Fox Sports host Charissa Thompson has never shied away from publicly addressing her personal health struggles, and this time it’s no different. A few weeks ago, her co-host Erin Andrews casually mentioned on their Calm Down podcast that Thompson pushed through a Thursday Night Football broadcast despite throwing up. That one comment sparked headlines that Charissa had suffered a life-threatening medical emergency live on air. But did she? 

Charissa just cleared the air, and she made it very clear that the headlines exaggerated everything. She opened her latest Calm Down podcast episode by addressing the news headlines surrounding her recent health issue. Media outlets claimed she nearly collapsed during the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers broadcast. So, she wanted everyone to know the real timeline.

“Two weeks ago, I got sick before the game,” said Charissa. “I was sick in the morning at a production meeting. Came out of nowhere. We might have pinpointed it to the seafood tower from the night before, but either way, it hit me during the production meeting.”

We’ve all had those ‘bad food decisions that fight back,’ right? She got sick, powered through the meeting, and focused on the broadcast ahead. By the time showtime hit, she said she switched into full professional mode. “Lights, camera, action, b*tch smile,” said Charissa. No drama, on-air panic, or medical assistance was needed. 

Charissa confessed that she didn’t even tell her bosses, because she felt better by then. But that’s where the confusion began. Erin Andrews had joked that Charissa felt like she was “going to die,” comparing it to Michael Jordan’s legendary “Flu Game”. During that game, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to a 90-88 win while playing against the Utah Jazz. But it was reported that Jordan had the flu during the game, while he actually suffered from food poisoning.

Moreover, Charissa stressed that “feeling like you’re dying while throwing up in a hotel trash can” is not the same thing as actually being in danger during a broadcast. Makes sense, right? Who hasn’t exaggerated when they felt awful? But the headlines ran wild. 

Charissa Thompson calls out media outlets over her medical emergency news

Charissa Thompson has always been known for her brutal honesty. A few months ago, she had confessed to nearly falling for a scam on her podcast. And this time, she specifically called out media outlets for sensationalizing her health issue. 

Firstly, Charissa called out the Daily Mail for claiming she suffered a “medical nightmare during a live broadcast.” That never happened, she said. It was a rough morning – not a crisis on-air. She admitted she found the dramatized coverage amusing, but also misleading. 

“I’m not famous, so I don’t care,” Charissa joked. “But I’m also like, ‘This didn’t happen.’” 

The Fox Sports host also addressed a New York Post headline, calling her situation a “Thursday night nightmare.” Her message to the press is simply to ‘ease up on these headlines.’ Yes, podcasts get quoted. Yes, people love clickbait. But Charissa stated that accuracy still matters. 

“I didn’t say anything about having a medical emergency during the broadcast,” Charissa ultimately said. “So, that’s my two cents. Fake news alert, alert, alert. I wasn’t going to die during the broadcast.”

Moreover, when she first told the story, Charissa had stated that she loves her roles at Amazon and Fox and won’t give them up easily. “They will have to drag me off the set,” she had insisted. So, as it turns out, Charissa got food poisoning, toughed it out, and delivered a great broadcast. She pushed through a miserable morning for a job she loves.