Famed broadcast journalist Gayle King sparked controversy on live television on Friday after using a gay slur while retelling a joke.
Comedian Matteo Lane, an openly gay comedian, was on “CBS Mornings” to advertise his recent cookbook, “Your Pasta Sucks.”
Through the interview, King quoted considered one of Lane’s jokes but used a slur, resulting in various reactions on social media.
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Gayle King And Matteo Lane’s Interaction
While interviewing Lane, King freely discussed his sexual preference and told him per Page Six, “You embrace being gay and your homosexuality.”
She then asked, “And I’m wondering where did this come from? The funniness that you just were capable of mix with cooking and your stand-up, too?”
In response, Lane said he got here from “a big family where you have got to have something funny to say or be opinionated, so you have got to talk up.”
He added that merging comedy along with his culinary skills “felt very natural” for him.
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Gayle King Uses Gay Slur
Afterward, King recalled considered one of Lane’s jokes. She said, “Let’s talk concerning the stand-up [special]. Can I just say one joke? I hope I do not get in trouble.”
The 70-year-old continued, “You do a riff about white women who’ve approached you, they usually said something about cooking, and also you said, ‘What within the f-ggottry are you talking about?'”
Nonetheless, the seasoned journalist didn’t censor the word, though it was removed within the show’s subsequent airings and on social media.
Despite King’s use of the gay slur, Lane found it amusing as he reacted with amusing, exclaiming, “I really like you Gayle King!”
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King also asked Lane what the remark meant, and he answered, “It means exactly what you’re thinking that it means. White women, they’re high quality in the course of the day, but they’ve one sip of a rosé they usually’re like, ‘Tonight’s about me!’ They will not stop, I’m telling you. Horrible.”
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Netizens React To Gayle King’s Use Of A Gay Slur
The reactions to King’s use of the gay slur were of a mixed variety on social media. On the one hand, some people had no issues along with her use of the slur but found the moment hilarious and iconic.
Bob the Drag queen reposted the clip and commented, “Truthfully iconic.”
One other person quipped, “Did Gayle King just say that out loud on National TV!!!!!! I’m GAGGED! Literally jaw dropped!”
A 3rd person remarked, “Lawddd I’m not even a fan of Gayle King…… in any respect…. but this shouldn’t even be a conversation. Anyone having issues with it needs a mental consultation.”
A fourth X user added, “Is Gayle King my recent Queen?”
A fifth person wrote, “Icon status.”
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King Faces Backlash
However, several netizens were offended by Gayle King’s use of a gay slur on live television and took turns slamming her.
One disgruntled person asked, “WTH is incorrect with Gayle King?!”
One other person added, “Wow, I do not love this.”
A 3rd person opined, “I do not care if Gayle King is giving dyke down she still cannot say it identical to I can not call her any slur I need to lol, gay people have to stop excusing homophobia when it comes from women.”
One other offended X user asked, “So…we’re okay with people using slurs in the event that they’re quoting comedians, now? Or does this only apply to gay men? I’m just saying. I’m reading the room and plenty of you’re thinking that that is cute. It’s weird how it is often the slurs against us that get labeled as “not a giant deal.”
A fifth person commented, “F-ggotry is crazy.”
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King And Oprah Winfrey Maintain They Are Not Gay
Meanwhile, one X user felt Gayle King’s use of the gay slur was her “coming out,” while one other person claimed the journalist is a “lesbian.”
Nonetheless, that shouldn’t be the case, as King and her longtime friend, Oprah Winfrey, have repeatedly set the record straight about their friendship.
As The Blast reported in July 2024, the pair were guests on Melissa French Gates’ “Moments That Make Us” podcast and clarified their relationship again.
They blamed the rare nature of their friendship for the gay rumors, with Winfrey noting that folks generally “aren’t accustomed to seeing women” have a bond as strong as theirs.
She continued, “You realize, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that eternally. And other people still might imagine it.”
King chimed in, “I used to say, ‘Oprah, you gotta do a show on this since it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people pondering we’re gay.’ Because if we were gay, we might inform you!”
