R. Kelly Accusers Say Explosive Gayle King Interview Reminded Them Of His Alleged Abuse

Several of the accusers featured in the Lifetime documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly” expressed fear and anguish at the R&B singer’s belligerent interview this week defending himself against years of sexual abuse allegations, saying Thursday that they could not watch the entire interview because Kelly’s anger reminded them of his alleged abusive behavior toward them.

“When he started screaming, it terrified me,” accuser Asante McGee told CBS News. “I immediately turned off the TV because, again, I felt like I was revisiting him yelling at me.”

Kelly, who was charged last month for 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse after numerous allegations over the years, gave an explosive interview to “CBS This Morning” host Gayle King earlier this week. The singer spent much of the interview crying, shouting and gesturing vehemently at the camera, at one point rising out of his chair.

“There’s nothing I felt sorry about him for because I know the type of monster he is, and I know he would cry at the drop of a dime,” McGee said of the interview. “He’s a great performer, on and off the stage.”

Michelle Kramer, who has said she had to physically rescue her daughter Dominique Gardner from an abusive relationship with Kelly, said that she and her daughter also had to turn off the TV during the interview.

“I can watch full stories. I just can’t do circus acts,” Kramer said, adding that her daughter couldn’t watch the entire interview because “when he jumped up, she remembered the rage.” 

Accuser Kitti Jones said she was not surprised that Kelly, who has denied all allegations of underage sex and holding young women against their will, claimed that all of the women are liars.

But Jones said she felt sorry for Kelly for not receiving help.

“I cried because I still saw the person that I fell in love with,” she said. “I couldn’t help but wonder, like, why didn’t someone step in and help him earlier?” 

Need help? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.