Gayle King has hits back at critics over Blue Origin space mission, and has broken her silence on her facial expression before the trip becoming a viral meme.
On Monday morning, King, 70, joined six noteworthy women, including Jeff Bezos' fiancé Lauren Sanchez, 55, and singer Katy Perry, 40, on a nail-biting 11-minute suborbital flight during which the crew could be heard screaming on a live broadcast.
The women crossed the Karman Line, often used as the boundary of space, and were treated to roughly three minutes of weightlessness before they headed back down to the ground.
The commercial spacecraft carried King, Sanchez, and Perry, as well as filmmaker Kieranne Flynn, 57, and NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, 38, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyne, 33, on the brief, zero gravity joyride.
Moments before takeoff, the ladies each rang a ceremonial bell before getting into the rocket.
While everyone else was smiling and looked happy to ring the bell and get on with the mission, King looked noticeably downcast and stressed out as she took her turn.
She half-heartedly rang the bell and continued to walk forward towards the rocket after letting out a huge sigh.
The hilarious moment went viral on social media, and a close-up shot of her face was soon turned into a hysterical meme.
Gayle King has broken her silence on her facial expression before her Blue Origin space mission becoming a viral meme
On Monday morning, King, 70, joined six noteworthy women, including Jeff Bezos ' fiancé Lauren Sanchez , 55, and singer Katy Perry , 40, on a nail-biting 11-minute suborbital flight
King's face before getting onto the rocket went viral on social media, and a close-up shot of her face was soon turned into a hysterical meme
One user said that her face perfectly described going to work on a Monday, while others joked that there's never been another person who 'wanted to go to space less' than the journalist.
But King is embracing it all, as she changed her profile picture on Instagram to a snap of her face after ringing the bell, and even addressed the now-viral moment on CBS Mornings on Tuesday.
'I did not realize that I looked that serious, but it does stand out when you look at everybody else, because [when] they're ringing, they're smiling,' she said on the show.
'I was just thinking, "Let me get into my seat and follow instructions,"' King added.
Her co-hosts Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson agreed, as they explained that they just thought she was getting her 'game face' on.
'But I was also afraid,' King admitted.
The women's quick trip to space was not exactly well-received, with a slew of stars publicly slamming it, including Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Wilde, Olivia Munn, and Amy Schumer.
On the show, King also responded to the some of the criticism that the trip has received.
'This is what bothers me, I've certainly read some of the stuff being said online and it's coming from people I know, people I consider friends,' she said.
But King is embracing it all, as she changed her profile picture on Instagram to a snap of her face after ringing the bell, and even addressed the now-viral moment on CBS Mornings
!['I did not realize that I looked that serious, but it does stand out when you look at everybody else, because [when] they're ringing, they're smiling,' she said on the show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/04/15/19/97269329-14615151-The_seasoned_journalist_continued_I_haven_t_felt_like_this_since-a-45_1744742178541.jpg)
'I did not realize that I looked that serious, but it does stand out when you look at everybody else, because [when] they're ringing, they're smiling,' she said on the show
'Space is not an either/or ... Just because you do something in space doesn't mean you're taking anything away from Earth.'
The star also insisted that Blue Origin is fiercely dedicated to 'make the planet cleaner.'
'Whenever a man goes up ... you have never said to a [male] astronaut, "What a ride." [Don't] call it a ride,' she continued.
'It's called a flight or a journey. A ride implies it's something frivolous or light hearted. There's nothing frivolous about what we did.'
She added, 'I'm very disappointed and saddened by [the hate]. What it's doing to inspire other women and young girls - please don't ignore that.'
Before the big launch, the anchor had opened up about how nervous she was to go on the trip in an interview for ELLE magazine's April digital issue.
When asked to share her initial reaction to the invitation from Sanchez, King admitted: 'I'm probably the only one at the table who wasn't saying, "Put me in, coach."
King was seen sobbing as she arrived to the launch site on Monday morning
'I had a lot of trepidation — I still do — but I also know it's very interesting to be terrified and excited at the same time.'
The seasoned journalist continued: 'I haven't felt like this since childbirth, really. Because I knew childbirth was going to hurt. But it's also stepping out of your comfort zone.'
Thankfully, the Blue Origin returned to land safely.
King was seen sobbing as she arrived to the launch site on Monday morning.
And at the launch site, her close friend Oprah told reporters that the trip was monumental for King due to her fear of flying.
'I've never been more proud. This is bigger than just going to space for [Gayle]. Any time we're on a flight she's in someone's lap if there's the slightest bit of turbulence,' Oprah shared.
'She has real, real, real anxiety flying. This is overcome a wall of fear, a barrier, I think it's gonna be cathartic for her.'
