Fox News Defends Odd ‘Judge Jeanine’ Broadcast, Citing ‘Technical Difficulties’

By Jordan Moreau

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Many viewers noticed something was off during Saturday’s episode of “Justice With Judge Jeanine,” particularly host Jeanine Pirro’s disheveled appearance and slurred speech at times. However, a Fox News spokesperson said that “technical difficulties” marred the show’s first at-home broadcast.

“ was broadcasting from her home for the first time when she encountered several technical difficulties which impacted the quality of her show, including the loss of a teleprompter. As we have previously said, we are operating with a reduced staff working remotely to ensure the health and safety of our employees in these unprecedented times,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Variety.

Many news anchors are now working from home due to the nationwide shelter-in-place rules during the coronavirus pandemic. A source close to the Fox News network said there were no producers, hair and makeup staff or tech managers working on site at Pirro’s home during Saturday’s broadcast.

The source also said that Pirro was not drunk during the show and doesn’t even drink in her normal life. However, Twitter users ran wild with clips from the broadcast on Saturday night.

Many of the clips from the show went viral on Twitter on Saturday, as did videos of Cecily Strong’s “Saturday Night Live” impression of Pirro.