Diane Sawyer Drunk During ABC Election Coverage? Video Shows Veteran Host 'Tipsy,' 'Hammered'

By Nadine DeNinno | November 07 2012 9:42 AM

Election night is a long night for broadcast hosts and journalists but it was an even longer night for ABC's Diane Sawyer, who allegedly was drunk during her coverage on Tuesday.

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Critics said ABC's Diane Sawyer was drunk after appearing in a video looking "tipsy" and "hammered" during her election coverage on Tuesday.

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Sawyer, a veteran journalist and co-anchor with George Stephanopoulos, "spoke more slowly than usual while seeming to prop herself on outstretched arms at the anchor desk," an article written by the Associated Press said.

According to Gawker in its post "Here's Video Evidence of Why Everyone Thought Diane Sawyer Was S--tfaced On Air Last Night," Sawyer exuded some different and bizarre behavior.

"She slurred every other word, rambled about the lack of music, and asked a correspondent if the exclamation point in the Obama slogan represented the direction he truly wanted to go with his presidency. What more proof do you need?"

The AP reported Sawyer couldn't even say the newly reelected President Barack Obama's name at one point.

"OK," she said at one point around 10 p.m. EST, "I wanna — can we have our music, because this is another big one here? Minnesota, we're ready to project Minnesota, rrright now. ... Well, tonight we know that President Barack has won Minnesota," she said slurring.

Almost immediately after Sawyer appeared drunk, people took to Twitter and poked fun at the allegedly drunken host. Some called her "a bit tipsy," ''hammered" or "on pain killers, muscle relaxers, benzos or some combination." Others compared her performance to an episode of HBO's "The Newsroom" and some cynics alleged it was a stunt from ABC to boost viewership.

Celebrities even joined in to criticize Sawyer for throwing too many back.

Josh Groban tweeted, "I'll have what Diane Sawyer is having."

Ricki Lake wrote: "And Diane Sawyer declares tonight's winner is... chardonnay!"

The best part? Someone immediately created a Twitter handle, @DrnkDianeSawyer, which amassed an impressive following in one night. Tweets from the account read: "Diane Sawyer MUST HAVE TACO BELL," "OK, I'm going to pass out now. Wake me up when#Romney concedes the race. #DrunkDianeSawyer must sleep" and "nothig to c here guys im ok d'ont worry abot me."

ABC did not respond to questions from The AP.

And this isn't the first time Diane Sawyer found herself in the midst of drunken rumors. Back in 2009 during the President's inauguration, Sawyer reportedly lapped up too much and earned the headline, "Sawyer Hungover?"