Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP / Getty Images
Gayle King is facing backlash after posting a selfie with Jesse Watters, a Fox News host known for making controversial remarks.
On Monday (October 20), King took to Instagram to reveal that she and Watters were seated together on a four-hour flight. King shared a picture of the two of them smiling as they sat next to each other on the plane.
"Two TV people from competing networks walk on to a plane and to the surprise of them both, they’re seated right next to each other for over four hours. How did it go? Speaking for @jessewatters here: A good time was had by all! Hi, Jesse…saving your number!" the CBS Mornings anchor captioned her post.
Several social media users condemned King's post as "tone deaf," citing Watters' past remarks about Black people and former Vice President Kamala Harris. In a 2023 segment on "The Five," Watters said Harris would get “paralyzed in the situation room when the generals have their way with her,” a comment that sparked widespread backlash.
“Why would you even post this?” one social media user questioned.
“These are all… choices," another user quipped.
Others saw King's post as an attempt to align herself with conservative figures amid internal changes at CBS. CBS News is undergoing a potential reshuffling following the arrival of Bari Weiss, who recently invested in Paramount Skydance. With King’s multimillion-dollar contract set to expire in May, reports have surfaced that the morning anchor is on the chopping block.
“Gayle has to capitulate to the center. She’s been smiling more on CBS Mornings and not taking multiple days off a week. CBS doesn’t want to pay her $11 million a year. She’ll be gone by the end of the year," one social media user speculated.
King hasn't publicly responded to backlash from her post.
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