Olivia Munn’s Scorching Words for Gayle King Under Fire as Fans Call Out Actress’ Suspicious Motives
Actress Olivia Munn launched a scathing takedown of Gayle King’s celestial vanity project, ripping apart the CBS host’s upcoming space joyride with the fury of a rocket’s afterburners.
During a fiery appearance on NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Friends,” the “X-Men” actress eviscerated the so-called “historic” all-female Blue Origin mission, effectively asking why wealthy celebrities are playing astronauts while everyday Americans struggle to put food on the table.
With the April 14 launch date approaching, Munn’s blistering critique struck at the heart of what many view as tone-deaf extravagance masquerading as female empowerment.
The “CBS Mornings” co-host has been generating headlines since announcing her participation in Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission alongside a star-studded crew including pop star Katy Perry, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.
The mission, organized by Bezos’ space company, represents the first all-female crew to travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
“What, what are they doing? Like, why?” Munn asked after looking around uncertainly during the Thursday segment.
“I know this is probably not the cool thing to say, but there are so many things that are so important in the world right now,” she continued, as host Jenna Bush Hager visibly agreed with her assessment.
The “Magic Mike” star further questioned the mission’s purpose, “There’s one astronaut, but like, what are you guys gonna do up in space? What are you doing up there?”
Munn’s critique extended beyond merely questioning the journey’s purpose to addressing its financial implications.
“It’s so much money to go to space, and there’s a lot of people who can’t afford eggs,” she pointed out bluntly.
She playfully warned the celebrity crew, “If they bring eggs into space. Gayle King, Katy Perry,” while pointing her finger directly at the camera, emphasizing what she considers a disconnect between such expensive ventures and everyday economic struggles.
The conversation took a more critical turn when Munn characterized the 11-minute journey to experience weightlessness as “gluttonous.”
She and Hager joked that the brief trip seemed comparable to riding Space Mountain at Disney, further trivializing what Blue Origin has promoted as a groundbreaking mission.
When Hager mentioned that the crew planned to travel in “glam,” including makeup, extensions, and other accessories, Munn challenged the historic significance of the mission.
“Is it historic that you’re going on a ride?” she questioned pointedly. “I just think it’s a bit gluttonous,” she added, suggesting that the original purpose of space exploration was to further knowledge and improve life on Earth, not serve as a joyride for celebrities.
King and her fellow crew members have defended their participation, with the CBS host telling Elle magazine that she wants to inspire others by going on this trip.
Similarly, the other participants have expressed their desire to encourage the next generation of explorers and dreamers. King specifically mentioned she is “honored to be part of Blue Origin’s first all-female flight team” and is “looking forward to stepping out of her comfort zone.”
Munn’s scathing words did not escape ABS readers who found her timing especially interesting. One Facebook commenter wrote, “People were struggling when the other celebrities went up, I don’t understand her criticism.”
While another Facebook commenter stated, “Sounds like haterism to me. Interesting that Gayle is the one she’s throwing most of the shade towards. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. She doesn’t get to dictate what someone else does for or against humanity. Not even going to ask who she voted for and what she has done.”
The Blue Origin NS-31 mission is scheduled to lift off from the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas sometime after 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on April 14. “CBS Mornings” will provide coverage of the event, which will see the crew experience a brief period in space before returning to Earth.
The mission has garnered significant attention not only for its all-female crew but also for the prominence of its participants. Sanchez, who is set to wed Blue Origin founder Bezos within months, has been credited with “bringing the mission together,” according to company statements. Perry has stated she “hopes her journey encourages her daughter and others to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.”
While Blue Origin has declined to comment on the cost of tickets for the space journey, Munn’s critique highlights growing public scrutiny of such ventures at a time when many are facing economic challenges, Bizjournal reports.
She asked what Gayle and her crewmates would do while in space to make things “better” for humankind on Earth, reflecting a broader debate about the value and ethics of commercial space tourism when earthly problems remain unsolved.
