CBS Mornings mainstay Gayle King caused a stir on live TV after she repeated a gay slur during an interview with a queer comedian.
“Can we talk about the stand-up?” said King during a Thursday sit-down with comic Matteo Lane, before asking, “Can I just say one joke? I hope I don’t get in trouble.”
King’s co-hosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil were left giggling and covering their faces as she quoted Lane and said, “What in the f—-try are you talking about?”
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She added, “I thought that was hilarious. What does that mean?”
Lane, there to promote his forthcoming book, Your Pasta Sucks, erupted into fits of hysterics. “I love you, Gayle King!” Lane replied, “It means exactly what you think it means.”
Lane added, “White women, they’re fine during the day, but they have one sip of rosé, and they’re like, ‘Tonight’s about me!’ They won’t stop, I’m telling you. Horrible.”
Neither King nor Lane have publicly addressed the incident since the show, though Lane has posted a censored version of the clip to his Instagram account.
The slur also appears to have been omitted from later broadcasts, with the original video removed from both YouTube and the CBS News website. Still, unedited versions of the clip incited a flood of reactions to the clip.
“Honestly iconic,” posted RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Bob the Drag Queen about the clip on X.
Another commentator added, “I had to watch this at least 6 times. 😂😂😂 like did she really say that????”