Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King spoke about their special 46-year friendship in People‘s “Beautiful” issue.
Winfrey was a 22-year-old news anchor at WJZ-TV in Baltimore when she met King, who was then a 21-year-old production assistant/writer at the station, and offered her a place to stay for the night when a heavy snowstorm was forecast.
“We ended up talking all night long,” Winfrey gushed, adding that she’d given King a toothbrush and a dress for work the following day.
King still remembers “it was purple with a scoop neck and bell sleeves,” adding: “We’ve literally been friends ever since.”
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King said of strangers comparing themselves to the pals, “I always get, ‘This is my Oprah.’ It’s one of the biggest compliments.”
Winfrey added: “And I always get, ‘This is my Gayle’. I understand what that means: long-term, standing in the gap, no matter what, I’m here for you.”
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Winfrey told the mag that finding someone who is truly “happy for your happiness” is a gift, with King sharing: “And on the flip side, I [can] trust her about anything. Her advice is always very good.”
“People will find this hard to believe, but we’ve never had a serious argument,” Winfrey insisted. “It certainly is a beautiful friendship.”
