CBS Reporter Serene Branson: Stroke On Air?

By Zach Dionne Posted Feb 14th 2011 02:15PM

Footage of CBS reporter Serene Branson covering the Grammys Sunday night turned into a clicky video Monday morning, with tweets and blogs gawking at the Emmy-nominated journalist stumbling over her words for a full 10 seconds.

Scarily, rumors bubbled that Serene Branson may have suffered a stroke on air. Telegraph.co.uk wrote in an unsourced report, "It is feared that [Branson] may have suffered a stroke on air. Strokes can cause speech problems in different ways, either by interfering with the brain's ability to recognise and construct words, or by preventing the facial muscles from forming syllables correctly."

While the truth is still unclear, Branson's CBS Los Angeles page was updated some time since the video, saying she was "examined by paramedics."

The full update on Serene reads:

Serene Branson was examined by paramedics on scene immediately after her broadcast. Her vital signs were normal. She was not hospitalized. As a precautionary measure, a colleague gave her a ride home and she says that she is feeling fine this morning.

It's unclear when the update was posted or if more will come.

See the Serene Branson video:

TIME writes, "It's possible that what initially seemed like the next viral video was actually a real-time medical emergency." The magazine's post also links to an article about one stroke being suffered every 45 seconds in America.

The Awl, one of the early posters of the originally seemingly funny video, updated their post to address the situation. "The news is muddled on this -- if it's simply misspeaking, it's very funny. If it's actually a medical incident? That's horrible," Choire Sicha writes.

Tags: Serene Branson

Comments

(31)

Monday 14 February

By jeff 760

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Not funny at all!! If she was having that much trouble it had to be a serious medical condition of some sort.

By stu

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Women & men need to stop dying their hair =tumor.

Tuesday 15 February

By Anne

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She had a stroke. Might have been mild but she had one and should have gone to the er. Silly girl could have lost her life.

By Afro-style butt crack man.

I'll tell you all what happened. I was behind the camera man and Mooned her, you can see her look briefly my way when I did it.

By CarolD

I live on the East Coast. When I saw this clip, I was positive this woman was having a stroke. Since her employer is emphatically denying a srtoke. It could be a TIA (transient ischemic attack) which looks just like a stroke but does not do the damage (or show up on an MRI). Also, there are certain types of migraines which produce "stroke-like" episodes. I know because I have had all 3 in my early 40s. If she didn't go to the hospital, she should see a neurologist ASAP.

Thank you for taking this seriously and giving some more information on what could be the cause. I do hope she if not her employers will take it seriously too and have her checked out.

By bozallan

Under the spotlight possibly she reverted to an ancient dialect similar to speaking in tongues. She might want to investigate hypnotherapy for an answer.

By JK

Hope when you have a personal medical emergency, someone with more intelligence than you is around to save you from yourself.

By boz

Jk must stand for jerk; you don't know anything about it.

By whereisvic

Bless her heart... Who knows what is going on with her here but, the left side of her mouth is drooping which would indicate a stroke UNLESS, her mouth always droops while she talks. Maybe Bell's Palsy.

By diplobrat

This often happens when the Botox begins to wear off. The facial muscles relax from their paralysis and the result is what is seen here.

By LA here

Diplobrat: Very rude to joke about something like this...

By marcy schulman

This reporter needs to see a doctor immediately to get the necessary neurological testing! My father had the same symptoms of slurred speech over a 2 day period and it was a stroke. He needed brain surgery to repair a twisted artery. I cannot believe she was sent home without having any tests.

By kittylit

She looked frightened and confused. I hope she's better and did not suffer any permanent damage.

By ed baggett

It does look like she experienced some kind of medical problem.
Could have been a light stroke.....She better have a thorough medical exam !......

By icdou007

SO NOT FUNNY, GOD BLESS YOU IN EVERY WAY.

By moose

Oh please! The woman is clearly drunk.

By Jay Anderson

It looks like a TIA. She needs a EKG to check for atrial fibrillation and a ultasound of her neck arteries.

By Jeff D

Saw this LIVE on news because I live in LA. Have seen her reports before. She definitely had a medical issue. I hope all you idiots treating this like a joke have someone more intelligent and respectful around you when you experience a medical emergency. As of MON 2PM still no word from CBS LA about how she is doing. Probably won't hear much because of privacy of medical issues.

Know alot about this incident boz. Was at Staples Center when it happened. Jokes like your post are insensitive and out of place.

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