Fans think Stephen Colbert may have broken his 'iconic' rule with Priyanka Chopra: "He looked..."
Stephen Colbert is known for his professionalism on late-night television and generally treats his guests well. This was evident in his interview with Priyanka Chopra back in 2017 which remains one of his most-watched interviews. However, fans noticed him breaking one of his usual rules. Some viewers praised Colbert for maintaining eye contact and staying focused, while others pointed out moments where they thought he slipped and took a sneak peek at her cleavage in her extremely bold outfit. Despite the debate, Colbert kept the conversation centered on Chopra’s career and avoided commenting on her appearance. All the while Chopra was in high spirits, talking about her role in 'Quantico' and her move from India to Hollywood, as per Buzzfeed.
The interview received nearly 6,000 comments, with fans discussing various aspects of the conversation. One of the most liked comments praised Colbert for maintaining eye contact with Chopra, given her striking outfit, "Props to Stephen for maintaining eye contact. Must've been hard," a fan wrote. But not everyone agreed. Another viewer pointed out, "You didn't when she first came on. When he was helping her to the chair." Another fan added, "Well i mean her face is gorgeous so i think he would be having trouble looking away from that." One added, "I think he just broke his own iconic rule...He looked at her assets lmao." Regardless of the discussion, Colbert seemed professional throughout. As soon as Chopra sat down, he focused on her career rather than making comments about her appearance. While the topic of eye contact gained attention, most viewers were more impressed with Chopra’s confidence and poise.
Colbert has consistently been praised for his respectful approach to interviewing female guests. He avoids discussing their looks and focuses on their careers. This was also seen in his interview with Anya Taylor-Joy. Although Taylor Joy was in the news for her 12-string dress, Colbert concentrated on her role in 'Furiosa'. She was impressed with his research, particularly when he mentioned the Australian heat and how it might affect her fair skin, per Headline Planet.
She said, “I am so grateful you brought this up, because that’s genuinely what I said to George on our first phone call.” She recalled a conversation with director George Miller, “He was FaceTiming with me and he was like, ‘I really want you to do this movie,’ and I was like, ‘But you have seen me, right? Like, there’s no shade anywhere, I’m going to need an umbrella.’ And he was like, ‘That’s what you’re worried about in this film?’ And I was like, ‘Yes sir, that’s it.’” Taylor-Joy also expressed gratitude toward Colbert for the way he conducted their first-ever interview, "You were one of my first interviews, and treated me with such kindness and respect. So thank you for that." Colbert was clearly touched by her words, making it another memorable moment in his long list of respectful and engaging interviews.
Colbert is not the only late-night host who has faced questions about his eye contact. Jimmy Fallon also experienced similar reactions during his interview with Sydney Sweeney. Fans were divided as some praised Fallon for being respectful, while others pointed out a moment where they believed he slipped. One viewer noted, "Dude didn't look once, bro has talent." Another fan added, "Jimmy's eyes didn't drop even once. That is goddamn professionalism right there." However, not everyone agreed. One viewer claimed, "To everyone saying he didn't peek once... 0:20."
