Gayle King got upset with Oprah Winfrey for refusing to shut down rumors that they were secretly dating.
During Wednesday’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast episode, the “CBS Mornings” anchor said speculation about the pair’s relationship “used to really bother” her — so much that she asked Winfrey for help.
“I would say to her, ‘You’ve got to say something on your show, because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on a Saturday night and now people think I’m a lesbian, you’ve gotta say something,’” King recalled.
Gayle King said on “Call Her Daddy” Wednesday that she got upset with Oprah Winfrey for not shutting down rumors they are “secretly gay.” Call Her Daddy/Youtube
King recalled asking Winfrey to go on her show and clarify the truth about the pair’s relationship. Call Her Daddy/Youtube
But King, 71, said Winfrey, 72, felt differently and demanded they “leave” the speculation alone.
“I said, ‘Well, that’s fine for you to say. You have somebody. I don’t,’” King remembered telling Winfrey, who has been in a relationship with Stedman Graham since 1986.
While people still accuse her and Winfrey of being a couple, King has now learned to ignore the comments.
“I’ve now gotten to the point in my life that very few things get to me,” she explained.
However, Winfrey (pictured above in 2025) refused to do so and insisted they should “leave” the rumors alone. Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
“I said, ‘Well, that’s fine for you to say. You have somebody. I don’t,’” King (pictured above in 2024) remembered telling Winfrey, who has been in a longterm relationship with Stedman Graham. CBS
King reiterated that there isn’t any truth to the rumors, which she said started after her 1993 divorce from William G. Bumpus, who cheated on her with one of her friends.
“If we were gay, we would tell you because believe me, there’s nothing wrong with it,” King stated. “It’s just, I prefer a man. So we would tell you.
“When you go on social media, it is an accelerator on hate,” King continued. “As long as I feel good about what I’m doing, the people I respect and trust are okay with it. Otherwise you’ll drive yourself nuts. So now I really don’t care.”
King (pictured above in 2001) said she’s finally learned to ignore the rumors about the pair’s friendship. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
King did, however, reiterate that there’s no truth to the rumors about herself and Winfrey (pictured above with Graham in 2019). WireImage
King and Winfrey’s friendship started 50 years ago when they both worked at the Baltimore-area news station WJZ-TV.
Despite Winfrey’s massive success, King insisted on the podcast that she’s never felt inferior to the billionaire.
“I never see myself in her shadow. I always say I see myself in her light,” King told listeners. “And I do mean that. I never thought, ‘God, I wish I could be her.’”
King (seen above in 2023) insisted, “If we were gay, we would tell you because believe me, there’s nothing wrong with it.” Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Winfrey and King (seen above in March) have been friends for 50 years. Dave Benett/Getty Images
King, however, noted the pair also have many differences, such as that King likes to go out while Winfrey prefers staying in.
Later in the conversation, King said there’s nothing that could lead to the duo having a falling out.
“Once you’ve been in the inner circle of anyone’s life, it’s a really privileged place to be,” she shared. “And I hold that very sacred. I know I can trust her with anything. And she, me.”