CBS Mornings host Gayle King has addressed her controversial space flight with Katy Perry and finally explained why the pop star sang during the journey.
The 11-minute Blue Origin expedition – which took place in April – carried King, Perry, Lauren Sanchez, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.
The mission found itself at the centre of a controversy as it was blasted by the public who branded it ‘gluttonous’, ‘planet destroying’ and a ‘joyride for the super rich’.
Perry, 41, was particularly mocked for kissing the ground after they returned to earth following the short journey and bursting into song in the rocket.
Now King, 70, has revealed that she and her fellow all-female crew are to blame because they begged the Fireworks singers to sing as the capsule approached earth.
King told the Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast: ‘We went up and then when we’re coming down, we said to Katy Perry, “Are you gonna sing Roar? Are you gonna sing Fireworks?”’
CBS Mornings host Gayle King has addressed her controversial space flight with Katy Perry and finally explained why the pop star sang during the journey
King, 70, has revealed that she and her fellow all-female crew are to blame because they begged the Fireworks singers to sing as the capsule approached earth
Perry, 41, was particularly mocked for kissing the ground after they returned to earth following the short journey and bursting into song in the rocket
‘She goes, ‘Shut the bleep up. I’m not going to sing a song. And if I was, I’m not going to sing any of my own freaking songs.’
But despite Perry’s protestations she quickly changed her mind, but decided against singing something from her own repertoire.
‘As we broke through and we came back down, all of a sudden, Katy starts singing, “I see dreams”,’ King explained.
‘It was What a Wonderful World. So, we’re in the capsule and you just hear that Katy Perry voice in a cappella singing.
‘That gave us all goosebumps. We were all like, “Oh my god, it it was just so special.”
It was an unexpected space mission for King who describes herself as a ‘very nervous flyer’, even refusing high octane activities including riding rollercoasters with her family.
But after entering her eighth decade last December, the television star wanted a new challenge.
‘There was something I had said in January, I’m going to open myself up to new adventures,’ she said.
‘I was referring to dating, but I said, I’m going to open myself up to new adventures. And I found myself on a freaking rocket.’
‘I thought there’s something about stepping out of your comfort zone and being part of the first all-female crew was attractive to me.
I just felt that I’m going to lean into it. As afraid as I am, and I was very afraid, I’m going to lean into it.’
Despite Perry’s protestations she quickly changed her mind, but decided against singing something from her own repertoire
After entering her eighth decade last December, the television star wanted a new challenge
The broadcaster, who is best friends with Oprah Winfrey, said she was so nervous for the space journey that she even refused to eat before going into orbit.
She said: ‘I didn’t eat anything. I wanted my bladder to be empty. I wanted nothing just in case.’
It was important for the mother-of-two to speak to her nearest and dearest before joining the mission which was to capture the world’s attention.
King said: ‘I called Tyler Perry. He did a Zoom prayer. I called TD Jakes. I talked to my kitchen cabinet, which is my favorite daughter, Kirby, favorite son, Will, and Oprah, of course.
‘And if any of the three of them had said, “I don’t think you should do it.” I wouldn’t have done it. If any one of that, they all said: “We think you should do it. Well if you want to do it, you should do it.”’
But the space flight didn’t go entirely to plan as King fell ill during the 11-minute journey and worried that she would have to be helped out of the capsule.
‘When we came back down, I could feel myself getting really, really light headed. And I thought, “Oh my god, please don’t let me pass out. Please,’ she said.
‘That’s how scared I became. I thought, “I’m about to pass out.” And the image I didn’t want was that everybody comes off the capsule and they pull me out on the stretcher.’
The A-list crew travelled for 11 minutes, reaching an altitude of 62 miles (100km) and crossing the Karman Line, the official boundary of space.
The 11-minute Blue Origin expedition – which took place in April – carried King, Perry, Lauren Sanchez , civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn
The New Shepard Rocket carried the capsule to the edge of space at nearly twice the speed of sound before detaching and allowing the crew to experience a few minutes of weightlessness.
However, commenters have branded the mission ‘ridiculous’, and say it is nothing more than a ‘publicity stunt’.
Dr Gareth Dorrian, a space scientist from the University of Birmingham, told the Daily Mail: ‘Let’s call it what it is and not tell ourselves that it is contributing meaningfully to science or space exploration.
‘I am afraid I do still think these flights are essentially just joyrides for the super-rich.’
While Katy Perry and her fellow crewmates did technically enter space, not everyone is convinced they deserve the title ‘astronauts’ as Blue Origin insists.
On X, formerly Twitter, one commenter wrote: ‘They’re not astronauts…. I think real astronauts would be offended at that. They’re celebrities sat on their bums.’
Despite the controversy, King has no regrets and would even sign up for a future mission.
She said: ‘I’m very proud of myself because I’m, as I said, I’m not brave, but I did it. And I came back in one piece, didn’t use a diaper, and I was fine. It was great. I think we’re forever bonded.’
‘I’m not going to do it anytime soon, but I would definitely do it again,’ she added.
