Gayle King has spoken out. The persistent rumors about her and Oprah Winfrey are finally addressed.
King Says Rumors Used to Bother Her
Gayle King recently opened up on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She told host Alex Cooper the truth.
“It used to really bother me,” King admitted.
For years, the gossip has followed her. The rumors claim she and Oprah are secretly in a lesbian relationship. The National Enquirer first pushed the story long ago.
At that time, King had just divorced attorney William Bumpus. An affair ended their marriage in 1993. The tabloid wrongly blamed Oprah for the split.
“If We Were Gay, We Would Tell You”
Fortunately, King set the record straight during the podcast.
“Number one, if we were gay, we would tell you,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with it. However, I prefer a man. I prefer a man.”
In addition, she wanted Oprah to address the Gayle King lesbian rumors on her show. “It’s hard enough for me to get a date on a Saturday night,” King told her friend.
Nevertheless, Oprah refused. The billionaire told her to “leave it alone.”
Consequently, King argued back. “That’s fine for you to say,” she replied. “You have somebody. I don’t.”
For context, Oprah has been with Stedman Graham since the 1980s.
King No Longer Cares About the Gossip
Still, the Gayle King lesbian rumors continue to circulate today. In fact, some people still insist they are true.
However, King has moved on. “I don’t care,” she said.
She has reached a new point in her life. Very few things get to her now.
“Social media is an accelerator on hate,” she explained. “As long as I feel good about what I’m doing, the people I respect are OK with it. Otherwise, you’ll drive yourself nuts.”
She Refuses to Hide From Paparazzi
Sometimes the “noise gets too much,” King admitted. As a result, she still wants to “say my piece” occasionally. But most of the time, she simply stays quiet.
Furthermore, she refuses to sneak away from photographers. “I don’t want to look like I’m running from something,” she said. After all, “I know I haven’t done anything wrong.”
A 50-Year Friendship
Finally, here is the important context. King and Winfrey have been friends for 50 years. They met while working at a Baltimore TV station. Both were just starting their careers.

Ultimately, the Gayle King lesbian rumors have never damaged their bond. King simply prefers men. That, in the end, is the whole story.