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Gayle King isn’t ready to give up the news business any time soon. On Saturday, she was honored with the Journalist Icon Award at TheGrio’s Washington D.C. Gala by Byron Allen. At the National Museum of African American History and Culture, King said, “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 is already busy juggling a SiriusXM radio show, hosting “CBS This Morning” and recently announced she’s hosting a new CNN show with Charles Barkley. 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.”
Allen introduced theGrio talent and journalists including “Queen of the White House” April Ryan, Touré, Marc Lamont Hill, Natasha Alford and former “The Real Housewives of New York City” star Eboni K. Williams. He said to 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,” he said. King had to rush off to attend a White House Correspondents Dinner party, but not before 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 to honor her.
