Gayle King Addresses Jesse Watters’ Mistaken Identity Blunder on Fox News

Gayle King recently called out Fox News host Jesse Watters for mistaking her for fellow African-American journalist Robin Roberts. The CBS Morning host revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that she had emailed Watters’ co-host, Dana Perino, to address the issue, pointedly asking, “Could you let the rest of your colleagues know all Black people do not look alike?”

The mix-up occurred during an episode of The Five on Fox News, where Watters attempted to both criticize and praise King for an interview she never conducted. While discussing high-profile media moments, Watters referenced King’s 2019 interview with R. Kelly, which had been widely lauded for her composure. However, he mistakenly tied her to Robin Roberts’ separate interview with Jussie Smollett, an entirely different story.

“Hats off to Gayle King for totally redeeming herself after the Smollett fiasco,” Watters remarked, referring to Robin Roberts’ ABC News interview with Smollett before his arrest for allegedly staging a hate crime.

Perino quickly interjected to correct Watters, saying, “That was not Gayle King. Robin Roberts did the Smollett interview.” Realizing his mistake, Watters put his head in his hands and sheepishly admitted, “I knew that.” Later in the show, he held up a whiteboard with the words, “I’m sorry Gayle + Robin,” in an attempt to apologize.

King’s Response: A Lesson in Grace and Awareness

King, who was informed about the blunder by friends rather than witnessing it live, took the opportunity to address the broader implications of such mistakes. During her interview with Colbert, she explained that she sent an email to Perino, despite not knowing her personally, to express her gratitude for the correction and to make a larger point about racial misidentifications.

“I emailed Dana and said: ‘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 we’re two different people and could you let the rest of your colleagues know that all Black people do not look alike.’”

King also shared that Perino responded with kindness, stating that it was nice to meet her over email and expressing hope for a future meeting.

Addressing a Broader Issue

King’s response highlights a long-standing issue of mistaken identity when it comes to Black public figures. Such errors are not just careless mix-ups but reflect a broader societal issue where Black individuals, particularly in media and entertainment, are often seen as interchangeable. These mistakes reinforce the lack of representation and recognition that Black professionals continue to face.

This is not the first time Black journalists have been misidentified in mainstream media. Similar incidents have occurred over the years, underscoring the need for greater awareness and attentiveness. King’s handling of the situation with both humor and directness serves as a reminder of the importance of accuracy, respect, and cultural sensitivity in journalism.

Watters’ Apology: Sincere or Insufficient?

While Watters’ whiteboard apology was a visible acknowledgment of his error, the question remains whether such apologies are enough. Critics argue that repeated misidentifications suggest a deeper issue that requires more than just a moment of embarrassment and a handwritten apology.

King, known for her professionalism and poise, has chosen to address the issue constructively rather than dwell on the mistake. Her email to Perino, and her willingness to discuss the matter publicly, serves as an important reminder that representation matters—and so does getting it right.

Ultimately, King’s handling of the situation has once again shown why she is regarded as one of the most respected journalists in the industry. The incident also serves as a learning moment for newsrooms across the country: details matter, accuracy matters, and respect for diverse identities in the media is not optional—it’s essential.

‘Could you let your colleagues know all black people do not look alike?’: Gayle King reveals the email she sent Fox host Dana Perino after Jesse Watters confused her with Robin Roberts

Gayle King clapped back at Fox News host Jesse Watters for mistaking her for fellow African-American journalist Robin Roberts, saying in an email to Watters’ co-host Dana Perino: ‘Could you let the rest of your colleagues know all black people do not look alike?’

King revealed her email on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday night after Watters’ gaff.

He was co-hosting The Five with Perino on Thursday when he mistakenly tried to both insult King and compliment her for her interview with R. Kelly.

‘Hats off to Gayle King for totally redeeming herself after the Smollett fiasco,’ he said, referencing Robin Roberts’ ABC interview with Jussie Smollett before he was arrested for allegedly staging a hoax attack and reporting it to the police.

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Gayle King revealed on Thursday night that she emailed Fox News host Dana Perino (right) to say thank you for correcting Jesse Watters when he confused her with Robin Roberts

Perino nervously interjected: ‘That was not Gayle King. Robin Roberts did the Smollett interview.’

Watters put his head in one hand and said: ‘I knew that.’ Later in the show, he held up a whiteboard apologizing to both King and Roberts.

During her appearance on Colbert, King said she did not watch the show but that friends told her about Watters’ mistake.

‘I normally don’t watch Fox News so I was sent this.  I emailed Dana, who I don’t know, and said: “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 we’re two different people and could you let the rest of your colleagues know that all black people do not look alike.”

‘Yes I did, I said that to her,’ King said.

Fox News host Jesse Watters was trying to praise Gayle King for her R. Kelly interview this week – but mistook her for Robin Roberts instead

Watters later held up a whiteboard on the show that read: ‘I’m sorry Gayle + Robin’ (pictured)

Perino replied to her email by saying it was ‘nice to meet her’, she revealed.

‘We had a little joke about it and I hope to meet her one day because that was very nice of her to do,’ King said.

Referring to Watters, she said: ‘The guy just said like, “Robin Roberts, Gayle King.” I just though, “OK dude, all right. It’s OK.”

She also revealed that before she and Kelly sat down in front of the CBS camera crew, she went to his apartment in Trump Tower Chicago to meet him.

Roberts’ interview with Smollett aired just two days before he was arrested for allegedly filing a false police report. She called it one of the ‘most challenging’ interviews she’s ever done

King has received high praise for keeping her cool while interviewing Kelly for CBS Morning this week as he lashed out over her questions

He was dressed in sweatpants and told her that he was going to change into a suit.

King said she wanted to put him at ease.

She also explained why she kept her cool when Kelly erupted in front of her, saying that she did not him to storm out of the interview.

‘When I see Robert getting really upset and he stands up and he gets really upset, my initial reaction is “please God please don’t leave, please don’t leave.”

‘Because I really thought, we’ve seen him storm out of interviews before and I thought he was going to do that. And I thought, “What can I do to save this interview?”

‘So I sat there quietly, made eye contact with him. I thought, the minute I walk up there and say “calm down”, it’ll make it even worse.’

Her full interview with Kelly will be shown on CBS on Friday at 8pm EST.