'That's gross': Viral video shows 'intruder' crawling on reporter as she keeps live report going

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: KTLA 5 reporter Rachel Menitoff on Tuesday, July 14, had one job during her live report from Los Angeles: talk about the heat.

Then a giant insect landed on her. And, for several astonishing seconds, the KTLA reporter seemed to make a decision that many people would consider physically impossible: she simply pretended it was not happening.

Reporter remains unfazed as insect crawls on her

Menitoff continued speaking on air as the bug moved across her black dress and made its way up her body.

The broadcast carried on normally. Her voice stayed steady. Her report did not stop.

The insect, however, appeared to have no interest in respecting the live television schedule.

The large insect was clearly visible on camera as it moved across her outfit. 

At one point, it reached the area around her collarbone before appearing to crawl down her dress. Menitoff did not react in the way most people probably would have.

There was no sudden scream or attempt to run away from the camera. Instead, she kept delivering the report.

The only sign that something was seriously wrong came when her eyes briefly widened.

KTLA News later posted video on their social media that garnered over 1 million views within a few hours.

KTLA shares behind-the-scenes footage

Her real reaction came after the camera stopped. Menitoff's calm television persona disappeared almost immediately.

Behind-the-scenes video showed her brushing and swiping at her body, trying to deal with the insect that had just spent the entire report crawling across her.

The contrast was hard to miss. For viewers, Menitoff had looked completely in control.

Off camera, she was clearly ready to get the insect as far away from her as possible.

Menitoff later explained that she had actually realised what was happening during the live shot. She also knew that reacting could make it impossible to continue.

But she decided that acknowledging it would likely derail the entire report.

Meanwhile, the studio team, of course, did not have to maintain a live television poker face.

The anchors watched the footage with growing disbelief, with one reacting in horror and Eric Spillman comparing the insect to a flying cockroach.

The clip was later revisited on the station's morning show on Wednesday, where Jessica Holmes offered the most direct review of the entire incident: "Wow! Gross!"

Frank Buckley then joked about what it would sound like to deliver a serious news report while refusing to acknowledge something crawling across your body.