Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have had a unique and close relationship for over 30 years, although it is platonic.
The connection between Winfrey, 70, and King, 69, started around half a century ago.
The two women hit it off right away as up-and-coming young journalists, according to an article that was published on Oprah Daily.
They first crossed paths in 1976 at Baltimore’s WJZ station, where Winfrey worked as an anchor and King as a production assistant.
It all started when Winfrey invited King to stay the night during a snowstorm since the hazardous driving conditions were making it impossible for her to go home.
Related stories
“For the first time, I met someone who I felt was like me, and we became friends that first night,” King recalled.
“I’d never met someone like that. Not another Black chick, for sure. In my all-white community, I grew up. It’s the entire thing about being the odd girl out; we didn’t fit into the stereotype of what it means to be a Black girl,” Winfrey continued.
However, there have been suspicions surrounding their friendship and Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King chose to confront the long-running topic that they are secretly a lesbian pair in a recent interview with Melinda French Gates for her Moments That Make Us interview series.
Winfrey said, “I would have to say it wasn’t even a matter of navigation. I think we’ve shared pretty much everything. You know, we faced unfair treatment for a very long time when people said we were gay and many might still believe it.”
I used to tell Oprah, ‘You should do a show on this because it’s difficult enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay.’ Because we would tell you if we were gay!,” King Opined.
The host praised their “deep, true friendships” as they continued to consider their decades together.
“Melinda, you’re right. I’ve been thinking a lot lately that maybe people aren’t used to seeing women with this kind of truth bond,” Winfrey said.
“In other words, the reason our friendship has survived, in my opinion, is that Gayle is happier, not happy, happier for me for any kind of success or victory than I am for myself.”
