Gayle King claims Blue Origin space mission backlash is ‘SEXIST’ after Katy Perry and crew face criticism for ‘gluttunous’ feat
Gayle King has fired back at critics of her recent Blue Origin space flight after critics – including some very famous faces – slammed the feat as “gluttunous” and “self-indulgent”.
The CBS Mornings host expressed frustration over what she perceives as sexist characterisations of the historic all-female mission that took place Monday.
“They call it a ride, which I find very irritating because they never say men went for a ride,” King told CBS Mornings on Tuesday as she alluded to the criticism being steeped in sexism.
King was part of the six-woman crew that included pop star Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, marking the first all-female spaceflight since 1963.
The Blue Origin NS-31 mission launched from West Texas on Monday morning, lasting 10 minutes and 21 seconds.
The crew spent several minutes in zero gravity before returning safely to Earth aboard the New Shepard launch vehicle.
Besides King, Perry and Sánchez, the historic team included former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyễn, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
This marked the first all-female spaceflight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.
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The fully autonomous vehicle carried the women approximately 350,449 feet above Earth’s surface, beyond the Kármán line, the internationally recognised boundary of space.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, King elaborated on her frustration with critics, saying she was “very disappointed and very saddened” by negative reactions, including from people she considers friends.
“Number one, Blue Origin is trying to figure out a way to put waste into space to make the Earth better,” King stated firmly.
She then issued her direct challenge: “Number two, have you been? Have you been? If you’ve been and you still feel that way after you come back, please, let’s have a conversation.”
King emphasised there was “nothing frivolous” about the mission, pushing back against those who dismissed the historic flight.
The celebrity backlash against the mission was swift and pointed, with several high-profile figures publicly criticising the space venture.
Olivia Munn called the mission “gluttonous” on Today With Jenna and Friends, questioning its purpose during a time when “some people can’t afford eggs.”
Comedian Amy Schumer mocked the flight on Instagram, posting a video joking about being added to the mission “last second.”
Olivia Wilde shared a photo of Perry post-landing with the caption: “Billion dollars bought some good memes, I guess.”
Emily Ratajkowski went further, describing the mission as “beyond parody” in a TikTok video, questioning environmental claims while using a “spaceship that is built and paid for by a company that’s single-handedly destroying the planet.”
Despite the criticism, King emphasised the mission’s broader impact, telling People: “We can all speak to the response we’re getting from young women from young girls about what this represents.”
Lauren Sánchez echoed this sentiment, inviting critics to “come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle.”
Aisha Bowe highlighted the scientific value, explaining they conducted research on “crops that can withstand harsh environments” to address food security on Earth.
“So many women, girls, even men reached out to say, ‘I now think I can go to space too,'” King added, underscoring the mission’s inspirational impact.