Carissa Codel goes viral reading viewer comments in news anchor series

Missouri anchor Carissa Codel has gained millions of views by reading viewer comments in her news voice

Missouri news anchor Carissa Codel has gone viral for reading viewer comments aloud in a social media series that pokes fun at online criticism.

The 26-year-old anchor for CBS affiliate KOLR, also known as Ozarks First, began the “Reading Viewer Comments” series in August 2025 after receiving snarky remarks about her appearance.

The series sees Codel read comments like “shawty obese” and “no oink oink oink” in her news voice while standing in front of a screen displaying the posts.

Codel shared the videos across platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, where she has accumulated more than one million likes and hundreds of thousands of followers.

“I started making those videos after I got a few comments on one of my reports,” Codel told PEOPLE. “I personally thought they were hilarious and showed how often women in this field are scrutinised for their appearance. I wanted my video reading the comments to stand out, so that's where the newscaster voice came in.”

Since August, the series has grown to 14 installments. One special Halloween edition featured Codel dressed as pop star Sabrina Carpenter, a celebrity she is often compared to, while reading themed comments. Fans responded positively, with one noting the series inspired them to watch the news in a town they did not even live in.

Codel said the videos have created a supportive online community. “I feel like we can all hear how silly troll comments sound when they're read out loud,” she explained. Her mother Codie and colleagues have also voiced support, with fellow anchor Angela Luna sharing a video backing Codel’s response to the online commentary.

 

 

 

 

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The series highlights how Codel has transformed online criticism into viral content, turning each jab into an engaging moment for viewers while demonstrating resilience in the face of scrutiny.