The Top 10 Everything of 2009

Local New York television anchor Ernie Anastos became the story himself during a September news broadcast after the veteran journalist offered an odd instruction to the station's weatherman during some on-air banter. "It takes a tough man to make a tender forecast," Anastos joked to WNYW's Nick Gregory, adding, inexplicably: "Keep f______ that chicken," using a word that sounds an awful lot like plucking. Anastos continued the broadcast apparently unfazed, even as co-anchor Dari Alexander's eyes practically bulged out of her head. He fessed up during the following night's newscast, conceding that he "misspoke" and apologizing to anyone he offended. The slipup immediately brought to mind another New York anchor's notorious F bomb on a different station just last year. A friendly reminder, Gotham newscasters: when the red light goes on, it's time to keep it clean.