Gayle King on Her Friendship with Oprah Winfrey
Gayle King, 71, has always maintained a unique perspective on her long-standing friendship with Oprah Winfrey. During the Wednesday, May 27 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, King reflected on their 50-year bond and how she never viewed Winfrey as a competitor.
Host Alex Cooper asked how there is no “jealousy” between the two women despite being “pitted against each other.” King responded by emphasizing that she never sees herself in Winfrey’s shadow. Instead, she believes she is in her light.
“Well, my thing is this, Alex, I say I never see myself in her shadow. I always say I see myself in her light. And I do mean that. I see myself in her light,” King insisted. “I have never, not once thought, ‘God, I wish I could be her. I think I could do what she does,’ because I don’t believe that.”
Different Paths, Same Respect
King pointed out that she and Winfrey are fundamentally different people at their core. She described her own love for people, lights, camera, and action, contrasting it with Winfrey’s preference for staying home with a book.
“I love people, I love lights, camera, action. And Oprah’s very fine sitting at home with a book,” she explained. “I can remember in Chicago, Princess Diana was in town, Princess Diana, a private party. I called to say, ‘What are you wearing?’ She goes, ‘I’m not going’ I go, ‘You’re not going?’ She goes, ‘No, I have this, this.’ I mean, I would’ve trampled little children and I’ve been invited to something like that.”
A Tale of Two Lifestyles
King continued to share stories about their contrasting lifestyles. “I was in Connecticut, she’s in Chicago. So I called to say, ‘What are you wearing? What time?’ Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. She goes, ‘No, you know, I have X, Y, and Z to do.’ That is not how I live. If I have a once in a lifetime experience, and that is a once in a lifetime experience, except later on, she did have a private lunch with Princess Diana at the palace back in the day. So there’s, that’s called flex.”
Respecting Differences
Despite their differences, King respects Winfrey’s choices. “I’m not passing up once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I get that. But I’m happier for her sometimes than she’s for herself. And I had my own life too,” she asserted.
A Friendship Under Scrutiny
In July 2024, during Melinda French Gates’ “Moments That Make Us” interview series, Winfrey and King discussed their friendship. The former host of The Oprah Winfrey Show shared how people often speculated about their relationship.
“I think we’ve shared pretty much everything and I would have to say, it wasn’t even a matter of navigation,” Winfrey said. “You know, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever. And people still may think it.”
Humor in the Face of Rumors
King added a touch of humor to the conversation. “I used to say to Oprah, ‘You gotta do a show on this, because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay,’” she joked. “Because if we were gay, we’d tell you!”
A Lasting Bond
Their friendship has endured through the years, with both women acknowledging the challenges they faced. Despite the rumors and comparisons, King remains steadfast in her belief that their bond is built on mutual respect and understanding.
A Legacy of Friendship
As they continue to navigate their respective careers, King and Winfrey remain close friends. Their story serves as a reminder that true friendship transcends competition and public perception.
