A standard local news segment intended to be a heartwarming animal feature quickly transformed into one of the internet’s most recognizable broadcast bloopers. The broadcast from WPSD Local 6 features an anchor completely losing his professional composure while introducing a disabled pot-bellied pig equipped with a custom wheelchair, primarily due to the animal’s highly ironic name.
Video Captions
For accessibility, here is a readable transcript of the spoken captions and audible reactions in the clip:
00:00“And now to the story of a pig that is inspiring others.”00:03“One pot…” (stifles a laugh)00:05“…one pot-bellied pig has certainly endured his share of problems.”00:10“Chris P. Bacon…”00:11“…was born without the use of his…”00:13(Anchor breaks into uncontrollable wheezing laughter)00:21“Yeah, you have to read this story.”00:24(Continues laughing heavily off-camera)00:34“We cannot…”00:36“Oh my god…” (Continues laughing)
The Anatomy of the Blooper
The clip begins as a standard human-interest story. At 00:00, the anchor states, “And now to the story of a pig that is inspiring others.” Almost immediately, signs of struggle emerge. By 00:03, as he attempts to describe the “pot-bellied pig,” he audibly stifles a laugh.
The most comical portion of the video occurs between 00:10 and 00:23. The anchor reads the pig’s name—Chris P. Bacon—and attempts to deliver the solemn fact that the pig “was born without the use of his [back legs].” The stark contrast between the tragic medical condition and the culinary pun name “Crispy Bacon” proves too much. At 00:13, the anchor breaks into uncontrollable, wheezing laughter. He eventually manages to wheeze out, “Yeah, you have to read this story,” acknowledging his total inability to continue the broadcast. Off-camera, his heavy laughter continues over the footage of the pig interacting with children, culminating in a breathless “We cannot… Oh my god…” by 00:36.
The Story Behind Chris P. Bacon
While the anchor’s reaction is the focal point of the meme, the footage being rolled tells its own story. The on-screen graphics note that “Chris P. Bacon Visits With Kids” in Brighton, MA.
The pig itself is shown mobilizing with the help of a small, custom-built wheelchair made from toys and harnesses, allowing him to walk using only his front legs. The footage highlights a room full of smiling children in small chairs, feeding and petting the pig. The humor of the video hinges entirely on the juxtaposition: the sincere, touching imagery of a disabled animal bringing joy to children directly clashing with the dark humor of naming a pig after cooked pork.
Why the Clip Resonates
News bloopers are a staple of internet culture, but the “Chris P. Bacon” incident stands out due to the raw authenticity of the anchor’s reaction. Live television demands a strict facade of professionalism, especially when delivering news about disabilities or hardships. When an anchor breaks character—not just with a chuckle, but with an intense, wheezing loss of oxygen—it highlights the shared, human inability to suppress a laugh at highly inappropriate times.
The name “Chris P. Bacon” itself operates on a level of absurdist humor that requires the listener to say it aloud to fully grasp the pun. The moment the anchor’s brain processes the phonetic joke (“Crispy Bacon”) alongside the visual of the wheelchair-bound pig, the professional boundary shatters entirely, leaving behind a timeless piece of digital history.