R. Kelly thought his explosive, over-the-top interview with Gayle King went really well.
So much so, in fact, that the singer could even sit down with King again for a follow-up.
“I think he is open to another sit-down at a later date,” King exclusively told Page Six at Variety’s Power of Women luncheon on Friday. “I certainly hope so.”
The “CBS This Morning” host — who remained calm as Kelly got out of his seat and became hysterical during their talk about allegations against him last month — revealed, “I called [his team] the next day because it blew up in such a way, so I just wanted to take their temperature to see how they were feeling.”
But, King said, “They were really pleased — because they thought people got to see how passionate he was. They got to see his pain, and maybe they got to look at it in a different way.”
But she admitted, “I kind of made the [phone] call like, ‘Ehhhh.’ No, but they were like, ‘Look, we’re so glad you called!’ ”
King said after the wild Kelly interview, “I was never worried he was going to hurt me. I was more worried that he was going to get up and leave.” King remained composed as Kelly repeatedly punched his hand, hit his chest and even stood up to speak directly to the camera to address sexual-abuse charges and accusations leveled against him. “Quit playing, I didn’t do this stuff,” he said during their discussion. “This is not me. I’m fighting for my f - - king life!”
During the Variety event, at Cipriani 42nd Street – which was also presented by Lifetime – three Kelly accusers who came forward in the network’s recent documentary, “Surviving R. Kelly,” addressed the crowd and received a standing ovation.
King also took the stage, saying “I think part of the reason R. Kelly got so irritated and angry with me, and with the circumstances that day . . . I think he feels the walls are closing in.”
Kelly is out on $1 million bail after being indicted on criminal sex-abuse charges in February.