TV host Gayle King is speaking out after some people criticized her recent trip to space with an all-women crew.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gayle, 70, said she was surprised to see negative comments — even from people she knows and considers friends.
She and five other women, including Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez (Jeff Bezos’ fiancée), went to space for about 11 minutes on April 14, making history as the first all-women space crew since 1963.
Some celebrities, like Olivia Wilde and Emily Ratajkowski, criticized the flight, saying it was wasteful during a time when many people are struggling with the cost of living and climate issues.
Gayle responded by saying space exploration isn’t about ignoring Earth’s problems; it’s about helping solve them.
She explained that Blue Origin (Bezos’ company) wants to find ways to move waste off Earth to help clean up the planet.
“Going to space doesn’t mean we’re taking something away from Earth,” she said. “It’s about improving life down here.”
She also pointed out that when men go to space, people take them seriously — but when women go, some call it a “ride.”
“Why is it different when we go?” she asked.
Gayle ended by saying if anyone still feels the trip wasn’t worth it, they should try going to space themselves and then have a real conversation about it.
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