Gayle King: Here's 'What I Was Really Thinking'

"I was never worried he was going to hurt me. I was more worried that he was going to get up and leave," says journalist Gayle King following her interview with an explosive R. Kelly that aired Wednesday on CBS This Morning. King, who is also editor at large of O, tells the magazine she "did worry at some points that he might accidentally hit me, because he was so angry that he was flailing." But "what I was really thinking to myself was: I'm not done with this interview, so I'm going to let him have his moment." The singer sobbed into the camera, raised his voice, used profanity, and finally stood, gesturing over King, who sat calmly, waiting for him to return to his seat. "It was a master class, a virtuosic display of journalism," writes Roxanne Jones at CNN. "She was unflappable, in control."

And she's not done. King's interview with Azriel Clary and Joycelyn Savage, the two women currently living with R. Kelly despite their parents' claims that they're being held hostage, airs Thursday. "That interview is very eye-opening," King tells O. "To my surprise, they were very angry" and "feel that Robert has been maligned, that their own parents are lying." The women appear to claim their families are only interested in R. Kelly's money. "Bravo @GayleKing for calm and steady focus during #RKelly interview. Outstanding job!" Oprah Winfrey tweeted shortly after the initial interview with Kelly aired. "Tell @CBSThisMorning we want to see the whole thing." No need: "Never-before-seen parts" of the 80-minute interview will be featured in an hour-long primetime special to air Friday at 8pm ET, Vulture reports. (More Gayle King stories.)