ABC News' Diane Sawyer's 'drunk' behavior during Election Night live coverage storms Twitter

ANI

Washington, Nov. 8 (ANI): A leading American news channel journalist's unusual behaviour during the presidential night coverage prompted many to wonder if she was drunk on live television. ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer, the normally straight-laced anchor, reportedly displayed unusual behaviour and rambled through her sentences, laughing and using exaggerated hand movements while speaking on the election. Sawyer's lethargic behaviour set off a Twitter storm during her election night coverage with Goerge Stephanopoulos. According to the New York Daily News, Twitter users speculated whether she was drunk or on painkillers and other drugs. Network officials declined to comment, but a Sawyer pal came to her defense and said that her behavior was due to exhaustion from covering Hurricane Sandy and preparing for election night. "She spent a number of sleepless nights preparing and rehearsing," a close friend of the anchor said, denying Sawyer had indulged in alcoholic beverages or any other substance. The explanation did not appease Twitter users who branded Sawyer as 'a bit tipsy', 'wacky', 'hammered' or 'on pain killers, muscle relaxers, benzos or some combination', the report said Sawyer was at the anchor desk for about eight hours and also worked during a power failure that left the parts of the ABC's elaborate Times Square Studio dark for around 25 minutes, it added. (ANI)