As a multimillionaire, Gayle King is finding the dating scene more than challenging. She recently recalled having one suitor ask to borrow money for — of all things — child support. King, who said she’s looking for a Black mate, was turned off by the cash request, though she did lend it and he did pay it back.
King, a fixture on the “CBS Mornings” show, longtime friend of Oprah Winfrey, and co-host of the new CNN show “King Charles,” talked with the hosts of The Pivot Podcast on this month about power and money imbalances when it comes to her dating.
Being a Woman of Wealth and Dating
“What’s difficult is that people say, ‘Oh, you’re so intimidating,’” King said. “Somebody said to me once, ‘Gayle, look at your shoes…look at your bag, look at your coat. You’re friends with Oprah. A guy looks at that and says, “I can’t compete with that.”
She added, “But my thing is, it’s not a matter of competing. You want somebody who has a sense of humor, who’s very secure, who’s not intimidated by whatever all of this is, that just sees you for you.”
During “The Pivot,” a podcast hosted by former NFL players Fred Taylor, Channing Crowder, and Ryan Clark, the CBS journalist shared a story. She revealed that she had lent $4,000 to someone she was interested in to help him with his child support problem.
“I went on a date. I was really excited, very excited about it,” she said. “We’d gone out maybe two months and then he said he really needed to talk to me. He wanted to have a private conversation…[he said,] ‘Do you think you could lend me $4,000?’ I’m like, oh God. You know what Oprah said, ‘God, I would have felt better if he had said $40,000.”
Some social media channels’ reactions thought King’s dumping was bourgeois.
“So in other words, she gets to pick and choose when she wants to fulfill her duties but he has to be a man at all times,” one user on X/Twitter wrote.
“He paid it back on time, what more can u ask for? Not everyone is a millionaire. Was the pipe good? Keep it moving, Gayle!” another user wrote.
Some, however, defended King.
“Dude she didn’t have to but did anyway. That is a HUGE 🚩 because he clearly shouldn’t be dating and will always look to her to bail him out. God forbid her wanting kids. He would be a terrible option and can do the same thing to her. Yall would be the first to drag her,” one user opined about the 69-year-old talk show host.
“Her duty is not to pay a mans child support. Thats where she messed up,” another defender wrote.
Behind King’s Fortune
King has an estimated net worth of around $40 million, and she reportedly earn $12 million a year for the role for hosting a once-a-week program on CNN with Charles Barkley called “King Charles.”
She was married to lawyer William Bumpus, for 11 years between 1982 and 1993, and they share two children. One contributing factor to the failed marriage is Bumpus’ infidelity. King once told Vanity Fair she caught him in bed with another woman.
When asked by the outlet in 2016 “Which living person do you most despise?” King answered, “’Despise’ is a strong word. I’m not a huge fan of the woman I caught naked with my now ex-husband on June 24, 1990, at 9:16 p.m. — but I don’t remember the details.”
No details on the divorce settlement.