Believe it or not, we are all human, including the nearly indefatigable Steve Kornacki.
The NBC News chief data analyst explained why he abruptly quit his live election night broadcast on social media platform
Towards the 10th hour of his live broadcast, Kornacki told the audience that he was taking a short five-minute break and that he would “be right back.” But the beloved NBC statistics expert did not return. It seems that the marathon of election reporting has really taken its toll on Kornacki.
The data analyst wrote to “What a journey it has been and I think we made history live. I apologize for the abrupt ending.”
Praised for his mental strength, especially on recent election nights, Kornacki was praised not only for great understanding from viewers, but also for his work in breaking down tight races over such long hours.
“10 hours. Not including getting to work and getting ready. Probably 12 hours,” one viewer wrote on Instagram. “Man, go home and recharge until Thursday, we’re good! Oh and THANK YOU!!”
Another commentator called Kornacki a “legend”.
“I was locked in the Kornacki camera the entire time,” the social media user wrote. “Go take a long sleep my friend, you deserve it.”
Kornacki has long been an election night staple, giving NBC News viewers a look at key races, polls and results. His work on election night even earned him the nicknames “Map Dad” and “Map Vibe.”
The data analyst’s “Kornacki Cam,” broadcast from 30 Rockefeller Plaza this year, was particularly successful. The 10-hour livestream was watched more than 6.3 million times on YouTube alone. The program reached a record of 29 million views across all platforms, becoming the most watched election live broadcast of the midterms.
Say hi Steve. You deserve it so much!