Gayle King greets millions of viewers every weekday morning on "CBS This Morning". The co-anchor, famous for coordinating the color of her eyeglass frames with her colorful dresses, has everyday ease in the way she talks to viewers over the breakfast table. Gayle King never tries to be perfect. She backs up to correct herself on any spoken flub, the kind that happens to every broadcast anchor. She speaks in the vernacular of the real American public, and the questions asked by Gayle King are precisely the ones that most of her audience has on its mind.
Last week, Gayle King moved from getting interviewer accolades to becoming a star broadcaster. When a giant placard of her face in profile graced the cover of Time magazine in honor of the news journalist being named to the Time 100 list of most influential people, she responded with a question of her own, “Are you sure?” After confirming the word from the CBS publicity department, King settled into her moment, requesting, “Can you put that cover up again?”
Her followers know that Gayle loves bright yellow, but it was her sister anchor, Norah O'Donnell, who donned blazing yellow to break the big news. Just a day later, the interviewer who portrayed the epitome of calm and collected amidst the temper-tantrum of an unhinged R Kelly turned her chair away from the camera to hide her emotion.
Her dedication in the Time cover issue was written by acclaimed, Oscar-nominated director Ava DuVernay.
The film director, documentarian, and Gayle King’s good friend praised that the honor was coming “a few decades overdue” and insisted that King had honed the craft of how “To be present, but not centered. To bear witness.” DuVernay reiterated that King’s abilities were akin to “the best journalists” and worthy of recognition.
The power of that kind of acclaim was overwhelming at first for King, who regained her composure and carried on with humble thanks.
The kids are more than alright
Last night, April 23, Gayle King was an honoree and not just an onlooker at the 2019 Time 100 gala. She often has attended as a guest for more than a decade at the soirée, but this night was “very special” for the co-anchor.
King chose a glitzy, multicolored knee-length designer dress for her red carpet walk. Her children were her most cherished accessories. Will Bumpus and his sister Kirby were cheering: “Let's go, mom!” long before Gayle got a word out in interviews, as caught by Daily Motion. Both grown siblings took red-eye flights to be with their mom for her big night. “We’re here with her pom-poms on,” gushed Kirby, based in Washington DC and recently engaged to Virgil Miller. “Her biggest cheerleaders,” Will chimed.
Gayle King made another of her candid confessions this morning, relating how a sudden hot flash happened during her red carpet stroll. She credited one of her CBS photographers, Darryl, for recommending a quick pat-down to handle the perspiration before taking camera shots.
Stellar and sincere compliments
Celebrities from rapper Khalid to Taylor Swift and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson filled the red carpet, and instead of just giving Gayle King a “looky-loo,” as she likes to say, many luminaries stopped to share the love with the broadcaster.
Trevor Noah recalled how he used to think that Gayle was lucky to have a friend like Oprah, and now he thinks their friendship is the other way around. “She's the lucky one to have Gayle. We all need a Gayle King in our life,” lavished the late-night comedian.
Norah O'Donnell commented that Gayle is “one of the kindest people in the world,” and John Dickerson followed with his own observation that “Gayle will say what's on her mind, and something that needs to be said, but that not everyone will say.” He described her “wonderful candor” as an asset to “CBS This Morning”
King went on a roll of her own in this morning’s April 24 installment of “CBS This Morning.” Every person from the back rooms to the stage floor got a thank you from Gayle by name, and she kept thinking of more people to thank.
She understands that an army of people with incredible talents and passion in their work keeps everyone looking good in front of the cameras, and even though the “wrap it up” signal was given, Gayle King continued giving every person his and her due.