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Gayle King slammed for asking Stacey Abrams about dating life, Internet calls it ‘internalized misogyny, sexism’

'So what are you thinking about when it comes to dating in your life, you got a lot of stuff going on,' the 66-year-old host asked Abrams who appeared on ‘CBS This Morning’ on Tuesday, May 11, to promote her new legal thriller

Gayle King is in the news again, but for all the wrong reasons as while interviewing Stacey Abrams, she went too personal and asked her about her dating life. Abrams appeared on ‘CBS This Morning’ on Tuesday, May 11, to promote her new legal thriller novel when she was questioned about her dating life while managing all her work commitments.

The television personality asked, “The struggle is real, it's hard out here for a pimp. So what are you thinking about when it comes to dating in your life, you got a lot of stuff going on.” To which the voting rights activist said: “Well I have not focused on it that much this month, we've been trying to work on democracy and preserving access for Americans and fighting to make sure recovery is real. But if the guy realizes I'm out here and wants to drop me a note, I'm looking forward to meeting him.”

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After the show aired, people on social media criticized King for getting too personal and asking “irrelevant questions”. One user tweeted, “This may not be a popular opinion, but I don't think Gayle King has much talent. She isn't a good tv interviewer, & her radio show on Sirius isn't much better. She's famous because her bff is Oprah. I'm sure she's a nice lady, but I don't think news anchor is a great job for her.” The second user noted, “Gayle King???? Is she alright? I find her hard to tolerate. Stacey Abrams, she's incredible.” The third user wrote: “Gayle king please stop it. What has Stacey Abram’s romance life got to do with you?? Does everybody have to be u? Busybody not good for anybody, u weirdo.”

“A totally offensive question that she would never ask a man. We are lucky to have women like Stacey Abrams; Gayle King should be ashamed she asked such a question,” a person tweeted. Another one added, “Gayle King, this might come as a surprise, but when we see @staceyabrams on, we're eager to know what progress has been made on the voter suppression front. We don't care abt her dating life, don't even give it a thought. Media always reduces serious to frivolous. Big mistake.”

"Internalized misogyny and sexism. It was an awful question, crazy really... and we almost all suffer from some version of internalized conditioning. A fish can't see the water it is swimming in. The great thing is you noted it and made it visible," read a tweet. “Every interview Stacey Abrams gives is focused on voting rights, how to utilize her and other Black women’s methods in their communities to register more voters, and factual info on these Voting Suppression Bills. Gayle King, do better,” a comment read while another stated, “Our democracy's hanging by a thread & Gayle King is asking Stacey Abrams about boyfriend and having time to date. Seriously, shame on you @CBSThisMorning @GayleKing @staceyabrams.”

Abrams’ political career started in 2006 when as a Democrat she was the winner of a seat in the Georgia Assembly. The 47-year-old then became the first female minority leader of her party and also started working as a high-profile voting rights activist. Apart from her political work, she is also well known for her writing. Abrams is the writer of eight fiction romance novels, which she wrote under the pen name Selena Montgomery. She has also recently published another book -- ‘While Justice Sleeps’ -- using her real name.

Meanwhile, this was not the first time King has had to face the wrath of people on the internet for her interviewing style as in February last year she was condemned for asking WNBA legend Lisa Leslie about her friend Kobe Bryant and his rape allegation, which he faced in 2003, after his tragic death. She at the time told Leslie, “It's been said that his legacy is complicated because of a sexual assault charge. Is it complicated for you as a woman, as a WNBA player?”

The 48-year-old former professional basketball player replied: “That's just not the person that I know. It's not complicated for me at all. Even if there's a few times that we've been at a club at the same time, Kobe's not the kind of guy, never been, like, 'Lis, go get that girl, or tell her, or send her this.' I have other NBA friends that are like that. Kobe, he was never like that.”