Gayle King isn’t giving up the news business anytime soon — or maybe ever.
Byron Allen honored King with the Journalist Icon Award at TheGrio’s Washington D.C. Gala on Saturday, and the busy anchor told him she wants to work even more.
Said King — who has previously been honored with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism — at the National Museum of African American History and Culture: “I stand before you at 68-years-old. Walter Cronkite had to retire from CBS at 65… He didn’t have a choice.”
She added: “I’m not even kind of thinking about retiring. Not even kind of! I’m looking for more work.”
King recently announced she’s hosting a new CNN show with Charles Barkley in addition to juggling a SiriusXM radio show and, of course, hosting “CBS This Morning.” (We think you’ve got enough on your plate, Gayle!)
King had one heck of an opening act before receiving her award: Diana Ross performed a mini-concert that included her hits “Upside Down,” “I’m Coming Out,” “The Boss” and the Supremes’ “Stop! In the Name of Love.”
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Allen also introduced theGrio talent and journalists including “Queen of the White House” April Ryan, who has covered five presidents, Touré, Marc Lamont Hill, Natasha Alford and former “The Real Housewives of New York City” star Eboni K. Williams.
Allen told King when she finally followed the other journos, “I wanted to just show you what you gave birth to… You are the one who opened the door…. Everybody on this stage owes you a huge debt of gratitude.”
Allen also pointed out how King has “lifted CBS mornings.” “They weren’t working out well. The show was dying in the morning. You brought it life and now CNN,” which is also struggling, he said.
King explained how she was expected at the CBS White House Correspondents Dinner afterparty and quipped: “Note to self. Never follow Byron Allen or Diana Ross because I came in, and I said, ‘Byron, I really have to go!’”
Gov. Wes Moore, Nikole Hannah Jones, Bevy Smith, Melba Wilson, motivational speaker Hope Giselle, CNN’s Sara Sidner, Areva Martin, “GMA3” executive producer Cat McKenzie, attorney Ben Crump and “Sherri” executive producer Jawn Murray were also there.
