Pity the poor reporter dispatched to the Vegas strip to get "man on the street" reactions from drunk tourists on the death of Michael Jackson. Steve Ryan of "ABC13 Action News" was one such reporter, and he struck back hard.

Possibly the most worthless, airtime-eating tactic in the history of television news, the "man on the street" interview typically involves some fresh out of college pretty face quizzing some slob with a room temperature IQ and a complete ignorance of current events about issues they have no business giving public opinions on, yet the tradition lives on at local news outlets across America. Occasionally, the person being interviewed will say or do something incredibly stupid, which then leads to a minor comedic moment. It is on these occasions that the "man on the street" interview actually holds some shred of value for the viewer, though it's still utterly worthless as a tangible journalistic tool.

It is with this in mind that we genuflect at the altar of Steve Ryan for refusing to take it anymore and physically assaulting an unruly street person. This, and the resulting looks of horror on the faces of the in-studio anchors at the desk when the director cuts back to them, may be the best moment in the history of television news.

via Wonkette