On Tuesday, Gayle King was unveiled as one of the cover models for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 60th anniversary edition.
“Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi spoke with Gayle, who “never dreamed” of being in SI Swimsuit, much less on the cover!
Gayle was “still actually processing [the news]” after learning about her cover on-air on “CBS Mornings.”
King made history by becoming the first news anchor to be in the magazine and on the cover.
As for the shoot itself, Gayle admitted that she was “out of my box.” She revealed that she consulted with her daughter Kirby and BFF Oprah Winfrey and added, “I was thinking, ‘I don’t want to look ridiculous.’”
After a conversation with SI editor-in-chief MJ Day, Gayle “felt a little more comfortable” with the historic shoot.
She said, “I don’t mind showing the body, but I just wanted it to be tasteful without looking fuddy-duddy.”
Gayle showed some love to photographer Yu Tsai, saying, “I just did everything he told me… It feels very posed, but it looks very natural when the picture comes out. They know what they’re doing at Sports Illustrated… I did feel in really good hands.”
Gayle said she wanted to “celebrate all of us as women” with her shoot. She added, “When women are involved, I think good things happen and I think Sports Illustrated is a perfect example of the evolution of who we are as women.”
After doing the shoot, what’s her message to others? She answered, “Don’t be scared!” She elaborated, “Trust the process, and when somebody comes to you and wants to… honor you in this way… don’t turn that down. Embrace it.”
Her cover got the seal of approval from her friends and family, with one person even suggesting that she use it for her dating profile!
She added, “I’m not doing that, but that is funny.”
The magazine is on newsstands May 17.
