Famed broadcast journalist Gayle King sparked controversy on live television on Friday after using a gay slur while retelling a joke.

Comedian Matteo Lane, an openly gay comedian, was on “CBS Mornings” to promote his new cookbook, “Your Pasta Sucks.”

During the interview, King quoted one of Lane’s jokes but used a slur, leading to varying reactions on social media.

While interviewing Lane, King freely discussed his sexual preference and told him per Page Six, “You embrace being gay and your homosexuality.”

She then asked, “And I’m wondering where did this come from? The funniness that you were able to combine with cooking and your stand-up, too?”

In response, Lane said he came from “a large family where you have to have something funny to say or be opinionated, so you have to speak up.”

He added that merging comedy with his culinary skills “felt very natural” for him.

Afterward, King recalled one of Lane’s jokes. She said, “Let’s talk about the stand-up [special]. Can I just say one joke? I hope I don’t get in trouble.”

The 70-year-old continued, “You do a riff about white women who have approached you, and they said something about cooking, and you said, ‘What in the f-ggottry are you talking about?'”

However, the seasoned journalist didn’t censor the word, though it was removed in the show’s subsequent airings and on social media.

Despite King’s use of the gay slur, Lane found it amusing as he reacted with a laugh, exclaiming, “I love you Gayle King!”

King also asked Lane what the remark meant, and he answered, “It means exactly what you think it means. White women, they’re fine during the day, but they have one sip of a rosé and they’re like, ‘Tonight’s about me!’ They won’t stop, I’m telling you. Horrible.”

The reactions to King’s use of the gay slur were of a mixed variety on social media. On the one hand, some people had no issues with her use of the slur but found the moment hilarious and iconic.

Bob the Drag queen reposted the clip and commented, “Honestly iconic.”

Another person quipped, “Did Gayle King just say that out loud on National TV!!!!!! I’m GAGGED! Literally jaw dropped!”

A third person remarked, “Lawddd I’m not even a fan of Gayle King…… at all…. but this shouldn’t even be a conversation. Anyone having issues with it needs a mental consultation.”

A fourth X user added, “Is Gayle King my new Queen?”

A fifth person wrote, “Icon status.”

On the other hand, several netizens were offended by Gayle King’s use of a gay slur on live television and took turns slamming her.

One disgruntled person asked, “WTH is wrong with Gayle King?!”

Another person added, “Wow, I don’t love this.”

A third person opined, “I don’t care if Gayle King is giving dyke down she still can’t say it just like I can’t call her any slur I want to lol, gay people need to stop excusing homophobia when it comes from women.”

Another offended X user asked, “So…we’re okay with people using slurs if they’re quoting comedians, now? Or does this only apply to gay men? I’m just saying. I’m reading the room and a lot of you think this is cute. It’s weird how it’s always the slurs against us that get labeled as “not a big deal.”

A fifth person commented, “F-ggotry is crazy.”

Meanwhile, one X user felt Gayle King’s use of the gay slur was her “coming out,” while another person claimed the journalist is a “lesbian.”

However, that is not the case, as King and her longtime friend, Oprah Winfrey, have repeatedly set the record straight about their friendship.

As The Blast reported in July 2024, the pair were guests on Melissa French Gates’ “Moments That Make Us” podcast and clarified their relationship again.

They blamed the rare nature of their friendship for the gay rumors, with Winfrey noting that people generally “aren’t accustomed to seeing women” have a bond as strong as theirs.

She continued, “You know, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever. And people still may think it.”

King chimed in, “I used to say, ‘Oprah, you gotta do a show on this because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay.’ Because if we were gay, we’d tell you!”