Gayle King Addresses Kobe Bryant Controversy

Gayle King, the CBS This Morning host sat down to speak with friend Oprah Winfrey on Saturday for the last stop on her “2020 Vision” tour. 

The popular anchor says the fallout from clips posted without her permission from her interview with retired WNBA star Lisa Leslie, in which she asked questions about assault allegations against Kobe Bryant in the days following his untimely death, was “very painful.”

“I have moved on,” King, 65, said, according to PEOPLE. “Is there a scab? Yeah. But I have moved on.”

A tremendous backlash ensued with many taking to social media to attack King.

Rapper Snoop Dogg led the ugliest charge against the venerable journalist but later apologized.

King told Winfrey she remained steadfast through all of the anger directed toward her.

“I put on my game face and my big girl pants, because I never lost sight of who I was, what I believe I am, and my intention. I’ve never lost sight of that. But it certainly was a learning curve, and it was very painful,” King said.

King also said there were “good people” who could have spoken up for her, but did not, that added to her pain.

“In every circumstance, I think this is something for us to remember,” Winfrey told her. “It’s not the people who are being mean, it’s not the badness, it’s not the vitriol that’s being put into the world, but it’s the good people who remain silent that becomes so hurtful.”

Although King says she did accept Snoop’s apology, and said she understood how emotional the situation was, she later told the Associated Press that it was at times difficult to “balance doing my job with the emotions and feelings during difficult times,” King said. “I don’t always get it perfect but I’m constantly striving to do it with compassion and integrity.”