Gayle King reveals the reason why Katy Perry sang during ‘terrifying’ Blue Origin spaceflight – as she insists she would do it again despite fierce backlash

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Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings, has explained the reason behind Katy Perry’s singing during their recent space flight, addressing the discussion it sparked.

In April, Blue Origin launched an 11-minute spaceflight with six people on board: King, Perry, Lauren Sanchez, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, ex-rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.

The mission sparked public outrage, with many people criticizing it as wasteful, harmful to the environment, and an extravagant pleasure trip for the wealthy.

People widely made fun of 41-year-old Perry for kissing the ground when they landed after the brief space trip, and for breaking into song inside the rocket.

According to 70-year-old King, she and the rest of the all-female crew are responsible for the issue because they asked the band Fireworks to perform as their capsule neared Earth.

King shared on the Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast that they asked Katy Perry while descending from somewhere, “Will you sing ‘Roar’? Will you sing ‘Fireworks’?”

She told him to be quiet and refused to sing, making it clear she wouldn’t perform any of her own songs, even if she did.

Although Perry initially objected, she quickly agreed, but chose not to perform one of her own songs.

According to King, as they emerged and returned, Katy unexpectedly began singing the song “I See Dreams.”

They played ‘What a Wonderful World’ as we were in the capsule, and all you could hear was Katy Perry singing it beautifully, without any instruments.

‘That gave us all goosebumps. We were all like, “Oh my god, it it was just so special.”

The space mission came as a surprise to King, who admits she’s a nervous flyer – so much so that she even avoids thrilling activities like rollercoasters with her family.

But after entering her eighth decade last December, the television star wanted a new challenge.

Oh my gosh, she said it! Back in January, she hinted at wanting something different, like she was ready to just…throw herself into new experiences! It was so subtle, but I knew! I knew she was on the verge of something amazing, saying she wanted to open herself up to whatever came next. It still gives me chills just thinking about it!

I was talking about being open to dating and new experiences, but things took off much faster than I expected – it felt like being launched on a rocket!

I was drawn to the challenge of pushing myself and being part of a groundbreaking, all-female team.

I decided to fully embrace the challenge, even though I was really scared. I knew I needed to face my fears head-on.

The TV personality, close friends with Oprah Winfrey, admitted she was incredibly anxious about the trip to space and lost her appetite beforehand.

She said: ‘I didn’t eat anything. I wanted my bladder to be empty. I wanted nothing just in case.’

The mother of two felt it was crucial to talk to her closest family and friends before embarking on a mission that promised to gain worldwide attention.

I reached out to Tyler Perry for a Zoom prayer session, and I also spoke with TD Jakes. I consulted with my closest advisors – my daughter Kirby, my son Will, and, of course, Oprah – who I consider my ‘kitchen cabinet’.

If even one of them had expressed a concern, I wouldn’t have gone through with it. But they all encouraged me, telling me that if I wanted to do it, I should.

The space flight didn’t go perfectly, as King became ill during the 11-minute trip and feared she’d need assistance getting out of the capsule.

As we descended, I started to feel incredibly dizzy, and I was really worried I might faint, she recounted.

I was so frightened, I genuinely thought I was going to faint. My biggest fear was that after the capsule opened, I’d have to be carried out on a stretcher.

The team of experts journeyed for 11 minutes, climbing to an altitude of 62 miles (100 kilometers) and officially entering space by crossing the internationally recognized boundary known as the Karman Line.

The New Shepard rocket boosted the capsule to just below space, traveling almost twice as fast as the speed of sound. Once there, the capsule separated from the rocket, giving the passengers a few moments of floating weightlessness.

People online have criticized the mission, calling it pointless and accusing those involved of simply trying to generate publicity.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about space and science, I’m always honest about what truly moves the needle. And sometimes, let’s just be real – some things aren’t actually helping us make meaningful progress in science or exploring space. It’s important to call it out when that’s the case.

‘I am afraid I do still think these flights are essentially just joyrides for the super-rich.’

Katy Perry and the others on her flight did reach space, but some people question whether they should be called ‘astronauts,’ as Blue Origin claims.

One person commented on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying they didn’t think the individuals involved were true astronauts and that actual astronauts might be upset by the comparison. They described these people as simply celebrities enjoying the experience.

Despite the controversy, King has no regrets and would even sign up for a future mission.

I’m really proud of myself for doing that, even though I don’t consider myself a brave person. I managed it, and I’m happy to say I got through it without any issues – I didn’t even need to rely on diapers! It was a wonderful experience, and I feel like it’s created a lasting connection between us.

‘I’m not going to do it anytime soon, but I would definitely do it again,’ she added.

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2025-11-26 20:05