C.J.: KSTP decided to let WCCO handle the marriage proposal

WCCO-TV's Ashley Roberts forgot to deploy her deep, authoritative anchor voice Wednesday when her KSTP-TV photographer beau Justin McCray popped the question on-air.

McCray got permission to appear live on WCCO-TV's "Mid Morning," and it's the most interesting thing that's happened on this new show.

There was unanchorly jumping and squealing from Roberts as McCray presented a ring he wished was bigger. Roberts did this twirling move, "my happy dance!" she explained via Twitter. "It's the move I always do when I'm extremely happy." The diamond met with Roberts' approval as she flashed her left hand on TV and announced, "I'm engaged!" McCray was the first to get a job in the Twin Cities, and Roberts joined him in November when she started work on "WCCO-TV This Morning."

Despite being a great reporter, Roberts doesn't have any Spidey senses. McCray was telling everybody an engagement was coming (even I knew and have never spoken to either), but she didn't apparently know it would happen Wednesday when the high cost of weddings was the hot topic.

On Tuesday I had started writing an item for today's column, with no names in it, about a media wedding proposal that was scheduled to happen during the May sweeps. Two sources said that McCray was trying to coordinate with KSTP-TV. In the end I'm told KSTP took a pass but gave McCray permission to be on a competitor's station.

When I saw that Roberts would be on the show about weddings, I tweeted: Geez. I wonder if that proposal has been moved up a few weeks?

Roberts didn't even flinch when "Mid Morning" anchor Jason DeRusha said, "Ashley, it all starts with the engagement ring" average price closing in on $6,000. There was some chatter from Jamie Yuccas — and boy could this show use more of her! — about when she and DeRusha got married, and he clarified "not to each other."

Roberts put a finger to her temple and said, "Hummmm," before adding that the love that comes with the ring is more important than size. As the conversation moved on to wedding fashions, DeRusha said, "We want to bring out our fashion expert; his name is Justin."

Roberts gulped, and the proposal was on with McCray saying he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, reminding her to breathe and getting down on one knee.

"So wait. Is that why we're doing the wedding segment?" Roberts said as they went to commercial.

Duh, and congrats.

Wonder if this will make Thursday's "Eye-Opener?" Roberts has done reporting from Minnesota for "CBS This Morning," so they know her.

When I saw Barreiro in the Fox 9 studio wearing a sports coat minutes after noticing Rosenbaum in the lobby in a nicer sports coat, well, even an idiot can do the addition. I am guessing that they will talk way more non-sports stuff than my boys Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon.

Waiting for OKC Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook to arrive at the Grand Hotel was an emotional roller coaster for Twitter's @obeyisse30 and @Khalif11. The teens, who took a bus from Bloomington, yelled Westbrook's name as he got off the team coach Tuesday. He went into the hotel, not even looking in their direction.

They told a man in shorts with the Thunder logo what a jerk they thought Westbrook was. The man said Westbrook was humble, and then asked the teens if he could leave tickets at will call for Wednesday's game.

Westbrook was suddenly a lot less of a jerk.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.