Celebrity News

Post-interview, R. Kelly gets tried in the court of public opinion

Shirley McMarlin
Slide 1
Tyler LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times/AP
R. Kelly walks to his vehicle after exiting BIGGS Mansion, a cigar lounge in Chicago’s Gold Coast on Feb. 25, 2019.

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“How stupid would I be to do that?”

In an interview with Gayle King of “CBS This Morning,” R. Kelly asked the question others have been asking since the R&B singer was charged with sexually abusing four people, including three underage girls.

In a performance of Shakespearean proportions, Kelly alternately shouted, cried, waved his arms and stood menacingly over King.

Though Kelly called all of his accusers liars, the court of public opinion stands with them. For the most part, reactions to his claims of innocence and persecution have been brutal.

Conversely, King gets mad props for keeping her professional cool in the midst of Kelly’s ranting.

Kelly isn’t without supporters, though they seem to be few and far between.

In January, Lifetime aired the documentary, “Surviving R. Kelly,” which explored allegations of sexual misconduct against the star.

Stories go back to the 1990s at the start of his career, many involving predatory behavior toward teenage girls.

In 2008, Kelly was acquitted on charges of having had sex with a 13-year-old. He’s currently charged with 10 counts of felony aggravated criminal sex abuse.

One more thing: Kelly married singer Aaliyah in 1994 when she was 15 — and he was 27.

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