J.D. Vance simply cannot escape one consistent observation about his appearance, and the October 1, 2024, vice presidential debate had tons of viewers bringing it back up again thanks to his 40-yard stare.
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00:00J.D. Vance simply cannot escape one consistent observation about his appearance, and the
00:05October 1, 2024 vice presidential debate had tons of viewers bringing it back up again
00:11thanks to his 40-yard stare.
00:13The debate between VP hopefuls Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
00:18is likely the last we'll see this election cycle.
00:21Their respective running mates, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris,
00:26squared off on September 10th, and Trump has declined further debate since.
00:31The problem with another debate is that it's just too late.
00:35Voting has already started."
00:36The seeming finality of the Vance-Walz debate drew a lot of attention, and while both men
00:41had their moments, Vance stole the show — and not for the reasons you think.
00:46Yes, comments about Vance's infamous eyeliner definitely made a comeback.
00:51The two men took the stage at CBS News Studio 45 in New York, and moderators Nora O'Donnell
00:57and Margaret Brennan peppered them with questions about foreign policy, the economy, immigration,
01:01and lots of other issues for 90 minutes.
01:04Both candidates held their ground, but Vance stuck out like a sore thumb.
01:08For starters, the man just couldn't stop talking despite the moderator's best efforts to get
01:12him to wrap it up.
01:14Then there were the side-eye-worthy statements that had to be fact-checked on the spot.
01:18He also had to backpedal on that time he called Trump America's Hitler.
01:22And yeah, when you screw up, when you misspeak, when you get something wrong and you change
01:26your mind, you ought to be honest with the American people about it."
01:28But Vance's words couldn't compete with his unnerving, dead-eyed stare into the camera
01:33and what viewers couldn't help but identify as heavy eyeliner.
01:37The internet had an absolute field day during the debate, with Vance becoming the prime
01:41subject of the roast.
01:43His intense, borderline unsettling stare at the camera left viewers feeling more spooked
01:48than swayed.
01:49Some even speculated that the Ohio senator was trying to show off his piercing blue eyes,
01:54made all the more dramatic by his apparent use of eyeliner.
01:58It's worth noting, though, that makeup artist Luna Viola told Nicki Swift that it may not
02:02be makeup after all.
02:04She said,
02:05"'It is also very possible that he has very dark, perfect thick eyelashes.'
02:09This can create the optical illusion of a black eyeliner, especially if contrasted with
02:13blue eyes."
02:15Vance kept pouring on the jokes on X throughout the debate.
02:18With one quipping,
02:19"'J.D. Vance is staring so deeply into the camera, he's gonna reach through the screen
02:23and ask me what stage I'm on in my menstrual cycle.'"
02:26Another chimed in,
02:27"'J.D. Vance staring unblinking at the camera like, damn girl we see him!'
02:32Some outright virtually begged him to stop.
02:34One posted,
02:35"'I need J.D. Vance and his Maybelline eye sticks to stop staring directly at the camera!'
02:41Many compared his look to a teenage Miley Cyrus, with some posting comparison photos."
02:46While we still don't know if he's actually wearing eyeliner, his intense gaze and constant
02:50breaking of the fourth wall were a lot to handle.
02:53If he becomes VP, we're going to see a lot more of it over the next four years.