The contentious back and forth following Gayle King’s interview question about Kobe Bryant’s legacy in light of past allegations of sexual assault is getting more complicated.
What began as a moment of a larger interview remembering Bryant’s life with his friend of more than 20 years, WNBA star Lisa Leslie, spun out of context when the isolated clip was posted online by CBS. In the clip, King asks Leslie whether the allegation of sexual assault complicated Bryant’s legacy. King claims the clip appears jarring when edited out of context.
Snoop Dogg responded by posting a now-deleted video attacking King for her comments telling her to “back off...before we come get you.”
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On Saturday, Snoop Dogg posted another video on Instagram saying that he meant King no harm. “I’m a non-violent person. When I said what I said, I spoke for the people who felt that Gayle was very disrespectful toward Kobe and his family,” he said. “I didn’t want no harm to come to her, I didn’t threaten her.”
Following overblown backlash online, death threats, and fellow celebrities weighing in on whether Snoop Dogg’s harsh video was warranted, the president of CBS News has made a public statement. “We fully support Gayle King and her integrity as a journalist,” Susan Zirinsky told the Associated Press. “We find the threats against her or any journalist doing their job reprehensible.”
On Sunday, activist Rose McGowan made a statement of her own, tweeting a transcript of Bryant’s public apology to the woman he allegedly sexually assaulted. McGowan asked Snoop Dogg to take a step back and take a page from the man he’s defending and apologize when they hurt someone. “Kobe stopped hurting women, so can you,” McGowan wrote.
You want to know why Kobe Bryant is a hero? He apologized to a hurt young woman. Snoop & others it’s time to stop terrorizing @gayleking & @feliciasonmez Truth hurts. Death hurts. Grow the fuck up. Kobe stopped hurting women, so can you pic.twitter.com/EEkg6u1HNM
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) February 9, 2020
CBS would not discuss the threats made against King with AP; however, King’s longtime friend Oprah Winfrey said King is not doing well. “She now has death threats and has to now travel with security,” Winfrey told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on the Today show.
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