Gosh, we never knew Channel 3 weather forecaster Julie Watts had so many fans concerned about her welfare.
Several viewers called me in the wake of last Saturday’s morning newscast. It seems anchor Mike TeSelle was teasing Watts about her recent engagement. The reason: Watts' fiance had yet to produce a ring. So, TeSelle ribbed Watts about it all morning, bringing out a Hula-Hoop, cigar band and even a bagel to put on Watts’ finger.
Viewer Rosalind Deutsch was shocked - shocked! - by TeSelle’s “insensitivity.”
“It was rude and harassment against Julie,” Deutsch says. “I can’t believe they let that on the air. He has no right to make fun of her engagement, just because the guy can’t afford a ring. Maybe (TeSelle) was trying to be irreverent, but it was just mean. That nice Ms. (Pamela) Wu (weekend anchor) doesn’t do that.”
Not to worry, Rosalind. We checked with Watts and she found TeSelle’s antics hilarious.
“My engagement is kind of the running joke around the newsroom,” Julie writes in an e-mail. “We've got the date, the dress, the guest list...but no ring.
“My fiance, Sam, is in the jewelry business, so it's not as easy as walking into Guzzetta's and picking out a ring. He had to have the diamond cut, the ring designed, yadda, yadda, yadda. Needless to say, Sam's having a lot of fun with this. He's stringing me along because he wants the 'actual proposal' to be a big surprise. So TeSelle is egging him on.
“I'm actually surprised to hear people are upset. I've been getting a ton of positive feedback from viewers.”
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