Summary
- Melinda Gates shines in solo interview on The Late Show, handling questions with class and grace.
- Fans show excitement and support for Melinda's future philanthropic ventures post-divorce.
- Melinda Gates emphasizes the importance of giving back and supporting societal causes in a thoughtful manner.
The last time Bill and Melinda Gates appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, fans were annoyed by the audience's reaction to the couple, and it seemed to derail the interview. This time, circumstances were completely different as Melinda French Gates was solo for the interview. Fans were excited to hear what the guest had to say, and the conversation did not disappoint.
There was one mention of Bill during the interview, and their former foundation. Melinda handled the moment with class, and fans especially appreciated her response, and what the future holds for her philanthropy work.
Stephen Colbert's Guest Wisely Canceled At The Last Minute, Avoiding A Question From The Host That Would Have Sunk His Career
Stephen Colbert had plans of bringing up a controversial topic with his now canceled guest.
Melinda Gates Had The Perfect Reaction To Stephen Colbert Asking Her About Leaving The Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation
Melinda French Gates had previously appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert alongside ex-husband, Bill Gates. This time around, the focus was completely on Melinda. The conversation touched on several topics, including Melinda's support for Kamala Harris, along with Pivotal Ventures, which is set to encourage more women to run for office.
Bill and Melinda Gates discussed their foundation and tax rates during their prior 2019 interview with Stephen Colbert.
Colbert did bring up Bill Gates. There weren't any personal questions, but Colbert did wonder what was next for Melinda following the closure of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, known for its massive support over the years. Melinda handled the question with complete class, revealing she's devoted to keeping her philanthropy alive well beyond the foundation.
"Absolutely, I think it is the right thing to do for society," Gates revealed after Colbert asked if she's still committed to giving away her fortune.
Following the applause, Gates continued, "If we grew up in the United States, we have really been lucky. To be able to go to a decent school, grow up, and pursue your career. And if you're a billionaire, my gosh, have you benefited from this country. We should give back, and in a way that's incredibly thoughtful."
Melinda is putting her focus on Pivotal Ventures these days, which will be her way of giving back.
The moment takes place below at the 2:00 minute mark.
The reaction to Melinda's interview was extremely positive among YouTube users.
Fans wrote:
- "I admire Melinda French Gates,not because she is rich, but because she is generous, intelligent and has a great vision of the future of women in the USA!"
- "What a classy woman. She seems so down to earth for someone so well off. Her philanthropy comes from the heart."
- "She's not wrong. All billionaires should either give it back to the people who made them billionaires or get taxed (and pay!) to the extent that the least of us are benefitted by their extraordinary wealth. One human does NOT NEED A BILLION DOLLARS while billions of humans live without so much as potable water!"
Melinda Gates has a net worth of $11 billion.
Melinda Gates' Main Concern Following Her Divorce Was The Children
In October of 2022, Melinda French Gates opened up about her "unbelievably painful" divorce. The only bright spot for Melinda was the timing of it all. Given that it took place during the pandemic, Melinda was able to maintain the privacy she needed.
"I had some reasons I just couldn't stay in that marriage anymore," French Gates said. "But the odd thing about COVID is that it gave me the privacy to do what I needed to do."
"It's unbelievably painful, in innumerable ways, but I had the privacy to get through it."
Melinda went on to reveal that her children were the top priority, "My main concern, of course, was trying to protect my kids through it. And we got to the other side."
Melinda Gates wished Bill Gates well following their divorce, and was optimistic about an ongoing working relationship with her ex.
The Late Show
- Network
- NBC, CBS
- Showrunner
- Christopher Andrew Licht
- Directors
- Jake Plunkett, Jim Hoskinson, Ballard C. Boyd
- Writers
- Emmy Blotnick, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Stephen Colbert
- Seasons
- 8
