In this op-ed, Britni Danielle writes that King is more than Oprah’s BFF. She’s a veteran journalist who should give a master class on the art of the interview.
When CBS This Morning announced Gayle King had sat down with R. Kelly, many wondered why the popular daytime show was giving the embattled singer a platform. But when the first clips of the interview were released, and viewers got a glimpse of Kelly losing his sh-t, they were hooked.
To put it mildly, King’s interview with Kelly was great TV.
The veteran journalist peppered Kelly with hard-hitting questions about the sexual misconduct rumors that have swirled around him for decades. And when Kelly lost his composure and accused people of lying, and of attempting to “assassinate” his character, King kept her cool, responding with a simple, “All right, Robert,” like a mother coaxing a child through a tantrum.
After the video of Kelly hollering over King went viral, many — including her longtime bestie, Oprah Winfrey — were worried. But of course, King wasn’t. With nearly 40 years in the news business, King knew how to handle Kelly’s outburst, while remaining unflappable.
“What I was really thinking to myself was: I’m not done with this interview, so I’m going to let him have his moment,” King explained after the interview. “If I stood up even to comfort him, that could have been his invitation to say ‘This is over.’ So I didn’t interrupt his anger and let him have that.”
Many praised King for giving a masterclass in remaining unbothered, but it was once again a reminder that King is more than just Oprah’s BFF, she’s an award-winning journalist that has been adeptly reporting on major stories for years. While King has teamed up with her bestie in the past, appearing as a correspondent on The Oprah Winfrey Show and serving as the editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine, King has built her own venerable career in journalism all on her own.
No one handed King her enviable perch on CBS This Morning, she earned it. She was a news anchor in Hartford, Connecticut for nearly two decades before moving onto conquer other aspects of media. Before joining CBS This Morning, King also appeared as a correspondent on Good Morning America and hosted her own own daily talker, The Gayle King Show.
Throughout her career King has won numerous awards for her outstanding work, including three Emmy Awards. In spite of all of her achievements, many folks still see her as just Winfrey’s homegirl, but King doesn’t seem to mind.
“I don’t get hung up on that. Because even when people say she’s just Oprah’s best friend…well, that ain’t a bad thing,” King told Refinery 29 back in 2017. “I’ve never felt like I had to justify my existence, because the truth of the matter is, that’s how most people did get to know me, as Oprah’s best friend. I don’t think that’s a misconception, because that is what I am.”
But, of course, she’s much more than that as well. King is a mother, daughter, dedicated friend, and journalism O.G., who’s the perfect person to help us navigate these difficult times.
We salute you, King!
