Internet comes for Gayle King over 'insensitive' Kobe Bryant legacy questions
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Image: Gayle King/Instagram
Known for her controversial interviews, Gayle King has come under fire from social media followers who watched her discussion with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie about the legacy of Kobe Bryant.
Gayle interviewed Lisa - who is one of Kobe's closest friends - about the late basketball superstar. Kobe died in a helicopter crash on January 26 along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
The problem began when Gayle asked Lisa whether the 2003 rape accusation against Kobe made his legacy “complicated”. The line of questioning came off as insensitive to viewers, who felt that Gayle aimed to tarnish the deceased NBA legend's legacy.
According to Daily Mail UK, Gayle was referring to the 2003 rape charge that was brought against Kobe. The criminal case was dropped in 2004, after the accuser declined to testify. In August of that year, the woman filed a civil lawsuit, which was settled out of court on March 2, 2005.
Watch the clip below.
.@WNBA legend @LisaLeslie told @GayleKing that Kobe Bryant's legacy is "not complicated" for her despite his 2003 rape accusation.
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 4, 2020
"I don't think it's something that we should keep hanging over his legacy." https://t.co/qj6MVvOaqX pic.twitter.com/9qtVORobLO
The internet came for Gayle, accusing her of having something “against the black man” and calling her out for her “lack” of empathy for Kobe's family in this difficult time. They also added that she had 10-15 years to ask Kobe about his legacy in light of the 2003 case, but failed to do so.
In a statement to USA TODAY, Gayle responded to the backlash over the controversial question.
“I understand why people are upset seeing that clip out of context,” she said.
“I hope they will now watch the entire wide-ranging interview. We asked a long-time friend of Kobe Bryant’s to talk to us about his legacy and their friendship and Lisa Leslie did exactly that.”
However, that still didn't save her from the backlash. Here are some of the reactions below.
Gayle King and Oprah seem to go after certain stories without class , but ignore the stories involving their Hollywood friends. You bring up something about Kobe right after his death for ratings or relevance? Kobe Bryant has passed away and journalist lack class #KobeBryant pic.twitter.com/W69lpwZofA
— Horace Towns (@thehoracetowns) February 5, 2020
isnt gayle king the same one who is friends with harvey weinstein? pic.twitter.com/DNeFVdnuEB
— yusuke ur a messy bitch (@BabyGyalChiyani) February 5, 2020
Harvey Weinstein is still alive but Gayle rather ask old rape allegation questions about a man who just died last week? pic.twitter.com/Dq3zAZWudB
— Cookie Baba Yaga (@Cookiebaby23) February 5, 2020
Wtf kinda issues do Gayle King and Oprah have involving black men? Smfh Gayles interview with Lisa Leslie was tasteless, classless and crass. She literally weaponized Lisa’s womanhood in a failed attempt to vandalize the late, GREAT Kobe’s legacy. Smfh Lisa handled it with poise
— Masika Kalysha (@masikakalysha) February 5, 2020
Gayle King tried it. Kobe is not even in the ground. Nobody is thinking about what happened in 2003. Yes it's a blemish in his legacy but why continue to harp on it? She acting like he was Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein. pic.twitter.com/entF58Y4hO
— Kevin Simmons (@TheSkorpion) February 5, 2020
Read where folks were saying #oprah & #gayleking have become the biggest threat to well known Black Men...I wasn’t feeling that statement initially, but after seeing what Gayle did with Lisa Leslie, I now agree with that statement. It sucks.
— CHRIS GREENE (@ItsChrisGreene) February 5, 2020
It's sad that she would try to tear him down just for ratings. People are still grieving & you choose to ask these questions especially about someone who can't defend themselves smh #GayleKing pic.twitter.com/p6rLIP679D
— Nicole Angelique (@nikkinicole_82) February 6, 2020
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Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.