CBS Mornings presenter Gayle King has broken her silence regarding the contentious space flight she shared with pop superstar Katy Perry, finally clarifying the circumstances that led to Perry's unexpected musical performance during their descent to Earth.
The Mission That Sparked Global Debate
The 11-minute Blue Origin expedition in April transported an exclusively female crew comprising King, Perry, Lauren Sanchez, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn. The mission rapidly became embroiled in controversy as members of the public condemned it as 'gluttonous', 'planet-destroying', and merely a 'joyride for the super-rich'.
Particular criticism was directed at Katy Perry, aged 41, who was filmed kissing the ground upon their return and spontaneously singing during the rocket journey, actions that many viewers found performative and inappropriate.
The Truth Behind the Space Serenade
King, now 70, has revealed that she and her fellow crew members were actually responsible for prompting Perry's musical moment. During an appearance on the Ruthie's Table 4 podcast, King disclosed that as their capsule began its descent, the group collectively begged the Firework singer to perform.
"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?'" King recalled. The initial response from Perry was decidedly unenthusiastic: "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.'"
Despite this firm refusal, Perry experienced a change of heart as they re-entered Earth's atmosphere. Rather than selecting one of her own chart-topping hits, she instead delivered a poignant a cappella rendition of What a Wonderful World.
"As we broke through and we came back down, all of a sudden, Katy starts singing, 'I see dreams'," King explained. "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 was just so special.'"
Confronting Fear for a Historic Mission
For King, who describes herself as a "very nervous flyer" who avoids rollercoasters, the space journey represented a significant personal challenge undertaken as she entered her eighth decade last December. "There was something I had said in January, I'm going to open myself up to new adventures," she noted, clarifying she had originally been referring to dating rather than space travel. "I found myself on a freaking rocket."
The opportunity to join the first all-female crew proved particularly compelling. "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."
Her apprehension was so profound that she consulted what she calls her "kitchen cabinet" - her children and close friend Oprah Winfrey - for approval. She also arranged a Zoom prayer session with filmmaker Tyler Perry and spoke with Bishop T.D. Jakes. King stated that had any of these trusted confidants advised against the mission, she would have withdrawn.
The broadcaster's anxiety manifested physically as she refused to eat beforehand, concerned about potential bodily functions during the flight. The journey itself proved challenging when King began feeling lightheaded during descent. "I thought, 'Oh my god, please don't let me pass out.' And the image I didn't want was that everybody comes off the capsule and they pull me out on the stretcher," she admitted.
Scientific Criticism and Lasting Bonds
The New Shepard Rocket propelled the capsule to an altitude of 62 miles (100km), crossing the Kármán line that officially demarcates the boundary of space. The crew experienced several minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.
However, the mission attracted significant criticism from scientific circles. Dr Gareth Dorrian, a space scientist at 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."
Social media commentators questioned whether the participants deserved the astronaut title that Blue Origin bestows, with one Twitter user remarking: "They're not astronauts.... I think real astronauts would be offended at that. They're celebrities sat on their bums."
Despite the controversy and physical challenges, King expresses no regrets about her extraterrestrial adventure. "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," she stated. Reflecting on the unique experience shared with her crewmates, she added, "I think we're forever bonded." When questioned about potential future missions, King responded: "I'm not going to do it anytime soon, but I would definitely do it again."
