Oprah Winfrey And Gayle King Say 'If We Were Gay, We’d Tell You'

Despite setting the record straight numerous times, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are clearing the air again about their friendship.

The veteran TV personalities have one of the most iconic relationships in the entertainment industry, going on 50 years and counting. Their long-time bond, per their words, has always been platonic despite the gay rumors.

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King shared the secret behind their ever-blossoming bond with Melissa French Gates, reminding fans that two powerful women can be companions without romance.

Winfrey and King's recent appearance on Gates' "Moments That Make Us" podcast was shared on the host's YouTube page.

The best pals blamed the rarity of their friendship for the gay rumors, with Winfrey noting people generally "aren't accustomed to seeing women" have a bond as strong as her connection to King.

"You know, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever. And people still may think it," Winfrey said, while King chimed in:

"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.' Because if we were gay, we'd tell you!"

This isn't the first time the pair have addressed the gay rumors. Winfrey and King clarified the status of their relationship in the 2006 issue of Winfrey's magazine, "O." They stressed that if they were lesbians, they would have announced it.

The heart-to-heart interview captured the best pals' reflections on their decades-long friendship.

How did they do it? Winfrey credited their strong bond to happiness, noting they grew closer by supporting each other without envy or other negative feelings. In her words:

"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 continued, "And I feel as happy as she does — I can't be happier than, cannot surpass Gayle. You cannot out-happy her. I am equally as happy for her."

Winfrey doubled down on King being one of the best females in her life, noting that she had experienced friendships with other women riddled with "jealousy" and competition.

The reverse happened in "The Oprah Winfrey Show" host's relationship with King as they became each other's biggest supporters for nearly 50 years. King echoed similar sentiments about their friendship, saying:

"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 noted that her 1993 divorce from William Bumpus was easier to navigate with her best pal. Winfrey dropped a similar point, noting her best pal became "the mother, sister [and] friend that I never had."

In 2021, The Blast reported that Winfrey shocked the world by announcing she only has three close friends. Despite her renowned career being filled with numerous interactions with A-listers, she kept a small yet tight group of pals.

Winfrey's top trio naturally included King alongside the former First Lady of California, Maria Shriver, and author Bob Greene. The group surprised many because the TV veteran's longtime beau, Stedman Graham, didn't make the list.

Reflecting on her friendship with Shriver, the 70-year-old said: "I forever think that that was, like, a divine moment that happened because she was one of my true, grounded friendships that carried me through my entire career."

A month before Winfrey addressed her friendship with King, The Blast reported she broke her silence about her health following rumors of a hospitalization. The speculations began after King shared she had a stomach virus.

The CBS star clarified that Winfrey wasn't hospitalized on Instagram, sharing a video that captured their FaceTime call. The latter explained what happened to viewers, saying:

"I was in the emergency room; I was so dehydrated. I had a dry mouth, and I couldn't keep enough water down to get hydrated, so I went to the emergency room for that, and that's just it."

Winfrey stressed that she was treated for a stomach virus and dehydration, but it wasn't severe enough to warrant a hospital stay. Unfortunately, others in her home had fallen ill thanks to the virus.

Given how Gayle King is close enough to Oprah Winfrey to share her health updates, it is no surprise people doubt their friendship. However, the women are just best pals and will continue to be.