Media veterans Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King addressed long-standing speculation about their incredibly close bond to Melinda Gates on her Moments That Make Us series on July 24.
The longtime besties emphatically expressed to Gates that they were not in a romantic relationship.
“I think we’ve shared pretty much everything, and I would have to say, it wasn’t even a matter of navigation,” Winfrey explained. “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.”
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 would tell you.”
Winfrey reflected on how their deep friendship, which she describes as a “truth bond,” has been misinterpreted. When pondering why people even gave a damn, Winfrey replied, “Maybe people aren’t accustomed to seeing women with this kind of truth bond.”
King hilariously shared her frustration with the goofy speculation, noting that it had even affected her dating life at times.
“I used to beg Oprah to do a show about us not being that close,” she joked, highlighting the absurdity of the rumors.
The gay rumors plaguing the besties for years are ironic as the media mogul has been in a long-term relationship with businessman Stedman Graham for almost four decades. The morning news host was married to Connecticut attorney William Bumpus Sr. but divorced following his infidelity. They have an adult son and daughter.
Despite the annoying rumors, the two besties consistently clarified that they were close friends. Their recent interview with Gates further confirms that these two Black women have mastered what a bond and friendship look like.
