A reporter lost it while interviewing Ricky Martin and his reaction was brilliant

Jan 23 2018
Written by Joseph McCormick

A journalist couldn’t contain herself with excitement while interviewing Ricky Martin, fortunately his reaction was amazing.

Ana Belaval, a Chicago-based journalist, conducted the live satellite interview with the American Crime Story star.

She joined the anchors in the split-screen interview to ask about hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, but was caught fangirling when she kept talking at the end of the segment, not realising Martin was still listening in.

Belaval thanked the singer-turned-actor for his efforts to help the island, discussing re-housing people displaced by the hurricane.

But when she began to jump around and shout about her excitement, she didn’t realise that Martin was still listening.

He couldn’t see her, but heard the journalist say: “I seriously went very berserk on Dean Richards because you have to understand, when you’re part of a minority and you don’t have a lot of role models in media, and you have a Ricky Martin that wherever you go in the world, it’s a good name to mention as a Puerto Rican ― oh my goodness you feel related to him.

At which point Martin spoke up, saying: “That’s beautiful. I love what I’m hearing.”

And Belaval responded: “Oh he’s still there?!” joking to the anchors on WGN: “I’m going to kill you!”

“Please, I don’t want to be involved in another ‘American Crime Story,’” Martin added.

After the video of the interview went viral, Belaval spoke to NPR about the interview.

She said: “I have had so many missed opportunities to meet him.

“And honestly, after Hurricane Maria, when the local government was running around like headless chickens, these performers just went to work ― right? ― put boots on the ground. And he was ― I will never forget. No one could get to Aguadilla. And he got a FedEx plane to Aguadilla, which is on the west coast of the island, to go help people who really needed it. And so that just elevated him in my eyes.”