Serena Williams looked uneasy when Stephen Colbert ignored her beliefs on toasting: “I never..."
Stephen Colbert's interview with Serena Williams turned awkward at one point. In July 2024, the tennis champion made an appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' to promote her series 'In the Arena.' Colbert and Williams discussed numerous topics, including her show as well as her tequila brand, Cincora. During the episode, Colbert quipped, "Your business venture, you have a new tequila company called Cincora, and this is a partnership with Michael Jordan." In her response, Williams explained, "Super excited." Then, Colbert brought a bottle of the drink and asked Williams to drink with him.
Soon after, Williams gushed over the bottle by saying, "Isn't it a beautiful bottle?" As per a report by The Things, Colbert asked Williams, "Would you join us?" to which she replied, "I mean, I'm not going to say no to tequila. I didn't know if it was this kind of party." Then, a curious Colbert questioned Williams, "How does one get their own liquor?" to which she retorted, "Michael Jordan, he reached out and was like, I would love to do this. I love the product, and I tasted it first. I love tequila in general. I always thought tequila was for throwing up. I do know you can sleep on it. You can totally sip on this and enjoy this."
Without wasting any time, Williams took a sip of her drink and said, "Sorry, I love it, guys. I never drink. This is so good." Shortly afterward, Colbert insisted that Williams clink her glass by saying, "Cheers (while chasing Williams' glass)... Cheers, there you go," to which the 23-time Grand Slam winner responded, "I don't. I don't." At that point in time, Williams, who is a Jehovah's Witness, appeared visibly uncomfortable. As per the official website of the institution, they "believe that such celebrations displease God" due to their pagan roots.
In the episode, Colbert didn't pay much attention to Williams' request, and he ended up changing the topic of discussion. Colbert said, "You're one of the greatest of all time. Has [Jordan] given you GOAT advice?" to which Williams responded, "He has been very supportive and awesome as he's always been." Then, Williams asked Colbert about the taste of her tequila, "Isn't it delicious?" Meanwhile, Colbert jokingly remarked, "I am going to keep drinking when the camera turns off."
Williams became a Jehovah's Witness after her mother, Oracene Price, converted to the religion in the early '80s. During a 2017 interview with Vogue, Williams shared her thoughts on being a Jehovah's Witness. "Being a Jehovah's Witness is important to me, but I've never really practiced it and have been wanting to get into it," Williams told the media publication at that time.
However, in 2003, Williams began attending Witness meetings after her half-sister, Yetunde Price, was murdered in a drive-by shooting. While having a conversation with The New York Times, Williams revealed that she had to face the elder Witnesses after she lashed out at a US Open line judge in 2009. Then, Williams said, "They had to have a talk with me. And I knew it was coming. I just felt really bad, though, because it's like, that's not who I am. They just talk to you. They show you Scriptures. Not ministers; they call them elders. It's almost like a reprimand, but it's not bad because in the Bible it says God loves you, and if someone reprimands you, they love you."