Summary
- Mariah Carey denies proclaiming herself the "Queen of Christmas" and clarifies that it was a misconception by the public.
- Carey's love for Christmas comes from her troubled childhood and her desire for a perfect and festive holiday.
- Carey's handling of interviews, like with Stephen Colbert, showcases her wit, dominance, and unapologetic personality.
Mariah Carey has been a musical force since her debut in 1990. She has sold millions of albums, developed a large fan base, and became the soundtrack to tons of Christmas celebrations.
Since she is such a massive celebrity, there will inevitably be misconceptions by the public. Among these misconceptions is the idea that Carey proclaimed herself the "Queen of Christmas." However, when Carey appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she made sure to clear the air.
Fans would praise Carey for her personality and ability to take control of the interview. Colbert is merely one of several talk show hosts who have experienced this side of Carey. Other hosts on this list include Rose O'Donnell and Wendy Williams.
Mariah Carey Denies She Proclaimed Herself 'Queen Of Christmas' In Colbert Interview
When Carey appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2022, she discussed all things Christmas. It marked her second appearance on the show. Carey previously appeared via Zoom in 2020 to discuss her New York Times bestselling memoir "The Meaning of Mariah Carey."
This time, Carey was there to promote her Christmas tour, whose New York City shows were filmed for a CBS special.
When Colbert mentioned Carey being referred to as "the Queen of Christmas," the singer took a moment to set the record straight. Although lots of people believe Carey has given herself that title, she insisted this wasn't the case.
"I did not call myself the Queen of Christmas," she said. "They can look up every interview I've ever done, and not to get super religious, but I think if anybody would be the Queen of Christmas, that would be Mary."
Carey also told Colbert that her love of Christmas was genuine and came from her troubled childhood.
"I just happen to really love Christmas because I had kind of a tough childhood and I always wanted Christmas to be perfect and it never was," Carey said. "So then, when I was able to finally provide myself with, and my friends, and now my little kids who are 11, we have the most festive Christmas ever...because its actually authentic, and it came from a place of longing to have some normalcy and peace and just like, a lovely holiday."
Fans on YouTube complimented Carey's handling of the "Colbert Questionert," noting that she took control of the interview.
“A true diva!!! She answers the questions she wants to,” one user commented.
“I've never seen her so chatty, loved the confusion!” another wrote. “Steven lost himself couple of times, she avoided everything she could, it's all fun when people have positive vibes.”
“What I like about Mariah Carey is that she is unapologetically herself,” another fan commented. “She doesn’t try to appease any one. She comes across as witty, dominating and also playful in this interview and I love every second of it.”
Mariah Defended Herself On 'Rosie' When O'Donnell Criticized Her Dress At An Award Show
Carey had another series of memorable talk show appearances in the 90s on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. When Carey appeared on O'Donnell's show in 1997, the host shared a surprising connection she had with Carey. O'Donnell told Carey that they both lived in Centerport, an area of Long Island in New York. O'Donnell said that she used to walk her teacher's kids to school in the morning and saw Carey at the bus stop when she was a little girl.
"You were this beautiful little baby," O'Donnell told Carey. "I said 'Who is that girl?' And my friend Pat, who was my teacher, said, 'Her name is Mariah. Isn't that a pretty name?'"
Carey was on the show to promote her "Butterfly" album. Carey was expanding her musical horizons and incorporating different styles than she did prior. She was stepping outside the pop realm so many people were used to.
Carey also began dressing differently with the "Butterfly" album. Carey has said this wasn't a transformation, but rather her being more herself. According to Carey, her fashion sense prior to getting famous was similar to how she dressed after "Butterfly." However, since the public only knew the girl-next-door look she was given, it seemed like a major image change.
Not everyone was happy about it, either. Many felt Carey wore outfits that were too revealing. Case in point, when Carey appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show in 2000, the host referred to Carey's dress at the American Music Awards as "trampy."
Carey began to defend herself and explained that she wanted to be free since outfits were chosen for her during the early part of her career. She also pointed out the double standard female artists face, since nobody had a problem with the male artists who wore tank tops or took their shirts off.
Later in the interview, O'Donnell said she felt bad about the "trampy dress" comment.
"I shouldn't have said 'trampy outfit,'" O'Donnell told Carey, "'cause it's not right."
Wendy Williams Turned Down A Chance To Interview Mariah On Her Talk Show
Wendy Williams once had the number one talk show in daytime. Her controversial radio personality moved perfectly into daytime television with her brand of "hot topics." Williams would always dish about the latest celebrity news at the start of her show.
In 2013, Carey was preparing to release her next album. Her first release that year was a song called "Almost Home." The track was recorded for the Disney movie Oz the Great and Powerful. Later that year, she released the song "#Beautiful" with singer Miguel. The song became a hit and would coincide with Carey's stint as a judge on American Idol.
It was during this period that Williams says she received a call from Carey's "people," inquiring about an interview. Williams had interviewed Carey previously on her radio show. However, since this particular appearance would be on camera, Carey's team had some specific requests, according to the former talk show host.
Williams claimed that Carey's team asked her to switch seats with the singer on the sofa during the interview. Williams said that she didn't want to vacate her spot on the sofa, so she turned down the interview.
It's unclear if there was some miscommunication, because Williams' guests usually sat on the right side. This is what Carey considers to be her "good side." So it seems unlikely that Carey would've needed to switch places with Williams.