Gayle King, also known as Oprah's best friend, is being lauded after maintaining her cool during an exclusive interview with singer R. Kelly.
The singer who was charged last month with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four alleged victims, became visibly irate in the interview, at one point standing and shouting over King, who maintains her composure throughout the interview.
"Stop it, y'all quit playing," Kelly yelled in the first part of the CBS segment which this week. "I didn't do this stuff! This is not me I'm fighting for my f***ing life! Y'all killing me with this s**t!"
"I gave y'all 30 years of my f***ing my career," he screamed. "Thirty years of my career! And y'all trying to kill me!"
Much like the Fearless girl statue, the picture of a composed King instantly went viral and became a symbol for many viewers of a powerful female stand against male aggression.
The optics of an African American female interviewer calling to account the music star, in a case riven with racial politics, was also a powerful image.
The image attracted commentary across American media, including from industry heavyweights Shonda Rhimes and Ava DuVernay.
And of course there was the shout-out from Gayle's bestie, Oprah Winfrey.
The interview comes after the airing of the January documentary "Surviving R. Kelly" in which several women and their families alleged that the singer sexually abused them.
Kelly has strongly denied the charges.
