Kaitlan Collins brought an unexpected pop culture reference to CNN’s election night coverage. She compared a Senate candidate’s campaign strategy to a famous Mariah Carey meme.
The CNN anchor referenced Carey’s famous remark about Jennifer Lopez during a discussion about New Hampshire’s Senate race. However, her colleague Jake Tapper appeared to miss the joke.
Kaitlan referenced Mariah’s famous meme, leaving Jake Tapper puzzled
During Tuesday’s election coverage, Collins discussed former New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu, who was trying to regain his seat against Rep. Chris Pappas.
Collins explained that Sununu had attempted to distance himself from President Donald Trump through campaign advertisements.
According to Collins, Sununu’s campaign ads suggested that he barely knew Trump, despite their political ties.
The approach reminded Collins of Carey’s memorable 2003 interview, in which the singer claimed she did not know Jennifer Lopez. The remark later became a popular internet meme.
Tapper, however, appeared puzzled by the reference.
According to TMZ, Anderson Cooper joined the conversation and expressed hope that another Mariah Carey reference would come up before the night ended.
The exchange also caught Dana Bash’s attention. Later that evening, she took to X to show her support for Collins’ pop culture reference.
Meanwhile, the CNN panel continued reporting election results from across the country.
Pappas ultimately defeated Sununu in New Hampshire, ending his bid to return to the Senate.
According to TMZ, Democrats also regained control of both the House and Senate during the midterm elections.
Although the discussion centered on Sununu’s campaign and his ties to Trump, Collins’ joke briefly shifted the conversation toward pop culture.
Her reference also created an unexpected exchange among the CNN anchors as they followed the election results.
