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Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King prove that platonic friendships are just as important as romantic ones.
During an appearance on Melinda French Gates’ “Moments That Make Us” podcast Wednesday, the TV personalities and besties addressed longstanding rumors that they’ve been hiding the true nature of their relationship.
“You know, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever,” Winfrey, 70, said. “And people still may think it.”
King, 69, admitted she used to beg Winfrey to do a segment about the unfounded speculation on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” so that men knew she was available.
“I used to say, ‘Oprah, you gotta do a show on this, because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay,’” the CBS star said. “Because if we were gay, we’d tell you!”
Winfrey believes the rumors gained traction because most people “aren’t accustomed to seeing women” have such a strong bond, which she called a “truth bond.”
“Meaning, the reason why I think our friendship has worked is because Gayle is happier, not happy, but happier for me for any kind of success or victory or challenge I get through than I am for myself,” Winfrey said.
“And I feel as happy as she does — I can’t be happier than, cannot surpass Gayle,” she jokingly added. “You cannot out-happy her. I am equally as happy for her.”
While Winfrey has experienced some female friendships rooted in “jealousy” or competition, she and King have been each other’s biggest cheerleaders for nearly 50 years.
Elsewhere in the episode, the duo reflected on how different their lives would be without each other.
“I wouldn’t be at CBS. I wouldn’t have been at the Met Gala… there’s just so many things I wouldn’t have done [without Winfrey],” King admitted, noting that her 1993 divorce from William Bumpus also played a huge role in her career.
The “What I Know For Sure” author, who has been with partner Stedman Graham for over 35 years, said King filled a major void in her life.
“Had we not been friends… Gayle is the mother, sister [and] friend that I never had,” she said.
The two women agreed that friendships like theirs are rare — which is how the rumors of their sexuality started in the first place.
This isn’t the first time the pair have addressed the speculation. Back in 2006, the best pals went on the record in the August issue of Winfrey’s magazine, O.
“I understand why people think we’re gay,” Winfrey said at the time. “There isn’t a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women.”
“So I get why people have to label it – how can you be this close without it being sexual? How else can you explain a level of intimacy where someone always loves you, always respects you, admires you?”
Even then, both women insisted that even if they were together, they would have no problem coming out as “there’s nothing wrong with being gay.”
