Pumpkin Fest Lady, TV Reporter Wrestle Over Mic Live On Air

Independent journalist Jared Goodell covered the riots (along with other events) at this year's Pumpkin Fest in Keene, N.H., and at one point during his broadcast, festival organizer Ruth Sterling tried to cut him off in attempt to let everyone know that all was well. Witness the symbolism of BIG PUMPKIN FEST battling The Truth for a microphone.

Boston.com got comment from both sides after the altercation. Sterling's email:

I needed to keep 80,000 people safe. And one self-promoting punk could help me do that or TRY to impede me from doing that. I never regret when I try. Last night I was trying. I was not surrendering to fear, intimidation, threats[.]

And Goodell:

I would say over eight hours [of coverage] it was probably 90 percent about the festival, just talking to the families and kids with costumes, about the pumpkins, talking to local non-profit leaders. We talked about the riots in a safe way because we're playing to viewers at home and we want to let the viewers at home know what the safety concerns are.

Cars were being turned over, fires were being set, a mass casualty [incident] was announced. I'd say we underreported on the riots.

Goodell really treats his Pumpkin Fest report like he's embedded in Fallujah, though.