O.J. Simpson is the latest public figure to chime in about Gayle King’s controversial interview with former NBA star Lisa Leslie. Simpson, a controversial figure himself, took aim at King for questioning Leslie about the 2003 criminal case against Kobe Bryant.
Simpson used his Instagram account to post a video explaining his gripe with King. “I know this thing about Kobe, she’s going to claim ‘journalistic integrity,'” Simpson said on the video. “A whole lot of people that have journalistic integrity didn’t feel that this was the right time to do that. There will be plenty of time in the future to bring up all aspects of Kobe’s life.”
Simpson continued: “Right now we should be celebrating the greatness of Kobe and his family. God bless Kobe and his family. I’m just saying, take care.”
King has caught heat from several celebrities since the interview, which originally aired on “CBS This Morning.” During the interview, King questioned WNBA legend Leslie about rape allegations Bryant faced in the 2003 criminal case. Bryant was accussed of rape by a woman who worked as a receptionist at a Boulder, Colorodo, hotel. Bryant said he beleieved the sex to be consensual.
Criminal charges against Bryant were dropped when the alleged victim did not appear to testify in court. However, Bryant and his accuser later settled a civil case out of court.
Leslie was playing for the Los Angles Sparks when she met Bryant, who at the time was an 18-year-old rookie with the Lakers.
During her interview with Leslie, King asked if Bryant’s rape case would tarnish his legacy. As King continued to press her on the topic, Leslie remained calm, saying, “I just never have ever seen him being the kind of person that would do something to violate a woman or be aggressive in that way. That’s just not the person that I know.”
Celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, spoke out against King. However, Marc Lamont Hill, Michael Eric Dyson and Susan Rice have all defended King and took issue with Snoop calling her the b-word.
