Live on air, even with the best scripting and a highly skilled team behind you, anything can happen. Minor mishaps during live broadcasts rarely cause too much trouble, and most viewers are generally quite understanding when they do, but there are some combinations–such as, oh, a serious news bulletin and a doodle of a giant schlong– that tend to raise a few eyebrows.
As many of you may have seen, footage appeared online last week showing newscaster Siobhan Riley using a touchscreen to draw on a map of the local area during a live news bulletin, accidentally creating what some people think looks like a giant penis in the process. Unfortunately for Ms. Riley the news even made it out to Japan where netizens positively lapped it up.
The incident took place during a live ABC News broadcast when Ms. Riley was explaining how construction would affect the flow of traffic in the local area. The plan was the for caster to draw an easy-to-understand diagram on the touch-screen map as she went into the situation in detail. However the doodle ended up looking more like something that wouldn’t be out of place scrawled on the back of a kid’s school textbook. (Those of you who have yet to have the pleasure can check out the video in full at the foot of this article.)
Whether they could understand the words the presenter was using or not, there are no boundaries when it comes to pictures of phallic objects, and Japanese internet users were both shocked and amused by this unfortunate incident:
“Oh, dear me…”
“LOL how could this have slipped through the net?!”
“OMG I couldn’t stop laughing.”
“Please tell me that my eyes are playing tricks on me!”
“It’s very big isn’t it!”
“Yep, a biggun.”
“What a splendid drawing!”
“Definitely a wiener.”
Some netizens who saw the footage were in disbelief that the unfortunate caster even managed to draw the picture so effortlessly. There were also many who began to worry that she would be out of work soon. We’re sure she’ll be okay, though, somehow!
Over to you, Ms. Riley!
Cosplay costume room tour by Japan’s number-one cosplayer Enako is an eye-opener【Video】
Private booths are coming to Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains even sooner than we’d thought【Video】
We taste makunouchi bento at four Japanese convenience store chains【Taste comparison】
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
7-Eleven’s edible cat paw proves Japanese convenience store sweets are on a whole other level
Cosplay costume room tour by Japan’s number-one cosplayer Enako is an eye-opener【Video】
Private booths are coming to Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains even sooner than we’d thought【Video】
We taste makunouchi bento at four Japanese convenience store chains【Taste comparison】
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
7-Eleven’s edible cat paw proves Japanese convenience store sweets are on a whole other level
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
Pickax-wielding yakuza member ambushes movie star Beat Takeshi in Tokyo
Village Vanguard possibly tops its own record for most useless junk in a lucky bag this year
Japanese beauty trends of the 20th & 21st centuries, and predicting future fashions
Super-cheap yakiniku restaurant sells meat by the mouthful to give you exactly what you want
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
We revisited Sweets Paradise after a decade to see if Japan’s dessert buffet still delivers
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
Pickax-wielding yakuza member ambushes movie star Beat Takeshi in Tokyo
Village Vanguard possibly tops its own record for most useless junk in a lucky bag this year
Japanese beauty trends of the 20th & 21st centuries, and predicting future fashions
Super-cheap yakiniku restaurant sells meat by the mouthful to give you exactly what you want
Tokyo fish market breaks New Year auction record as single fish sells for over 500 million yen【Vid】
English-language Reddit falls in love with curry restaurant– Can it win our taste tester’s heart?
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Tokyo hotel has a special room just for Gundam Gunpla plastic model builders【Photos】
Toyota builds an actual Initial D concept car, plus awesome manga artwork for it 【Photos】
Sushi cars are the newest crazy cool dream from Japan’s Tomica line
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
Leave a Reply