Stephen Colbert Weighs in on Controversy Surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Ad

Stephen Colbert Weighs In on the Controversy Surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Ad — And He’s Not Holding Back

Late-night king Stephen Colbert has officially entered the denim discourse — and let’s just say, Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad has never sounded more ridiculous.

On a recent episode of The Late Show, Colbert took aim at the internet’s unhinged reaction to American Eagle’s now-infamous ad featuring the Euphoria actress, poking fun at the claims that the campaign somehow equated to “N@zi propaganda.”

🕶️ Colbert: “It’s Jeans, Not Genocide”

Opening his monologue with mock-serious concern, Colbert deadpanned:

“Tonight’s top story: Sydney Sweeney has great jeans. And apparently, also started World War III.”

The audience erupted as he continued to roast the culture war erupting over a simple wordplay — “great jeans” versus “great genes” — that has sparked accusations of racial coding, eugenics imagery, and more.

“Look, when we start accusing denim ads of promoting fascism, maybe it’s time to log off and touch some actual grass,” he quipped.

👖 The Ad That Tore the Internet in Half

In case you missed it (or blissfully skipped Twitter this month), American Eagle released a cheeky campaign on July 23 featuring Sydney Sweeney posing in their jeans, accompanied by the phrase:

“Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

Critics immediately pounced, accusing the ad of using Sweeney’s white, blonde, blue-eyed look to subtly glorify white-centric beauty standards. A few voices even labeled the ad “eerily eugenic,” comparing it to 1930s propaganda.

Colbert wasn’t buying it.

“This ad isn’t promoting the Third Reich — it’s promoting ripped thighs and retail therapy,” he joked.

📺 Colbert’s Solution? “More Pants, Fewer Thinkpieces”

As always, Colbert balanced humor with critique, calling out the online tendency to over-analyze every cultural moment through the lens of offense.

“If every time someone attractive puts on pants we spiral into a national identity crisis, maybe the pants aren’t the problem,” he said.
“Maybe it’s the WiFi.”

He even suggested a follow-up ad campaign starring himself in skinny jeans — “just to make sure nobody’s attracted to the ad next time.”

🧵 Final Seam: A Satirical Stitch in the Culture War

Stephen Colbert’s take served as a refreshing reset — a reminder that not everything is a political statement, and sometimes, jeans really are just jeans.

In a world that’s turning fashion campaigns into battlefields, Colbert proves once again that laughter might be the last sane response.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the denim discourse, take a cue from Colbert: chill out, crack a joke, and maybe just buy the damn jeans.