Sometimes you have to wonder how some folks on local television news can even claim to be journalists. Not to diss some of the great ones out there who work the streets faithfully, but we once witnessed an anchor stumble as she was unable to identify City Hall during a live shot. Really.

Then along comes NBC Los Angeles's Robert Kovacik, a stand up reporter who proved that not only do on-air journos have to get the facts like the rest of the news world, but they have to do it with aplomb and coolness rare to the rest of us professional ass-sitters:

View more videos at: https://nbclosangeles.com.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, that's a cockroach on Kovacik's shoulder. It scurried back and forth across his blades as he performed a live shot last night about a possible Manson Family link to unsolved murders.

As he stood in West Los Angeles Kovacik acted like it didn't even exist — sort of like Mitt Romney to the 47 percent.

The station stated:

Nothing bugs Robert Kovacik.

That ought to be good for a hefty contract extension, if you ask us.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.