’s tweet quickly picked up traction and has been viewed over seven million times and garnered endless comments.
One person responded and said that clothes pins are “standard operating” procedure when filming but added, “I can’t say I’d expect someone to do it while the world is burning down around them”.
Someone else said the reporter was “busted” another sarcastically wrote that it shows “his priorities are in order” and one claimed it was a “bad look” while another said it just “so vain”.
Meanwhile one person pointed out that at least Mr Muir was there and doing his job and asked Mr Trump Junior, “what are you doing other than whining about it?”
The response to the wardrobe choice went so viral and far beyond Mr Trump Junior’s tweet someone called it “narcissistic” and another argued that people are losing their homes and therefore no one cares what the reporters look like when sharing the news.
Even Jack Osbourne, the son of rocker Ozzy Osbourne, called Muir out on X.
“Nice Jacket Bro. Glad you look nice and svelte with those clothes line pegs, while our city burns to the ground,” he tweeted.
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Originally published as ‘Bad taste’: Former co-workers defend reporter’s ‘vain’ jacket act amid LA fires
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