Imagine going about your job, totally unaware that the whole world is getting an unexpected eyeful.
That’s exactly what happened to Italian journalist Costanza Calabrese during a live TG5 news broadcast in 2016, and let’s just say — it didn’t take long for the internet to notice.
The moment that made viewers do a double take
Over the years, Italian journalist Costanza Calabrese has played herself in various Italian films, but it’s a YouTube clip that turned her into an international phenomenon.
Her unexpected on-air mishap during a late-night TG5 broadcast is still making waves, even years after it happened.
Calabrese, then 38, was seated behind what seemed like a regular news desk, confidently delivering the evening report. But here’s the catch — it wasn’t just any desk. It was completely see-through.
Everything appeared normal at first. As she spoke, the camera began with a close-up, concentrating on her upper torso. However, things took an unexpected turn as the image steadily zoomed out.
A glass desk gaffe by a news anchor goes viral.
A reminiscence to “Basic Instinct”
Calabrese was sitting in a way that exposed much more than he had meant because he was unaware of the desk’s openness. Viewers soon noticed the clothing error as the camera panned out, and one astute audience member wasted no time in that regrettable “Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct” moment to post it to YouTube.
From there? It exploded. More than a million people watched the video, and social media was ablaze with comments.
There were ideas on the Internet.
The internet community had a lot to say, of course. A few What a pathetic woman! She should have been warned by someone on set!
Others were just plain perplexed.
💬 “What caused her dress to be so high in the first place?”
Then there were some who couldn’t help but laugh around.
“Journalism 101: Be transparent at all times!” 💬
A lesson in live television
It’s important to note that the journalist is a repeat offender because, in October 2014, she and her coworkers Paola Rivetta and Barbara Pedri were unintentionally caught in the misleading glass desk, revealing their underpants once more.
The incident undoubtedly created a stir, but it also spurred important discussions about production team accountability and on-air professionalism. Errors happen on live television, but this one? Internet history will remember it.
People, let this serve as a lesson to always look around.