Gayle King Reveals She’s ‘Worried’ for Son Will’s Safety Amid Black Lives Matter Protests
Gayle King opened up about the fears she has for her son, Will Bumpus Jr., amid the Black Lives Matter movement. The CBS This Morning host made an emotional appearance on The Talk on Wednesday, June 3, to discuss the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality following George Floyd’s death.
“My son is 33 years old, and I’m worried about him,” Gayle, 65, revealed to cohosts Marie Osmond, Sharon Osbourne, Carrie Ann Inaba, Sheryl Underwood and Eve. “[I’m] saying, ‘Will, please don’t walk [your dog named] Scott … please don’t take him for long walks, everything is so volatile.”
The TV personality explained because Will “lives in the Santa Monica area,” he can “hear the police choppers” and “hear the sounds” coming from the protests. Gayle expressed how nervous she was for her son to even go out at night. “We talked about [it], I told him, ‘Don’t wear the black mask. Wear the ones with the bandana,'” she said.
As Gayle held back tears, Sharon chimed in and asked if she was feeling uneasy about her son living in L.A. as a person of color. “I worry for him being a black man, period,” Gayle stated. “And now everybody is so amped up about everything. I do, I worry a lot about his safety. Welcome to being black in America. This is not new.”
The Gayle King Show alum — who shares Will and daughter Kirby Bumpus with ex-husband William Bumpus — also shared her thoughts on the worldwide movement while chatting with Extra on June 2.
“We should be all in this together, we should all be outraged by this story,” she explained. “You also find me thinking .. maybe, just maybe this could be the change. I’m so sorry it’s happening at George Floyd’s expense, but I’m hoping this will be the game-changer that we’ve been looking for.”
It’s no surprise Gayle wants to see a better world for her children. While chatting with Time magazine in 2016, the Note to Self author revealed how she managed to be the best single mom to her two kids while juggling her Hollywood career.
“I really love my children, and I really love my job,” she told the outlet. “For working mothers who haven’t been able to let go of the guilt, I say: Relax and release. The most important thing is that your child knows you care about them.”
For more information, visit Blacklivesmatter.com.
