Jennifer Livingston, a news anchor from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, spent four minutes on air addressing an email she received from a viewer calling her overweight. With the support of family and approval from the managers of her home station, WKBT-TV, Livingston’s Oct. 2 segment of her morning show went viral.
Livingston’s husband, Mike Thompson, first posted an excerpt from the email on his Facebook page. It reads, “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.”
Revealing that she is a mother of three and suffers from a thyroid condition, Livingston reminded viewers that October is Anti-Bullying Month. She saw the viewer’s behavior as an example of bullying that occurs everyday in schools and at the workplace. She stressed that this kind of behavior should not be tolerated.
Livingston addressing the viewer’s email took strength and courage. Most importantly, she handled it with professionalism and class.