In a recent podcast appearance, Gayle King candidly addressed persistent rumors regarding her relationship with longtime friend Oprah Winfrey. Speaking on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast, King shared how the speculation about them being in a lesbian relationship initially bothered her, especially after her divorce. ‘It used to really bother me,’ King admitted, recalling a National Enquirer story that suggested her divorce was due to a secret relationship with Winfrey.
Friendship and Public Perception
King emphasized that if she and Winfrey were indeed in such a relationship, they would have been open about it. ‘Number one, if we were gay, we would tell you because believe me, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just I prefer a man,’ she stated. Despite the rumors, King has always maintained her preference for dating men.
King recounted a conversation with Winfrey where she urged her to address the rumors publicly. ‘You’ve got to say something on your show because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on a Saturday night and now people think I’m a lesbian,’ King told Winfrey. However, Winfrey advised her to ‘leave it alone,’ a stance they eventually agreed upon after some debate.
Handling Public Scrutiny
Over time, King has grown more resilient to public speculation. ‘I’ve now gotten to the point in my life that very few things get to me,’ she explained, highlighting the negativity often amplified by social media. She expressed a desire to speak her truth when necessary but noted that she usually opts not to engage with the rumors.
Despite the ongoing buzz, King refuses to hide from the paparazzi or act as if she has something to conceal. ‘I don’t want to look like I’m running from something when I know I haven’t done anything wrong,’ she said. King and Winfrey’s friendship spans over 50 years, having met while working at a local Baltimore station early in their careers. King’s past marriage to attorney William Bumpus ended in 1983, and Winfrey has been in a long-term relationship with businessman Stedman Graham since the 1980s.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
