Gayle King Responds To Backlash Over THAT Kobe Bryant Question

I’m Embarrassed’ Jolted Journalist Gayle King Responds To Backlash Over THAT Kobe Bryant Question, Blasts CBS

- By Bossip Staff
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Fair or flagrantly foul???

Gayle King Responds To Backlash Over THAT Kobe Bryant Question

The Internet’s ON FIRE today and it all centers around a viral interview, a late basketball legend and an either valid or vapid question depending on who you ask.

Journalist Gayle King recently did a sitdown with Lisa Leslie that caused a firestorm of outrage across the Internet. The CBS reporter chatted with former WNBA star Lisa Leslie about the legacy of her friend Kobe Bryant and a clip from the interview went viral.

In it, the CBS This Morning host asked Leslie about Kobe’s sexual assault charge and that, of course, has the Internet PARTICULARLY PEEVED.

Lisa herself tried to detract from the question noting that Kobe’s sex assault case was dismissed and saying she didn’t personally see Kobe act inappropriately but still, Gayle pressed on.

Gayle King: “It’s been said that his legacy is complicated because of a sexual assault charge, which was dismissed in 2003, 2004. Is it complicated for you as a woman, as a WNBA player?”

Lisa Leslie: “It’s not complicated for me at all. Even if there’s a few times that we’ve been at a club at the same time, Kobe’s not the kind of guy—never been, like, you know, ‘Lis, go get that girl, or tell her or send her this.’ I have other NBA friends that are like that. Kobe was never like that. I just never, have ever seen him being the kind of person that would do something to violate a woman or be aggressive in that way. That’s just not the person that I know.”

Gayle King: “But Lisa, you wouldn’t see it, though. As his friend, you wouldn’t see it.”

Lisa Leslie: “And that’s possible. I just don’t believe that. And I’m not saying things didn’t happen. I just don’t believe that things didn’t happen with force.”

Gayle’s since responded on social media and she’s claiming that the Kobe question shouldn’t have been used as promo for the interview that covered a myriad of topics. She also admitted to being “mortified” and “angry” and blasted CBS for taking things out of context.

“I know that if I had only seen the clip that you saw, I’d be extremely angry with me too,” King said. :I am mortified. I am embarrassed and I am very angry.”

“Unbeknownst to me, my network put up a clip from a very wide-ranging interview — totally taken out of context — and when you see it that way, it’s very jarring. It’s jarring to me. I didn’t even know anything about it.”

“We talked about that court case because that court case has also come up. And I wanted to get Lisa’s take on it as a friend who knew him well, what she thought, where that should stand.”

“It was very powerful when she looked me in the eye, as a member of the media, to say, ‘It’s time for the media to leave it alone and to back off.'”

“I felt really good about the interview … so, for the network to take the most salacious part when taken out of context, and put it up online for people who didn’t see the whole interview, is very upsetting to me and that’s something I’m going to have to deal with with them. “There will be a very intense discussion about that.”

OOOP! Somebody’s about to get cussed out.

There’s a debate brewing here; some people think Gayle had a right as a journalist to ask the question-–but others are slamming her as “anti-black”, “low brow” and accusing her of targeting black men. Also, OF COURSE, Oprah’s catching strays as well and a certain disgraced film producer is being brought up as well.

 

What do YOU think?! Was the Kobe question classless or just part of Gayle’s job???

Several celebs weighed in including Snoop Dogg, Rickey Smiley, and 50 Cent; see their thoughts on the flip.

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@gayleking 😡😡😡SAD SMH

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