Shea Allen

Redheads are redheads. We speak our minds! I have spent most of my life as a redhead. Today, I wanted to tell you about a redhead you probably never heard of, but who made headlines recently because of the remarks she made on her personal blog. Shea Allen is a Huntsville, Alabama investigative reporter for TV station WAAY-31, who lost her job this week because someone ratted her out.

Allen made the classic mistake of thinking her personal blog was personal. There is no such thing. When someone writes something on the Internet, it is open for the world to see. That goes for Facebook, Twitter, message boards, and blogs like this one. Stop thinking that you should be able to personally express yourself without consequence. If you make a personal remark, readers react. They don’t differentiate. Look at the nasty editorial reactions that have already started

There is no wiggle room. Allen found that out the hard way. Her TV bosses cut her loose once they learned about some personal remarks. There were a few no-no’s including her claim to have “gone bra-less” during on-air appearances. For those who want to argue that Allen should have freedom of speech, I say there is no such thing when you are a public figure. See her video defense now on Huffington Post.

People follow you everywhere on the Internet. Allen should have known better. Allen posted “Confessions of a Red-Headed Reporter” last Tuesday. Station managers called her to a meeting about the blog on Friday morning to bid her farewell. No discussions, no drama, just goodbye.

Here are the 10 career confessions on Shea’s personal blog that got her into trouble. Number six is a doozy.

1. I’ve gone bra-less during a live broadcast and no one was the wiser.

2. My best sources are the ones who secretly have a crush on me.

3. I am better live when I have no script and no idea what I’m talking about.

4. I’ve mastered the ability to contort my body into a position that makes me appear much skinnier in front of the camera than I actually am.

5. I hate the right side of my face.

6. I’m frightened of old people and I refuse to do stories involving them or the places they reside.

7. Happy, fluffy, rainbow stories about good things make me depressed.

8. I’ve taken naps in the news car.

9. If you ramble and I deem you unnecessary for my story, I’ll stop recording but let you think otherwise.

10. I’ve stolen mail and then put it back. (maybe)

Let me know what you think.