Gayle King Calls Kobe Bryant Backlash "Hateful" & "Painful"

BY Erika Marie 2.2K Views
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Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey
Gayle King received an onslaught of backlash following her Lisa Leslie interview, and she addressed the controversy while chatting with Oprah Winfrey.

After Gayle King brought up Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case from the 1990s in an interview with WNBA icon Lisa Leslie, the backlash was swift. It was only weeks after the world learned of the tragic deaths of the Los Angeles Lakers star, his daughter Gianna, and seven of their friends, so many believed Gayle's probing about the scandal was in poor taste. What followed was a tsunami of criticism, including a viral video of Snoop Dogg unleashing his anger. The rapper would later apologize for his comments and explained his thoughts behind his scathing words on Red Table Talk.

Oprah Winfrey’s "2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour" had its final stop in Denver, Colorado over the weekend. Gayle King was the featured guest of the sold-out discussion and the two best friends talked about Gayle's recent controversy. "The intention certainly didn't align with the impact and the fallout from that, but what got to me what the vitriol and the vulgarity that was just unleashed at me in ways that I couldn't even understand where that was coming from," Gayle said. She doesn't mind if people disagree with her methods or a story she's covering but insists the hateful words she experienced weren't acceptable.

“I have moved on," she added. "Is there a scab? Yeah. But I have moved on. I put on my game face and my big girl pants, because I never lost sight of who I was, what I believe I am, and my intention. I’ve never lost sight of that. But it certainly was a learning curve, and it was very painful. I think sometimes you have to go through that. That makes you question things in life."

Watch a brief clip of the talk between Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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