Local Fox Anchor In Memphis Has Hilarious Reaction After She's Caught Sleeping Live On Air

If you've ever wished you could sneak in a quick nap before your morning coffee, Dominique Dillon may have just become your new hero. On Wednesday, July 29, an Instagram user shared a video of their television that appeared to show the FOX13 Memphis anchor and reporter catching a few unexpected moments of shut-eye during a live morning broadcast.

The user captioned the post:

“Y’all! DOMINIQUE DILLON got caught SLEEP ON CAMERA, FOX 13 Good Morning Memphis!! I’m hollering.”

In the video, Dillon is seen resting her head in her hands with her eyes closed as FOX13 Memphis reporter Sheila O'Connor waits for a response after wrapping a story on the St. Jude Memphis to Peoria charity run. As the silence lingers for a few seconds, the person filming their television can be heard laughing before the broadcast cuts away.

You can watch the sleepy time moment below:

I'm not saying I've never looked exactly like this before my first cup of coffee... but I'm not not saying it either.

The post also included the hashtags "#Nappingonthejob" and "#Erniesaiditmustbenaptime," the latter seemingly referencing Dillon's FOX13 Memphis colleague Ernie Freeman. Freeman later joined in on the fun with a Facebook post of his own.

Freeman joked in his Facebook post:

“Now that ‘The Big Show’ is over, it’s time for Dominique Dillon to catch another nap.”

Freeman also added that at least Dillion didn’t snore. Dillon happily played along, reposting his message on Facebook and writing, “Couldn’t even give me a nudge,” before adding that another colleague, Brittani Dubose, “had my back though!”

You can view that post here:

Not everyone, however, was ready to pile on over Dillon's apparent on-air snooze.

Several commenters pointed out that the anchor recently welcomed her second child—her second in less than two years—and deserved a little "grace." Others noted that the demanding schedule of a morning news anchor could leave anyone feeling exhausted, while one viewer argued someone in the studio should have stepped in to wake her.

The internet was fully caffeinated for this one:

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The clip resonated with more than just viewers. WJCL 22 News anchor Corey Howard admitted he'd also nodded off during commercial breaks, adding that his sleepy moments thankfully never made it on the air.

11Alive anchor Savannah Levins also shared her perspective:

“I’ll reserve judgment until I know how many days/double shifts in a row she’s worked.”

Dillon has called FOX13 Memphis home since 2019, when she joined the station as a reporter. Less than three years later, she was promoted to anchor and now helms FOX13 Midday weekdays at 11 a.m.

She's also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists, and spends her free time traveling, working out, and spending time with loved ones.

The day after her viral sleepy moment, Dillon addressed the unexpected attention with the following post:

It's likely not how Dillon envisioned going viral, but she's embraced the unexpected attention with a smile.