Carissa Codel, a Missouri-based morning anchor for Ozarks First on Fox 49, has found a way to reclaim power in a profession where looks are often under scrutiny by reading viewer insults about her body on air in her trained broadcaster voice.
The 26-year-old, who describes herself as 5’3” and 180 pounds, has become a viral phenomenon on social media with more than ten compilations of her reading the most bizarre, appalling, and sometimes thirsty comments directed at her on air.
Over time, Codel started growing a fanbase of men fascinated by her curves and sense of humor.
“I think I’m in love,” one wrote. “Are you a bank loan? Because you’ve got my interest,” another added.
Others described her as “Sabrina Carpenter if she was an amazonian.”
A news anchor went viral by reading the mean comments directed at her body in her professional broadcaster voice
Image credits: Instagram/carissacodel
The idea came to Codel in August, after she began collecting what she called “especially spicy” viewer comments. One called her “built for breeding,” a line so outrageous it made her laugh out loud.
Rather than hide the messages, get angry, or play the victim, she decided to feature the comments on air, turning what could’ve been a humiliating moment into comedy gold.
“Dayum Gurl, I want you to put a hurting on me like you do those midnight snacks,” she read in one clip.
Image credits: Instagram/carissacodel
“She’s like the only fat 9 I’ve ever seen,” another wrote, making her laugh so hard she couldn’t even read the text.
“What happened to, ‘You look nice?’” she asked.
“Why have fake news, when you can have cake news?” another wrote.
Image credits: TikTok/carissacodel
The videos blew up almost instantly. A reel posted in October now sits at more than 5 million views on Instagram, where she’s racked up 222,000 followers. Her TikTok page, where she also posts behind-the-scenes moments and witty clips, has 116,400 followers.
So far, she has uploaded 14 viewer comment compilation videos, each one getting close, or largely surpassing, the million views mark.
“I ain’t never worked as hard as them ankles,” a viewer wrote.
“Ladies, if your man doesn’t work harder than your ankles. Get another one,” she replied.
While plenty of the comments were ridiculous enough to laugh at, Codel admitted that others were too offensive
Image credits: TikTok/carissacodel
Codel said she draws a clear line between comments that are funny and those that are just plain cruel. While many of the remarks she features are playfully exaggerated, flirtatious, or absurd in tone, not all of them come from a place of lightheartedness.
“It doesn’t affect me at all. I think that they’re hilarious,” she explained. “I don’t put up the extremely mean ones, but I like the insults that are very creative.”
Behind the scenes, both Codel and her team are careful to screen out the worst of the bunch. She acknowledged that a sizable number of the messages she receives are purely mean-spirited and don’t deserve attention, let alone a spotlight. Those are deliberately left out.
Her ability to laugh off the rest, she says, is something she picked up early on.
“My family is very thick-skinned. I’ve never been bothered by a lot of that.”
Image credits: Instagram/carissacodel
Codel also explained that she has lost 55 pounds in the last three years, a change that made it easier for her to look at comments about her body without feeling shaken by them
“I find it so funny,” she said. “Like, ‘Oh you think I’m big now, you should have seen me back then.’”
“I know who I am, and I know what I look like.”
Codel’s approach has drawn a steadily growing audience of people drawn to her positivity and energy
Initially, Codel feared that her irreverent approach could undermine her professionalism or damage her credibility as a journalist. But the opposite happened.
“I think they see me as a more genuine person,” she said, “instead of just a reporter.”
Now, her fans include not just loyal viewers, but people from across the country and around the world, who see in her something more than just a news anchor.
Beyond the ridiculous comments lies a growing fanbase of people that see in her a woman refusing to apologize for her body, and daring to laugh at what others would use to tear her down.
Image credits: TikTok/carissacodel
“In another era, she would have won beauty contests,” one netizen wrote. “Tastes change and today’s, like all others before them, will as well.”
Her positive energy has gotten the attention of beauty brands, such as Garnier, who left an encouraging comment in one of her pinned videos.
“This just in: gorgeous newscaster slays again,” the brand wrote.
“From THE Garnier!?” she replied. “My life is complete.”
Image credits: Instagram/carissacodel
Just four days ago, on December 3, Carissa celebrated her Instagram page surpassing 200,000 followers.
“Seriously crying tears of joy. I’m so thankful for the community we’ve built. The top 2 most liked comments on this post I will read in my next video!” she wrote.
“You deserve it all!” a fan wrote.
Bored Panda has reached out to Carissa Codel for comment.
“Genuine.” Viewers celebrated the anchor’s sense of humor and resilience
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