Gayle King has accepted Snoop Dogg’s apology for the Instagram video he posted verbally assaulting her for asking unpopular questions about Kobe Bryant.
On February 4, CBS This Morning promoted King interviewing WNBA star Lisa Leslie about Bryant’s legacy and their friendship. However, the social media clip focused on King questioning Leslie the 2003 rape charge for which Bryant was acquitted. In response to King’s questions, Snoop Dogg unleashed a video with a tirade of insults about King’s career, integrity and physical appearance, calling her several derogatory names.
A few days later, Snoop Dogg admitted his approach towards the media veteran was wrong. In another video he posted on Instagram on February 12, he said “Gayle King, I publicly tore you down by coming at you in a derogatory manner based off of emotions, me being angry at the questions that you asked. Overreacted, should have handled it way different than that. I was raised better than that.”
He continued: “So I would like to apologize to you publicly for the language that I used and calling you out of your name and just being disrespectful.”
King received huge backlash for the line of questioning, with Snoop Dogg and Ari Lennox being amongst the most vocal attackers. Oprah Winfred reported that King was “not doing well” and receiving multiple death threats during an appearance on Today.
The media veteran graciously responded to the apology in a statement given by CBS spokesperson Samantha Graham. “I accept the apology and understand the raw emotions caused by this tragic loss,” said King. She also acknowledged the tension surrounding the topic of what some call Bryant’s complicated legacy. “As a journalist, it is sometimes challenging to balance doing my job with the emotions and feelings during difficult times,” she said.
King continued in her statement: “I don’t always get it perfect but I’m constantly striving to do it with compassion and integrity.”