Did Gayle King just out herself as a lesbian on national television?
US TV audiences certainly think so. Oprah Winfrey’s BFF reportedly said something along the lines of “I’m gay” during a broadcast of the CBS show This Morning.
In a clip doing the rounds on the net, King and her co-hosts Norah O’Donnell and Charlie Rose are having a discussion about choosing the right mate. Gayle chips in, saying that she and Charlie would make for the perfect couple.
Then, she adds “I’m just kidding. I’m gay.”
Gossip site TMZ called CBS to confirm. Their response was that Gayle is adamant that she didn’t say she was gay. If she was gay, she would have announced it years ago.
According to Gayle, she was stuttering after she said she was kidding.
There has been speculation for many years that Oprah and Gayle are more than just friends. The pair are often spotted going on holidays and trips together, with Oprah’s love interest Stedman Graham rarely in sight. In a 2011 interview, Gayle spoke about how those rumours have affected her.
“In the beginning, it used to bother me. Like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t want people to think I’m gay — I’m trying to get a date!’ But now I don’t care. I’ve given up trying to figure that out. At this stage, if you still think that, it’s on you.” - Tonight Reporter