Awkward Fox News Mix-Up: Gayle King’s Graceful Handling Wins Applause!

Credit : Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Gary Gershoff/WireImage

Gayle King had the perfect response when a political commentator confused her with Robin Roberts.

Appearing on The Late Show on Thursday, CBS This Morning co-host King, 64, was asked about Wednesday’s embarrassing on-air incident. Fox News star Jesse Watters had mixed her up with the Good Morning America anchor, saying King’s interview with R. Kelly “totally redeemed” her from the Jussie Smollett “fiasco.”

Roberts, 58, was actually the one to interview Smollett days before police accused him of staging his alleged attack. Watters did apologize on-air, saying, “Sorry for Robin Roberts out there, I apologize,” and holding up a sign that read “I’m sorry Gayle + Robyn” later in the broadcast.

“You’ve gotten a lot of praise for this across the board, from fellow journalists as well. Were you happy to hear that Fox News’ Jesse Watters gave you props for this interview after that Jussie Smollett interview you did?” Stephen Colbert joked.

Gayle King Commended for Leading a ‘Master Class in Poise’ During Raucous R. Kelly Interview

“Oh my gosh,” King said. “I couldn’t believe this.”

“He mistook you,” Colbert said.

“Yes,” King said with a laugh. “For Robin Roberts.”

“So many people started sending this to me, because I normally don’t watch Fox News unless I’m just curious to see what’s going on, what other people are thinking,” she continued. “So I was sent this and Dana [Perino] stood up for me and said, ‘Uh, that wasn’t Robin Roberts, that was Gayle King.’ ”

King revealed that she emailed Perino, 46, and thanked her for correcting her colleague on-air.

“I emailed Dana, who I don’t know, and I 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 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?’ ” she said.

King said she and Perino had a laugh about it.

“I hope to meet her one day, because I thought that that was very nice of her to do,” she added.

A primetime special on King’s 80-minute interview with Kelly airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.