Gayle King isn’t new to this, she’s true to this.
The CBS This Morning host’s interview with Robert “R.” Kelly affirmed as much. Her calm, poised demeanor sitting in stark relief against Kelly’s emotional outbursts as she confronted him about years of sexual abuse allegations. Viewers applauded King’s work, as did many of her peers around the media industry, including Jesse Watters, a sturdy lump of self-tanner masquerading as a host at Fox News.
Watters offered kudos to King for her exclusive interview with Kelly, but in doing so, mistook her for ABC’s Robin Roberts.
On Thursday night, King chatted with the The Late Show’s Stephen Colbert about the mixup.
“Were you happy to hear that Fox News’ Jesse Watters gave you props for this interview after that Jussie Smollett interview you did?” Colbert asked.
King laughed before making it very clear that she doesn’t typically watch Fox News, but after hearing about the gaffe, reached out to Dana Perino via email to thank her for correcting Watters on air.
According to King, she told Perino:
Hi, just wanted to thank you for letting your colleague know that Robin Roberts and I, it was a great compliment, but thank you for letting him know that we’re two different people. And could you let the rest of your colleagues know that all black people do not look alike. Could you please just share that?
King added she and Perino shared a “little joke” about the gaffe afterward.
Game. Set. Gayle.