Curious about Gayle King‘s response to the backlash following the Blue Origin spaceflight? King recently spoke out after facing unexpected criticism for her participation in the historic all-women Blue Origin mission. On April 14, the CBS Mornings anchor joined pop sensation Katy Perry and four other accomplished women on a groundbreaking flight aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. While the group safely returned to Earth, the mission unexpectedly stirred controversy online.
Let’s take a closer look at how Gayle King addressed the backlash that followed this milestone Blue Origin spaceflight.
How did Gayle King react to the Blue Origin Spaceflight backlash?
Gayle King didn’t remain silent amid the backlash the team faced amid the Blue Origin spaceflight.
In a heartfelt interview with Entertainment Tonight, she expressed deep disappointment over the online criticism. “I’ve certainly read some of the things online coming from people that I know, that I like, that I consider friends,” she revealed.
She explained that space exploration isn’t an “either/or” concept. “Because you do something in space doesn’t mean you’re taking anything away from Earth. What Blue Origin wants to do is take the waste here and figure out a way to put it in space to make our planet cleaner,” King shared. She praised the company’s dedication and highlighted Jeff Bezos’ commitment to environmental innovation.
Addressing people who called the flight a “ride,” King pushed back. “Whenever a man goes up, you have never said to an astronaut, ‘Boy, what a ride!’”
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Alongside King and Perry were filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, and Lauren Sánchez, Bezos’ fiancée.
Despite the mission’s historic impact, celebrities like Olivia Wilde and Emily Ratajkowski criticized the trip, labeling it tone-deaf amid economic hardship and environmental concerns. However, King pointed out that she’s received heartfelt messages from women and girls inspired by the mission.
