While appearing on CNN’s Have I Got News for You on Saturday, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) shared her thoughts on the upcoming all-female space flight led by Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez: namely, that Gayle King should stay behind on Earth, where it’s safe, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) should go in King’s place.
After revealing that Oprah’s BFF journalist King was one of the women set to venture into space onboard the Blue Origin flight, HIGNFY team captain Amber Ruffin (who shares the job with comedian/Daily Beast columnist Michael Ian Black) exclaimed, “We cannot afford to lose her!”
After panelist Dave Foley asked if Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) could also be added to the flight list, Crockett responded, “No, no, no—take Marjorie!” with her fingers crossed, clearly praying for a miracle.
Host Roy Wood Jr. went on to implore King to stay behind, begging, “Gayle, do not go, please. Gayle King, we cannot afford to lose you. If you are a Black woman journalist and you‘re good at your job, they are trying to silence you. They already are. I ain‘t like what they did to Joy Reid. And now they‘re trying to send you to space. Who’s going to interview R. Kelly when he gets pardoned by Trump?”
Their comments echo popular sentiments on social media. While people don’t seem overly concerned for the wellbeing of Sánchez or even Katy Perry, who will also be onboard, many users were bewildered by King’s decision to join the crew, particularly considering how terrified she sounded when discussing the trip on CBS Mornings.
Earlier in the segment, Crockett joked that women probably have more rights in space, with Foley adding, “I believe that space is where the last Planned Parenthood office is.”
Blue Origin reached orbit for the first time earlier this year with the launch of the New Glenn spacecraft on Jan. 16. The launch, originally scheduled for Jan. 13, was delayed due to unspecified technical difficulties, and the company announced on social media that the New Glenn lost its booster during the descent. Undeterred, the next paragraph reads, “We knew landing the first stage on the first try was ambitious. We’ll learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch in the spring. We’re thrilled with today’s outcome.”
