Best friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are inseparable. The pair first met about 50 years ago while Winfrey was working at a Baltimore TV station as a news anchor and King as a production assistant.
Their friendship has since blossomed and survived the horrors of the industry including spats, scandals, and rumors such as the pair being romantically involved. The pair addressed that rumor during a recent interview with Melinda French Gates for her Moments That Make Us series, FOX 11 reported.
“For years, people used to say we were gay,” Winfrey, 70, said. “We were up against that for forever.” King, 69, also revealed that the speculation about her and the billionaire media mogul being romantically involved still exists.
RELATED STORIES
“I used to say, ‘You got to do a show on this,'” King said about what she previously told Winfrey. “Because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay.”
“If we were gay, we would tell you,” King added. Winfrey also spoke about what she thinks has made their friendship work and stand the test of time.
“Maybe people aren’t accustomed to seeing women with this kind of truth bond,” Winfrey said. “Meaning, the reason why I think our friendship has worked is because Gayle is happier, not happy, but happier for me for any kind of success or victory or challenge I get to, than I am for myself.”
The pair’s interview with Gates comes after Winfrey was hospitalized with a stomach virus in June, causing her to miss a scheduled appearance on CBS Mornings to announce her latest book club selection, Face2Face Africa reported.
King explained her absence during the broadcast. “She had some kind of stomach thing — stomach flu — stuff was coming out of both ends,” she said. “I won’t get too graphic. Needless to say, she ended up in the hospital, dehydration, had to get an IV.”
“It was a very serious thing,” she added, noting that Winfrey tried to “rally” but needed to rest. “She will be okay. I hope she’s not mad at me for sharing that detail,” King said of her longtime friend. “But I wanted to make it clear, though, that it mattered to her and that it really bothered her that she couldn’t be here for you today.”
