Another Broadcaster Busted
by Brian Maloney, February 23rd, 2009 at 02:11pm
Another day, another broadcasting bust. What’s going on?
This time, it’s Melissa Bell, a TV weatherperson most recently seen on FOX 25 in Boston. According to the Herald, she’s been busted for adding extra curves to Soldiers Field Road where they aren’t normally found. Her arrest somehow didn’t stop her from going on the air that night:
FOX 25 freelance meteorologist Melissa Bell was arrested for drunken driving early Friday morning - and then went on the air that night - after she nearly struck a state police cruiser while speeding and weaving on Soldiers Field Road, according to state police.
The 39-year-old Bell was behind the wheel of a 2004 Cadillac Escalade when she passed a state police trooper in the left lane “going well over” the posted 40 mph speed limit at 1:35 a.m., according to state police spokesman Dave Procopio.
Bell’s vehicle “nearly struck the front of his cruiser as it cut in front of him,” said Procopio, quoting from the police report. The trooper reported Bell was driving between 50 to 55 mph and was “weaving between” the travel lanes. The road conditions were poor, the trooper stated, and the Soldiers Field Road was covered in sleet and snow.
Procopio said the trooper pulled Bell over and he “observed a smell of alcohol” when he approached the driver’s side. The trooper reported Bell, formerly a meteorologist at WBZ-TV (Channel 4), asked him a question that was “incoherent.”
Sure, there are drunk-drivers in every industry. For many years, however, there has been an epidemic of substance abuse in broadcasting. Add to that severe turmoil that has sent so many seasoned professionals packing and the scramble to make a living becomes more intense than ever.
This isn’t to excuse Bell’s alleged behavior, but might help to explain it..
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11 Comments Add your own
1. Circlet Soft | February 23rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Alas, poor Melissa! I knew him, Horatio: a lady
of infinite jest… (and now we know why)
2. JazzOrganist | February 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
This has what to do with saving WRKO?
3. ChrisNH | February 23rd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
How many shrieks of ‘Do-You-Know-Who-I-Am?’ did we get on this one? We should watch all the weather chatterers now after their latest BUST of a forecast for Sunday. Saturday night these ‘experts’ were predicting 8″-12″ almost everywhere. Sunday comes, and it rains. Einsteins.
4. Laurence Glavin | February 23rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I live north of Boston, so I’m quite aware of what the weatherpeople are saying…and throughout Saturday and Sunday morning, NOBODY said 8 inches to a foot within 50 miles of Boston, just up in ski country WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH HOW IT TURNED OUT!
5. Jesus | February 23rd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Channel 4 and 7 both said that my area that’s usually hidden under the big “7″ or “4″ was in the area to get at least 8-10 inches. Fact. I do not live farther than 50 miles from Boston.
As for the meteorologist. . . who really cares, it’s just another drunk driver. I applaud her for even going into work that night, as should all of you.
6. piratetoby | February 23rd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Speaking of women being drunk/high and going into work and on the air…..remember Jessica Savitch? She came less than a skinny NY second away from having a total psychotic breakdown live on the national news.
Tragically she ended up dead not too long after. She, too, was a victim of a car crash.
Who here remembers Jessica? Man, she was hot. She was more than beautiful and intelligent woman reading the news….she was hot. She had been groomed for the national news and was for sure a rising star with endless possibilities ( a la Barbara Walters). Tragic.
7. Joe from Brighton | February 23rd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Melissa Bell, did you have dozens of drinks like your comrade formerly of Channel 7?
Did you also get into a scuffle with the statie?
8. WRKO Staffer | February 23rd, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Brian, your theory doesn’t hold water (or alcohol). I mean, there have been so many broadcasters over the years who have had their booze issues (Gamere, Price, etc., etc, etc.). Sure these are tough times but the boozing in radio and television is just as it was 10 years ago.
9. Larry | February 24th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Before I switched Howie off yesterday, he opened his show with a discussion of Bell’s arrest. After being away for a week and despite the major changes to our way of life being proposed in Washington and on Beacon Hill, Howie chose trashy gossip instead. His show sucks more and more each day.
10. Lee | February 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Brian, come on. You’re chocking this up to stress?!
Take a look at the police report - it would appear the Ms. Bell’s birthday was the same day that the alleged infractions took place.
Coincidence? I think not.
Where was she swilling? Since she was bagged in Brighton, was she celebrating with former ‘BZ coworkers after their 11PM?
It says a passenger was in the car with her - why wasn’t this person listed as a witness to the trooper’s actions? Was it possibly a bigwig from BZ who didn’t want his/her name known?
Finally, the report says she lives in North Chelmsford. If so, why was she traveling WESTBOUND on Soldiers Field, away from home? Was she driving her friend home, or trying to hit one more bar before closing time?
Inquiring minds want to know.
11. Driver | March 9th, 2009 at 1:14 am
I had a friend that worked in broadcasting and I can remember quite a few drinking and driving drunk after hours.
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