Female news anchor slammed for the terrible crime of wearing skinny jeans

Real journalists wear boot cut.
 By 
Heather Dockray
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

If you want to be a respected female journalist in America, you need to choose your jeans wisely.

On Tuesday, KARE 11 news anchor Jana Shortal came under fire for committing the terrible sin of wearing skinny jeans on air. In a column published and since removed from the Star Tribune, a columnist who goes by the name C.J. went after the journalist for her "inappropriate" attire.

"I was among a number of media types who found them inappropriate and, given the gravity of the day’s subject matter, downright jarring," C.J. wrote in her column, a cached version of which remains here.

Shortal was reporting on the story of Jacob Wetterling, an 11-year-old boy who was abducted 30 years ago and whose remains were just recently found.

For C.J., Shortal's "hipness" was disrespectful to Wetterling's grieving family. Can you imagine what kind of damage seeing a woman in nice jeans could have done to the family? Mourning, interrupted by Uniqlo.

"While I cannot imagine they’ll want to read or watch every media take about the horror they have been living, I would think that hipness wouldn’t be a priority while covering one of the biggest, saddest stories in Minnesota history," C.J. wrote.

Real journalists, apparently, wear boot cut.

On Twitter, C.J. reached out to Shortal to ask her if she had any regrets, and Shortal responded, with more than a few retweets:

Shortal has received a largely supportive response from her fans on the Internet. C.J. even went so far as to compare Shortal's followers to the Beyhive:

And, to emphasize her point:

Again:

She really likes this joke:

Shortal has since responded in an emotional Facebook post:

"I wore my clothes. The clothes it took me a very long time to feel comfortable in no thanks to the bullies like you who tried to shame me out of them," Shortal wrote.

Though the column has since been taken down, C.J. has yet to apologize to the journalist publicly.

BONUS: Here, have a corgi tea party

Mashable Image
Heather Dockray

Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Bart Layton on how 'Crime 101' compares to 'The Imposter' and 'American Animals'
Bart Layton attends the world premiere of Amazon MGM Studios' "Crime 101" at The United Theater on Broadway on Feb. 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

'Crime 101' review: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Halle Berry star in heist thriller
Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth star in "Crime 101."


'Cornbread Mafia' review: True crime meets stoner comedy in this outrageous documentary
American marijuana farmers sit at the center of "Cornbread Mafia."


Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 4, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!