Michele Crowe/ ©2019 CBS BroadcastingGayle King is speaking up about the public backlash she faced after asking about Kobe Bryant‘s sexual assault case, following his death.
Speaking to best friend Oprah Winfrey during last weekend’s Your Life In Vision: 2002 Focus Tour stop in Denver, the CBS morning show host described the matter as a “very painful situation.”
“I have moved on,” King told Winfrey, according to People. “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,” King added.
Oprah added, “It’s not the people who are being mean, it’s not the badness, it’s not the vitriol that’s being put into the world, but it’s the good people who remain silent that becomes so hurtful.”
During an interview with former WNBA star Lisa Leslie last month, King asked Leslie about the impact of Kobe Bryant‘s sexual assault case, which was dropped in 2005. After a CBS promo clip of the question went viral, King expressed on Instagram that she was “mortified,” “embarrassed” and “angry” about the clip’s release.
The interview was also met with backlash on social media from Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Lil Boosie, among others. Snoop later clarified his comments and publicly apologized to King for “overreacting” and not handling his emotions correctly.
King praised Oprah for being there for her during the difficult time, declaring, “Nobody has been a better therapist than Oprah.”
Watch the full interview on Oprah’s Facebook channel Wednesday at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT.
