TJ Holmes and Amy Robach Stand Up for David Muir Amid Clothespin Controversy

TJ Holmes and Amy Robach have come to the defense of David Muir following significant criticism he faced for using a clothespin to secure his flame-retardant jacket while covering the wildfires in Los Angeles.

Holmes, 47, and Robach, 51, former colleagues of Muir at ABC, shared their thoughts on the matter during the January 10 episode of their podcast, “Does This Make Me Look Fat?”

Muir, 51, faced backlash when viewers noticed the clothespin holding his jacket tight during a live report on January 8, with some claiming he prioritized his appearance over the tragic event he was reporting.

Holmes defended Muir against these critiques, suggesting that the news anchor might not have even noticed the clothespin’s presence.

“When you’re just reading tweets, you might miss the context. Often, and I don’t know if he does this, there’s a producer or wardrobe person working with you. You could be engrossed in your phone or reviewing notes while they’re adjusting your outfit, attaching the mic, and managing all sorts of equipment. You might not even be aware of what’s happening to you,” Holmes explained. “Someone could have simply decided to use the clothespin for the jacket. We can’t know for sure.”

He asserted that despite the choice to use clothespins, Muir is an incredibly diligent worker.

“But just a bit of context here — the guy puts in tremendous effort. If you disagree with what he did, that’s fine. However, he faces a lot of undue criticism,” he noted.

Nevertheless, Holmes acknowledged that it doesn’t reflect well on a journalist to be caught focusing on appearances while covering a tragedy where lives and homes have been lost.

“It’s unreasonable to think that someone about to anchor a major evening broadcast during a tragedy wouldn’t care about their appearance. The question is to what degree they should be concerned and how that should come across,” Holmes stated. “But if you saw someone fixing their hair before reporting on your house burning down, that would likely anger you.”

Meanwhile, Robach shared that when she reported from the field, she made an effort to appear less “glamorous”—keeping her hair and makeup simple for these situations.

“As a journalist, I am very conscious of not appearing to be concerned with my appearance during those moments,” she remarked. “In the wake of tragedies, we all have a different appearance compared to how we look on set. On set, we have hair and makeup, nice suits, and tailored clothing, but being out there presents a starkly different reality.”