Gayle King Outs Former Friend Who Was Secretly Charging People $50K To Meet Her On ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’

By Samantha Nungesser Twitter @samjnungesser
Published Jan. 3, 2024, 10:30 a.m. ET

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Gayle King learned the hard way how difficult it is to make true friends when you’re, well, Gayle King. On this morning’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the famed journalist revealed that she once had a friend who was secretly charging people $50,000 to set up a meeting with her.

King appeared on the hit daytime talk show alongside her CBS Mornings family Nate Burleson, Tony Dokoupil, and Vladimir Duthiers, where they discussed Reese Witherspoon‘s decision to “edit” her friendships.

According to King, she has found difficulty in the friend-making realm since so many people want to use her for clout, and for her close friendship with Oprah Winfrey.

(Editor’s Note: The Drew Barrymore Show is currently on hiatus. This article was originally published on Nov. 20, 2023 when this episode first aired. Drew will return with new episodes in January 2024.)

“I think it’s hard to make friends when you’re over 40,” she said. “But I’ve had times in my life with people who I thought were my friends and then I find out — can you get this manuscript to Oprah? Can I be on your show? Can you look at this book? Can Oprah pay my bills?”

She continued, “Or, I think you should know this, somebody who I thought was a friend was charging behind my back $50,000. They said, ‘I can arrange a meeting with Gayle for you.’ I did not know she was doing that.”

'The Drew Barrymore Show'
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When it came time to end the relationship, King revealed how she let her former friend down easily.

“I came up with the best line when you decide that you want to edit your friendships as opposed to, ‘I don’t want any more friends,'” she explained. “I said, ‘I don’t think I can be the friend you need me to be.'”

Meanwhile, Drew Barrymore let King know that she can always count on her to be a real friend.

“I have made a new friend in, I think it’s been about three going on four years now, I made a friend who has been a shoulder to cry on, someone to ask advice to, someone who has championed me through positive and difficult times, and it’s Gayle King,” Barrymore said.

She added, “It’s you and I thank you so much because you have truly been someone who I have turned to and leaned on. It is your story and I am just so grateful to be in this with you.”

The Drew Barrymore Show airs on weekdays on CBS. You can check the website for local airtimes.