Gayle King Responds to Backlash Over ‘Expensive’ Blue Origin Flight: ‘I Wish People Would Do More Due Diligence’

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In response to criticism following her journey to space aboard a Blue Origin flight on Monday, Gayle King has spoken out. The flight carried an all-female crew consisting of CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry, and journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez. This excursion lasted for eight minutes beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

Despite being intended to highlight women in aerospace, the flight by Jeff Bezos’ space technology company sparked considerable criticism, including from well-known celebrities. In a recent interview on “Today,” Olivia Munn described it as “self-indulgent,” expressing her concern about important global issues: “What are you going to do up in space when there are so many critical matters needing attention right now?” Other celebrities like Amy Schumer, Olivia Wilde, and Emily Ratajkowski have shared similar sentiments.

During a post-flight interview with Extra, King remarked: “I believe it’s beneficial that we can openly discuss this issue… because prior to my space flight and gaining more knowledge, I too had questioned the expense of space exploration. ‘Why spend so much on space when there’s so much left undone on Earth?’ I used to wonder the same thing.”

Or simply:

In a post-flight interview with Extra, King explained that she had previously shared similar doubts about space exploration costs, saying, “I used to ask myself ‘Why spend so much on space when there’s so much left undone on Earth?'” but now understands it better after her experience.

Yet, King admitted her perspective shifted upon examining “Blue Origin’s actions” and their “motives,” which she described as aiming to “devise a method to utilize waste here and launch it into space, enhancing Earth’s condition.” King emphasized that we frequently employ space technology in our daily lives through GPS and satellites, and every flight contributes data that can be utilized for other purposes.

She added: “I’d really appreciate it if folks did more thorough research. And then I ask you, have any of you ventured into outer space? Visit space or check out Blue Origin, observe their operations, and only then return to tell me this is wrong.

Blue Origin’s autonomous New Shepard rocket soared beyond 62 miles into the sky, surpassing the recognized boundary of space. This journey is a part of Blue Origin’s innovative space tourism venture, offering passengers an extended period of weightlessness and breathtaking vistas of Earth that could be life-altering.

The television host admitted that a journey aboard Blue Origin comes at a high cost, although the precise fee hasn’t been disclosed. However, they suggested that if there are enough individuals eager to participate, the expense could become more affordable.

Additionally, she paused to correct those who were using the term “ride” for the flight. She explained, “You wouldn’t hear someone, a male astronaut, being described as taking a ‘ride’ when he goes into space. Instead, it would be called a ‘flight’ or ‘journey.’ So, I believe referring to this mission in such a casual way is somewhat disregarding its significance and the hard work carried out by Blue Origin.

Regardless of the criticism, King asserted that she wouldn’t allow negative individuals to dampen her spirits – not even those who are well-known figures in the entertainment world. “I am aware there are grumpy souls, I recognize there are detractors,” she stated, “but I won’t let people rob me of my happiness or the happiness that we shared from our achievement that day.” She added, “I refuse to let it affect me. I won’t. And some of these individuals throwing shade are actually my friends!

Watch the full interview with King below.

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2025-04-16 14:16