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‘Mother of God’: Stephanie Ruhle Stunned by Mike Johnson’s 'Waffles vs. Spaghetti' Remarks on Women’s Brains

11:03 AM, 12/06/2025

MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle was stunned after airing a clip in which House Speaker Mike Johnson and his wife suggested men can "compartmentalize" while women cannot, likening male brains to "waffles" and female brains to "spaghetti." Ruhle reacted on air with a short prayer and strong disbelief. The remarks have added to frustration among Republican women in the House, some of whom say Johnson’s views on gender reflect how they are treated. Johnson, elected speaker in 2023, has publicly described his worldview as rooted in the Bible.

MSNBC Host Reacts to Controversial Remarks by House Speaker and His Wife

MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle expressed visible disbelief after airing a clip on The 11th Hour in which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and his wife, Kelly Johnson, described alleged differences in how men’s and women’s brains work. The segment was drawn from an interview the couple gave to Katie Miller last month.

Mike Johnson: "Men and women are different in this way, is that men can compartmentalize things."

Kelly Johnson: "Men brains are like waffles."

Kelly Johnson: "They have little compartments, and they can think on one little compartment at a time and close it. And men actually have a compartment that has nothing in it. So when you ask him, 'What are you thinking about?' And he says, 'Nothing,' he means it."

Katie Miller: "He’s not thinking about like the Roman Empire?"

Kelly Johnson: "But women, we cannot do that. We are always thinking. In fact, our brains are like spaghetti."

After the clip, Ruhle reacted on air with a short prayer and repeated disbelief: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Are you kidding me?” She said the exchange helps explain why some Republican women in the House have privately and publicly voiced frustration with Johnson’s leadership.

The report noted that a growing number of women in the House Republican conference have expressed concerns about how Johnson’s personal beliefs and leadership style affect their treatment within the conference. Shortly after his election as speaker in 2023, Johnson described his guiding worldview this way: "Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it — that's my worldview. That's what I believe and so I make no apologies for it."

Context: The clip was originally broadcast on Katie Miller’s program last month and was replayed on MSNBC’s The 11th Hour.

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